DIXON, CA (MPG) - Calling all baseball buddies and new or interested buddies. Guess what’s coming up right around the corner? Challengers baseball. This is one of the favorites for buddies and our special needs friends, and we are looking to add more buddies to our teams of Power Rangers and Superheroes.

Buddies are students who will assist and guide the special needs children of Dixon through TEAM (Together Everyone Always Matters) Dixon, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building bridges between challenges and opportunities by offering a variety of social experiences for children and teens with special needs. Thus, they gain confidence and participate in supported activities in a welcoming, inclusive, and accessible environment.

The group will be having a buddy orientation after the first of the year and at that time, will go over details, scheduling, and basic buddy info for all events, not just baseball, so stay tuned for that info soon. In the meantime, here are some facts about Challengers baseball:

To be a Buddy, no baseball experience is necessary. They operate a very loose version of baseball, focusing on the general object of the game, safety, and fun. The game involves two innings only and they are usually about an hour and a half long.

Buddies are expected to make a once-a-week commitment. Practice usually begins mid to late Feb and is during the week, evenings around 5 - 6 p.m. Then, once the games begin in March there is no practice, just the games. Games are mostly Friday nights, 6-7 p.m. and a few Saturday mornings at 10 a.m.

The leaders look for two types of buddies for baseball – steady buddies, meaning this buddy is paired permanently with a special needs friend and can commit to making at least 75% of the games. Sub-buddies are the buddies who do not make the commitment but show up when they are able and can be paired anywhere there is a need.

There is never a cost to being a buddy. Leaders greatly appreciate the awesome young men and women who show up for these special children. For more information  http://www.teamdixon.org/ or contact President Miranda Shelcon on the TEAM Dixon Facebook page.