Ravens baseball celebrates fifth annual Challenger Day
The San Jacinto College Ravens baseball team partnered with the North Shore Little League Challenger Division to commemorate its fifth annual Challenger Day March 29.
The local Challenger Division started eight years ago as part of the national Little League Challenger Program. The division enables boys and girls with physical and mental challenges, ages 4-18 or up to 22 if still enrolled in high school, to enjoy playing baseball along with millions of other children who participate in the sport. More than 30,000 athletes participate in 950 Challenger programs worldwide.
During the game, the Ravens acted as buddies, helping the Challenger players on the field as needed. Whenever possible, players bat and make plays themselves.
“The Challenger game is meant to affect the lives of everyone involved,” said Kory Koehler, Ravens assistant baseball coach. “This is bigger than baseball. This is humanity at its finest. Our players will remember this forever.”
Eric Kirchner, North Shore Little League president and Galena Park ISD program director of special education, says events like the Challenger Game build awareness for special needs, help Challenger players experience team camaraderie, and allow the buddies to see past players’ disabilities to their diverse, dynamic strengths.
"Seeing these big guys out there with our Challenger athletes, laughing and chasing them around the bases, makes us all smile," Kirchner said. "We see our regular volunteer buddies from the high schools and other sports come in and make long-lasting connections and friendships with our athletes, and that's what it's all about."
This year, San Jac culinary students — led by Chef Michael Schuster — catered the event, feeding the Ravens team and the Challenger players and families.
About San Jacinto College
Surrounded by monuments of history, evolving industries, maritime enterprises of today,
and the space age of tomorrow, San Jacinto College has served the people of East Harris
County, Texas, since 1961. The College is ranked second in the nation among more than
1,100 community colleges, as designated by the Aspen Institute and was named an Achieving
the Dream Leader College of Distinction in 2020. As a Hispanic-Serving Institution
that spans five campuses, plus an online college, San Jacinto College serves approximately
45,000 credit and non-credit students annually. It offers more than 200 degrees and
certificates across eight major areas of study that put students on a path to transfer
to four-year institutions or enter the workforce. The College is fiscally sound, holding
bond ratings of AA+ by Standard & Poor’s and Aa2 by Moody’s. San Jacinto College is
accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
