How the Games are played
Buddy Ball celebrates the abilities of each athlete. We manipulate the sports of Baseball, Basketball, Bowling, and Cheerleading so no matter what the abilities of the athlete are, they will be able to participate and have fun. We still teach the basic understanding and fundimentals of the games. At the end of each season, each athlete receives a trophy to celebrate their dedication to their team and to honor their participation in the sports.
There are no strikes, no outs, and everyone makes it back to home plate. We have a batting machine available when needed. The athletes receive hats, shirts, baseball socks, and baseball pants. In the 2007 season, Buddy Ball Baseball had 8 teams with over 110 athletes participating.
We combined the teams by ability and utilize the 'buddies' to assist the athletes in playing basketball. We have 10 teams and 3 start times. The first 8 teams play half-court with more assistance from the 'buddies'. The last 2 teams play full-court with less assistance from the 'buddies'. The athletes receive a Team shirt. Again, we celebrate the abilities and do not worry about if the ball went out of bounds. In the 2007 season, we had 70 players participating.
This is the most difficult sport to manipulate due to the nature of the game. But it is one of the most popular sports. We have 5 ramps and 7 specially-made bowling balls. The bowling balls do not have the typical holes they have handles that snap back in place once released. This type of bowling ball is perfect for an athlete that cannot handle a regular bowling ball. The athletes receive bowling shirts. In the 2008 season, we had 78 Players.
Several of our athletes have taken advantage of our cheerleading program. The cheerleaders receive shirts and pom-poms. Local High School Cheerleading Squads donate their time to coach. The cheerleaders cheer during basketball season. They learn the most current cheers.
