NORFOLK, Va. — More than 400 athletes from 40 teams across five states gathered at Azalea Little League in Norfolk on Saturday for the annual Jake Hardison Memorial Challenger Jamboree. The annual event is a baseball tournament that gives boys, girls, and adults with physical and intellectual disabilities the opportunity to play ball and connect with their community.
A little bit of rain Saturday morning did not stop the athletes and their families from competing and celebrating together at the field located at 1130 Pineridge Rd.
The jamboree is held each year in honor of Jake Hardison, a former Virginia District 8 administrator who launched the concept in 1992. Hardison wanted to create an event for children with special needs similar to the Little League All Stars, but in a non-competitive environment.
"He was volunteering running all star tournaments and looked at special needs children watching their siblings play and he thought 'they need something like that.' So, he created — what at that time was called the challenger tournament and fun weekend," Gregory said.
Rosa Gregory, co-chair of the Jake Hardison Memorial Challenger Jamboree, has a personal connection to the tournament. Her own children are participants.
"My children play. We don't have an age cut off. So, my children are 30 and 39. My boys both have down syndrome. Every child bats. Every child goes out into the field. Nobody is sitting the bench," Gregory said.
Volunteer "buddy" players from local high schools and Little League teams helped athletes bat and navigate the bases throughout the day.
Athletes traveled from as far as Michigan to take part in the weekend's festivities. Randy Cox and his son Sidney made the road trip from Beckley, West Virginia.
"Just to, you know, have a large gathering of you know, people from different areas to come and play. It's great," Randy Cox said.
Gregory's son, Jason Keane, made his goals for the day clear.
"I want to win!" Jason Keane, an Azalea Little League athlete, said.
For Gregory, the event is about more than the game.
"The weekend is their weekend to shine," Gregory said.
The Challenger program is a division of Little League Baseball, Incorporated, founded in 1989 to enable boys and girls with physical and intellectual challenges to enjoy baseball. More than 30,000 children participate in Challenger divisions worldwide. For more information about the Jake Hardison Memorial Challenger Jamboree, click here.
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