Magulick. “First and foremost, the core of this is to provide a
place for athletes with special needs to participate in sports, but
it’s also a community asset just like anything else in the park.”
There are also other benefits. “The Miracle League is built for
athletes with special needs and has a huge impact on them, but I
think one piece that gets overlooked are the leadership qualities
that middle school and high school kids are getting by becoming
Buddies,” notes Magulick.
One of the many volunteer opportunities in the league
involves a “Buddy” system to help the athletes—pairing each
player with an able-bodied peer.
“My nieces, who are in ninth and tenth grade, joined as
Buddies,” says Magulick. “At first they said, ‘Uncle Mike is
coaching and this will also help Luke.’ As Luke gets older, it’s
much more than that. I’ve seen them really grow—watching
them interac