Adaptive Sports League brings the joy of competition to students with special needs

SUSSEX, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A new adaptive sports league is giving students with special needs the chance to compete, make friends, and just be part of the team.

Luke Kender was one of the many players on the indoor baseball diamond at Hamilton High School on Thursday night, May 7. 

Luke hit a single in his first game ever as a baseball player for his school.

"Felt good, I kind of wish it was a home run," he said after the game, always aiming higher, as a dedicated player on Hamilton's Adaptive Sports League.

"He loves sports, his younger brother plays lots of sports too," said Luke's mom, Kristina Kender. "Now, he gets to participate and do everything like all the other kids get to do."

Hamilton launched the league last fall, motivated by students with special needs who want to play sports for their school.

"It comes down to everyone feeling like they're accepted however they are, and that people care about them," Kender explained.

The league started with soccer, then bowling, and they're wrapping up the school season with America's pastime.

"Really, they're athletes, they're ballplayers," said Dylan Bolin, the head coach of Hamilton's adaptive baseball team. "The 'adaptive' part is us coaches, in telling them, instructing them, things like that."

The team practices a few times a week, and Thursday was their first of four games against Oak Creek High School.

"This was electric. The crowd was hanging on every pitch. They were oo-ing and ahh-ing with every hit," Bolin said. "It was just incredible. I wish we could bottle this kind of energy."

Community members, family, fellow students, and school staff filled the stands.

"It's just so much love, and it means the world to us to have support for our kiddos," Kender said.

"It makes my heart feel happy," Luke exclaimed.

Right now, Hamilton and Oak Creek are the only two schools in the league - but hopefully not for long.

"We are hoping in the future that more schools will join, so we can have more games and more different schools to compete with," Kender said.

Each inning proves that inclusivity can be a game-changer.

"They really blossom and bloom when they come out here," Bolin said. "With every single play, they're a success."

ASL Indoor Baseball Games: 

• May 7, 5 p.m. at Hamilton High School
• May 14, 5 p.m. at Oak Creek High School
• May 21, 5 p.m. at Hamilton High School
• May 28, 5 p.m. at Oak Creek High School