Wandering through the Grand Traverse County Civic Center on any given Saturday morning in the summer, there is a sense of excitement brewing. Kids, parents, and extended family and friends gather to watch America’s favorite pastime, baseball. On Saturday, May 18, there was an extra-special feeling of hope and joy at the Civic Center, as the newly renovated and accessible dugouts on fields 2 and 3 were used by the Dream Team for the first time!

Founded in 2015, Dream Team Northern Michigan is a co-ed baseball league formed to include youths, teens, and young adults, ages 8–26, who have disabilities. After seeing other communities put together similar programs, a few like-minded Traverse City area leaders came together to start the Dream Team in Traverse City. “When we started our first year, we had barely enough players for two teams. Now we’re bursting at the seams with six full teams,” said one of the Dream Team founders, Dayna Ryan.

This year, the Dream Team hit another milestone with the Dugout Project. Both fields 2 and 3 at the Grand Traverse County Civic Center now have accessible dugouts for all to use. “The coolest part about this project is how the community has rallied,” said Ryan. From monetary donations from groups like Cherryland Electric Cooperative, to donations of time and skills from construction businesses like Hallmark Construction Inc., the community has come together to make the project a reality. “It’s just been a magical thing to watch,” remarked Ryan.

The Dream Team is not only building a community, but they are supported by the communities around them. Dream Team participants play on fields that are in the heart of the community. Ryan says this means a lot to the players and their families. “The opportunity for our players to be included in a team sport, an inclusive sport, and to be right in the middle of the community, not isolated, is impactful,” she said. Parents and other family members bring their lawn chairs and coolers, and bystanders stop to cheer the teams on as well.

Player partners are another important piece in making the Dream Team a reality. Player partners are local high school athletes who come to help and support Dream Team players with their game and play alongside them. These players, many who come back for multiple seasons, truly take the time to connect and engage with their partners, in addition to giving them a few baseball pointers. This partnership extends well beyond the field. “I hear stories of certain ball teams or sports teams asking some of our players to eat lunch with them or high fiving them in the hall when they have their jersey on,” said Ryan. “This program helps break down some barriers and misunderstandings. It is pretty fun to watch happen on the field.”

While the Dream Team has ripple effects across the larger community, the impact the Dream Team has on the players is the most important of all. Susan Fall has been the secretary of the Dream Team since 2015. She also has a son, Gage, who plays on the Dream Team. “Watching [the Dream Team], you see how they get along with each other, their camaraderie, and how much more confidence they have,” Fall shared. “They encourage each other, and they cheer each other on”.

When anyone sees the Dream Team in action, there is no question of the great impact felt both on and off the field for these kids, their families, and the community. The Dream Team has so much potential to continue to expand, even though they are bursting at the seams right now. “I see us continuing to grow,” said Ryan. She went on to explain the wide gap in services needed to build a sustainable community for their participants, and how different they are based on the age range of the players. “We are looking at different ways of service delivery based on the needs that are incoming,” Ryan continued.

As the Dream Team continues to operate and grow, there will be more need for the “unsung heroes,” as Ryan called them. The heroes who make the Dream Team possible—coaches and volunteers that show up for practices and games every single week. From organizing the players in the dugout, to coaching them on the field, and making sure all the various needs are taken care of—these coaches and volunteers are a vital piece to the success of this organization. Without the volunteers who donate their time and the funders who donate their money to keep the program free and accessible, the Dream Team would not be possible.

The Dream Team is a community and it’s for the community. You feel it watching the player partners support the Dream Team athletes, or hearing the cheering and occasional respectful heckle between teammates. Everyone is welcome to come watch a game—”We’d love for them (the general public) to come watch games,” Ryan said. The schedule can be found on the Dream Team’s website. It may be the most fun game of baseball ever watched. The community that the Dream Team built has created an inclusive safe place where all are encouraged to participate and be part of a team. It is not just a game; it’s a lesson.

According to Fall’s son, Gage, his favorite part of being on the Dream Team is simply, “baseball.” Because of the Dream Team, Gage and others like him get to go out every Saturday of the season and play ball, and that is a home run.

If you would like to get involved with the Dream Team or learn more visit dreamteamnmi.com