HRYS Buddy Ball

Prospective Buddies

Herndon Buddy Ball is an opportunity for you to have fun, help a younger player, and serve your league and community.
Buddy Ball is for children with disabilities and special needs, and we are looking for mature and responsible
young people (11-12 yrs. and older) to be a "buddy" to each of our players.
Please read the information below about Buddy Ball and how you can be a volunteer.
If you would like to sign up, Visit the Buddy Ball web site and follow the instructions for filling out the online volunteer form.
Shannon Blaisdell - Buddy Ball Commissioner
sblaisdell@hotmail.com

What Other Activities are Involved?
Special events include a season-opening pizza picnic for players, families,
and buddies; a “twinight” game at the Bready Park complex, complete with
lights, announcers, music, and National Anthem; an outing with the Herndon
Braves collegiate team; a season-ending party and trophies; and a trip to
see the Washington Nationals take on the Chicago White Sox.

How Committed Do I Need To Be?
We realize that you are involved in your own spring season activities and
probably will have various time commitments or scheduling conflicts during
the Buddy Ball season. We strongly encourage our buddies to be involved in
other activities. Even so, we believe that being a buddy is a serious
commitment. Our players depend on you, and we expect you to honor your
commitment once you have signed up. We expect that you would treat
Buddy Ball just as you would a house league or all star team on which you
are playing, which means that you must be available for practices, team
events, and at least four of the games during the season. Please sign up
only if you believe that you'll be able to make and follow through on such a
commitment.

Where, When, and How Long are Buddy Ball Games?
The 2010 season begins with Buddy training sessions on 7-8 April. Players report
for a preseason practice on 11 April. The season includes 8 games over 9 weeks,
ending on 13 June. (See link to 2010 calendar on the HOYB website) Games are
played on accessible Herndon fields.

How Does the Buddy System Work?
Buddy Ball pairs players with volunteers from the Cal Ripken and Babe Ruth baseball
leagues, HRYS girls’ softball league, and local High School baseball leagues, with
children with disabilities. Buddies receive basic instruction in how to work and
communicate with the players. The game combines elements of tee ball, kid-pitch,
and coach-pitch, to accommodate children of varying skill levels. Our mission is to
have fun, build confidence and self-esteem, and teach sportsmanship and love of
the game. We use trained coaches and umpires, and players are able to experience
the thrill of making plays, getting hits, and rounding the bases.