Northridge Little League’s Challenger 2026 season. Photo courtesy of Spectrum Photography

CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) - Brooktree Park was jam-packed this past Saturday April 25, with the crack of the bat and the sizzle of glizzies from the snack bar. Food trucks hummed and steam wafted into the sky; baseball was in the air.

Players stepped up to the plate for Northridge Little League’s annual Hit-A-Thon while volunteers tracked distances and families pledged donations. It’s the league’s one big fundraiser of the year to keep the lights on, the fields maintained and the game accessible for families.

238 players across 24 teams, from T-Ball through Juniors, turned the sports complex into a full-on community gathering. Between swings, kids jumped in bounce houses, lined up for shaved ice and took turns at the dunk tank, hoping to drop their coach into the freezing hose water (and they definitely succeeded. I’m still wide awake from it). 

“This is what Little League is all about. Community, families and a place for kids to play and grow,” said Northridge Little League President Jon Kliewer. “Seeing everyone come together like this really shows the impact this league has beyond the field.”

The money raised goes right back into the league to support equipment, uniforms and field upkeep, as well as funding the Challenger Division, a program designed for children with physical and developmental disabilities. It’s currently the only Challenger program in the immediate region.

My 6-year-old son is autistic and nonverbal, so when he joined last year, this was the only place for him to experience sports. He uses an AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) device to communicate and isn’t fully potty trained. Sometimes he has tough days where he needs extra time to transition or end early. That’s okay here.

My wife, Melissa, and I took over the free program this year. With my coaching experience and her work as a BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) with a PhD in applied behavior analysis, we felt well suited to carry the torch. Along with the help of parent volunteers and my in-laws joining staff, there’s enough support for the kids to receive proper attention. 

We all want our kids to have a chance to be on a team, wear a uniform, get dirty and play in their own way. If my son needs to fixate on something or stim for a while, the coaches understand.

As a parent, you sometimes feel like your kid won’t get to experience your own favorite childhood memories, and we worry that people are looking at you weird or bothered by your kid’s behaviors. This is a place where we are accepted and encouraged to stay.

That mission hits the field this weekend. On Saturday, May 2 at 4 p.m., Northridge will host its first Challenger Division home game in two years, welcoming Peach Bowl Little League’s Challenger team from Yuba City. It’s one of three games they’ll play this season.

With momentum building, Northridge Little League is getting more kids on the field to experience America’s pastime—grass stains, dirty jerseys and scraped elbows. That’s the win.

Louie Sosa is the Challenger Division Coordinator for Northridge Little League in Citrus Heights and a public relations professional at Merlot Marketing in Sacramento. Reach him at [email protected].