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Interbay little league teams create inclusion with challengers team

The Challenger league team consists of players ages 5 to 18 with intellectual and physical disabilities.
Interbay Little League Teams Create Inclusion with Challengers Team
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HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Players with the Interbay Little League in Tampa got one last practice game in on Friday at Gadsden Park.

Come Saturday morning, players with the little league will take over the park with 13 games as part of Interbay Day.

The event serves as a "fun-raiser" community event.

Fisher Connell, 7, will be part of the crew taking to the diamond.

"I like to run all of the bases one, two, three, four, five, I mean, not five. Four and so I like to get in some good ones," Fisher said.

What makes the games special is everyone can play.

Fisher was diagnosed with a form of Apraxia. It's a condition that delays his speech. His mom Emily said he didn't start talking until the age of four.

Emily spoke with Dana Dixie, who has a background in occupational therapy and asked if she would be interested in creating a league for players ages five to 18 with intellectual and physical disabilities.

Thus, the Challenger League was created in 2021.

"There was a need. As soon as I started getting the word out, people were like, yes, I know someone that this would be very helpful," Dixie said. "A lot of our players they have brothers and sisters who play at Interbay and they're usually the ones who are on the sidelines watching and so we wanted to get them involved."

During games, each Challenger player has a buddy who assists them.

Dixie said the bond between the players expands well past the game.

"The buddies, the players, they see each other outside of games. They see each other on the different fields and just giving the opportunity of belonging and really inclusion," Dixie said.

Saturday's "fun-raiser" will be held at 6901 S. MacDill Avenue in Tampa.

The games begin at 9 a.m. and run until 3 p.m.

The Challengers will play the South Tampa Sluggers at 10:00. This will be the first time another challenger team will play against one another.

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