Southwest Michigan Miracle League
The Miracle League provides a safe and fun environment where kids with disabilities can enjoy themselves and experience the camaraderie of playing baseball in a field all their own.
We are thrilled to announce we achieved our $1.1 million capital campaign goal and completed the first phase of Miracle Field construction in 2020. Now we have a Miracle Field in southwest Michigan so kids of all abilities can experience the joy of playing sports and being on a team. Come join us!
The Field
Our mission is to provide opportunities for kids, regardless of their abilities, to compete and experience the joy and benefits that come from playing sports.
How You Can Help
About us
A Miracle League Field lets kids with disabilities – both boys and girls – enjoy themselves and experience the camaraderie of playing baseball in a field all their own. A Miracle League Field is a custom-designed field with a cushioned, rubberized surface to help prevent injuries, wheelchair accessible dugouts, and a completely flat surface to eliminate any barriers to wheelchair users or visually impaired players. The Miracle League also uses a special ball that is bigger and softer than a traditional baseball. The Miracle League is open to kids aged 5-19 whose physical or mental abilities are better served by the specialized playing field and rules of play that the Miracle League provides. The Miracle League provides many benefits to kids with disabilities:
- A break from their everyday challenges and barriers, allowing them to relax, have fun and be a kid.
- The joy of playing baseball, America’s favorite pastime, and being outside and active.
- The camaraderie of being on a team and making new friends.
- The opportunity to build self-esteem and confidence and move outside their comfort zone.
In 2020, we completed the first phase of the Southwest Michigan Miracle Field in Schoolcraft, Michigan, to serve the southwest Michigan area. The Miracle Field will bring together everyone in the community and give them a chance to enjoy playing baseball and having fun. Our field is an inclusive field. Everyone is welcome, regardless of their abilities, and there’s a role for everyone here.
If you know of a kid aged 5-19 who would like to play, or if you’re interested in volunteering, please visit our registration site to learn more and sign up. Now we move into the next phase of fundraising. Although we’ve built the Miracle Field, we have more work to do: adding more parking, installing lights, landscaping the property around the field, and so much more. We also want to support the players and teams that will enjoy our field and are looking for league, team and player sponsors.
Our History
The Miracle League is a successful organization that has been around for over 20 years. The first Miracle League began in 1998 in the Atlanta, Georgia, area. The first-of-its-kind Miracle League Field broke ground on December 31, 1999, and the Miracle League complex was completed in April 2000. Presently there are over 300 Miracle League organizations across the country, including in Puerto Rico, Canada and Australia. In Michigan, there are currently Miracle Leagues in Grand Rapids, Lansing and the Detroit area. The Miracle League serves over 250,000 kids with disabilities. Learn more at www.miracleleague.com/history.

Meet The Board

Jud Hoff
President
Jud grew up in Olympia, Washington. After attending the United States Military Academy at West Point and serving in the Army as an aviation officer, Stryker brought him to Kalamazoo, Michigan. He spent 26 years at Stryker, serving in a variety of leadership roles at the division and corporate level. Jud retired in 2016 and currently serves on several non-profit and for-profit boards. His passion for fitness and kids led him to become a co-owner in Next Level Performance and The Dome Sports Center. After seeing a Miracle League game, he was hooked. Jud is committed to bringing the Miracle League to life in southwest Michigan to allow this group of young athletes the opportunity to make a difference in their community. Jud, his wife, Darcy, and four children call Portage, Michigan, home.

Josh Baird
Vice President

Bill Deming
Secretary

Dave Olson
Board Member

Lisa Anspaugh
CPA, Treasurer

Josh Will
Board Member

Dr. Luchara Wallace
Community Events

Wade Rutkoskie
Fund development

Cari Rutkoskie
marketing & PR

Chis Sargent
Board Member

Eric Guerin
Board Member

Billy Gernon
Board Member

Amy DiMaggio
League Operations
PLAY BASEBALL WITH US
Play Baseball With Us!
Thank you for a wonderful first season! We look forward to seeing you in Spring 2022.
Ages 5-19. No previous experience needed.
Equipment provided, if needed.
Volunteer buddies available to assist players.
Need help with the registration fee? Kalamazoo Friends of Recreation is offering financial assistance for Southwest Michigan Miracle League players. Apply at friendsofrec.org/apply.

You must register to play using the link above in addition to applying for financial assistance.
We are looking for volunteers to serve as coaches and buddies for Miracle League games!
Buddy qualifications:
- Assist the player by holding their hand, pushing their wheelchair, or helping them in whatever capacity they need help
- Protect the player at all times
- Allow the player as much freedom to play their own game as possible
- Ensure the player has fun
- Have good spirit, enthusiasm, love, attitude, and concern in motivating the player and their families
- Age requirement is 14+ (exception: if buddy is a player’s sibling, must be 10 or older)