The impact that Little League® has on its volunteers often brings up a unique feeling, and when asked what the West Brownsville (Texas) Little League Challenger Division means to him, Dino Chavez didn’t hesitate.
“I hold a special place in my heart for our Challenger Division kids,” said Chavez, West Brownsville LL League President. “Oftentimes it’s not even about playing baseball or softball, but it’s just a time where kids show up to experience a little bit of what other kids get to experience.”
The journey to get the league where it is today was no easy feat, however. Before the Challenger Division could successfully charter its first season in the West Brownsville community, the park where the league plays required significant renovations. At the time, it was not considered an inclusive space. Dirt parking lots surrounded the area; a basketball court sat awkwardly between the two baseball fields, and there was little usable space for families and players off the field.
The park itself dates back decades. It was created in the 1960s by the local church alongside the Little League volunteers. In the 1990s, the church transferred ownership to the City of Brownsville with one condition – West Brownsville Little League would always remain part of the park. While improvements were made during that time, the fields were still beginning to deteriorate.
In 2018, Chavez was serving as Chairman of the park renovation committee and spearheaded the rebuild of the facility to transform it into a space that the community and West Brownsville Little League could truly feel proud to use. The renovation project quickly turned into something much bigger than a basic upgrade. Chavez began thinking about the ways the park could serve more families in the community, including children with special needs.
Chavez began by reaching out to Sergio Zarate, a personal friend who runs a well-known organization in Texas called “Down by the Border,” which advocates for individuals with special needs at the local, state, and federal levels.
“I asked him if we created a Challenger Division in our community, would he want to be my Vice President,” said Chavez. Without hesitation, Zarate agreed and started turning the idea into reality.
“We teamed up with the University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley, with the help of the Director of the Special Education department, Dr. Phillip Conatser. The University created a phenomenal system where students studying special education gain hands-on experience working with kids,” said Chavez. “At the same time, our Challenger Division receives the help and support of dedicated volunteers who are trained in working with athletes of all abilities.”
In addition to partnering with the students, the program also applied for a grant through the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. With the grant, Chavez and his fellow league leadership were able to bring a full medical team to the field to host “tryouts.” They spent the day getting to know the players, understanding their abilities, and ensuring they were physically capable of safely playing that season.
“They sent out a whole team of physicians and nurses to do all kinds of small medical exams for the kids, just to ensure it was okay for the player to play,” said Chavez. “That was my first dive into what it was like to work with individuals with special needs. After that day, I knew I was going to be committed to this program for a long time.”
As the Challenger program began to take shape, Chavez and the league realized that the fields needed a redesign to address the challenges faced by players who used wheelchairs or walkers, such as getting stuck in dirt and grass.
To address the issue, the league installed two turf infields on the two main baseball fields; however, even with the turf, Chavez and his team realized that some players were still struggling to move across the field. This led to the creation and development of the Challenger Division’s very own Tee Ball field.
The field itself is less traditional than a normal Little League field, with the base paths only 40 feet apart compared to 60 feet. The field is also made of concrete with turf installed on top of it and a prominent drainage system, allowing the field to have no pliability whatsoever.
“It’s about a hundred feet deep. It’s just perfect. You can just roll right around, and we opted not to have bases, only painted white squares, so there is nothing to get tripped up on,” said Chavez. “It worked out beautifully, and I believe it is the only field of its type in South Texas.”
With the new field ready for play and the program growing in numbers, the Challenger Division quickly became about more than just playing baseball and softball, but instead focused on what Little League is truly all about. It created opportunities for kids to participate in activities off the field with their new friends and community.
“We just have days where the kids can show up and play outside without a structured game or practice. They get to be a part of things that we might take for granted,” said Chavez. “For these kids, it’s all about having fun and being there.”
While the program was forced to pause as a result of the pandemic, it reopened two years later with hundreds of volunteers, families, and local government officials filling the park to witness the memorable beginning of the program’s new chapter. Today, Challenger games are held on Sundays in the late afternoon, so there are no other league activities going on during that time. It gives everyone the opportunity to show up – players, coaches, and the community. Everyone is welcome to participate and encouraged to do so, even if they don’t have a child within the program.
“Even if you don’t have a kid in it and you want to come watch and be part of some genuine wholesomeness for a little while,” said Chavez. “I encourage you to come and witness it.”
What was once an idea has continued to grow into something special. It’s not about competition. It’s not about beating another team. It’s about what West Brownsville LL embodies every single day – making memories and finding a community.
Learn more about Little League’s core value, INCLUSION, and how we live it out each and every day by visiting LittleLeague.org/Who-We-Are.
The Little League Challenger Division® is proudly supported by Eggland’s Best, The Official Egg of Little League® Baseball and Softball. An official sponsor since 2023, Eggland’s Best provides grant opportunities to local Challenger Division leagues each year and is the presenting sponsor of the Little League Challenger Division Exhibition Game at the Little League Baseball® World Series each August.