When I write this blog, I like to tell you about things that make Delmarva special. Today’s entry is one that showcases how the community has come together to create a magnificent sports program and play area so that kids of all abilities, and adults up to a certain age, can participate.

Over at the Henry S. Parker Athletic Complex in Salisbury is a three-part project that encourages kids with disabilities to participate in sports. It’s home to the Challengers adaptive baseball program, an inclusive playground and a sensory trail with “pods” of play equipment.

Let’s start our tour with Field 7 ½! It is a gem. The athletic complex off Naylor Mill Road is Wicomico County’s premier baseball/softball tournament facility. Right in between Fields 7 and 8 is a smaller-sized, adapted field for the Challenger Little League District 8 teams. The program began in 2021 and this year brought the largest number of players, said Steve Miller, director of Wicomico County Recreation, Parks & Tourism. This year, 61 players made up 6 teams, with almost 60 volunteers serving as coaches and “buddies” to the athletes. 

The Little League Challenger Division is for players ages 4-18, or up to 22 if still enrolled in school. The Senior League Challenger Division is for players age 15 and up, with no maximum age. The teams had weekly practices through the spring and last Saturday, they played their last game of the season, then this week, the Shorebirds treated each player to two free tickets and recognized each one on the field.

Sheila Loar of Salisbury is a coach for one of the younger teams. She explained players are each assigned a “buddy,” a volunteer who interacts and engages with them. The games are short, 45 minutes, typically 1-2 innings long, and all players bat and play the field.

“You step on the field and it is magic,” Loar said. The Challenger teams give the kids an opportunity to see what they can do, she continued. “These children deserve opportunities just like all children.” 

The “buddies” for the program range from 9 years old to adults, Miller said. Parents of a child, friends, or community members can all be involved. Loar, a volunteer from the beginning, said she most enjoys giving back to the community.

“I’m able to give back to young people, to families and children. This allows them the opportunity to play and be a kid,” she said. “I was able to do that as a kid and I want every child, regardless of ability, to be able to do that, too.”

At an awards banquet earlier this year, Loar was awarded Coach of the Year for the Challengers at the county’s Good Sports Awards.

Another component of the complex is the inclusive playground. What a wonderful treat this is for our community! Children of all ages and abilities can play here. It’s wheelchair accessible and there is a variety of play equipment to appeal to anyone. The Donnie Williams Foundation, named for the late entrepreneur who was devoted to education, fitness and community engagement, was the main donor, with the rest of the funds coming from the county and state and private donations.

The playground is big and colorful, with an adjacent pavilion, and some parts are in the sun yet others are under cover. Even the flooring is specially designed, with a lot of “springiness’ you’ll feel when you walk. The playground is open to the community anytime the park is open, dawn to dusk.

From the playground, stroll the paved walkway past Field 7 ½, and you’ll see a third unique part of the project: a sensory trail and sensory pods. Miller said they recognized that for some kids, the playground area might be too busy, or a child just might need a reset. The sensory trail, a paved path wide enough for wheelchairs or adults to walk together, features four distinct areas for kids to take a break. Each pod has a different theme and the equipment is unique and engaging. One pod is all about music, for example, while another one features a chair that looks like an egg and all sorts of gears to turn.

“The purpose of it primarily is it gives kids a chance to get a reset,” Miller explained. Families, therapists, Easter Seals therapists and other professionals all contributed ideas during the planning. Having the extra-wide path is a bonus, too, for both parents and kids, because parents can talk while the kids play in pods away from the busy playground.

“That’s been one of the fun parts of this is that the families connect with each other,” he said.  

Make a trip to the park and enjoy all that’s at the Henry S. Parker Athletic Complex. At times it’s extremely busy, such as when a tournament is taking place, but many days it’s quiet and a perfect place to take children of all abilities to explore. And don’t forget to watch the website for news about kickball this fall! The park is located off Naylor Mill Road, just over a mile from Lowe’s.