Waco: Challenger Little League kicks off new season in temporary facility

WACO, Texas (KWTX) -The Challenger Little League in Waco held their grand opening day for their 2022 season at the Riverbend Park Ballfields-- a temporary location after they lost their usual field in 2021.

Challenger Little League gives special needs players and coaches an opportunity to participate in playing baseball.

“When we come to ball field we are able to visit with other parents, we can group with them, network with them, we get to see our kids having fun together,” said Shawn Castillo, whose son Conner played with the league for a decade before becoming a coach himself.

The league had played at their Challenger Field on N. 44th Street for years but late last year they found out they had to move.

“Our field is part of the lake air little league complex and that is part of what the city is renovating over there around the fairgrounds area,” said Kristin Jack, Challenger Little League’s Buddy Coordinator.

But after losing an entire season in 2020 to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Challenger League wasn’t going to let not having their usual home keep them from playing ball. So as a temporary fix this season they’ve set up shop at Waco’s Riverbend Park Ballfields.

“While we are in a different location this feels like challenger league today,” Jack said.

Through their many games on opening day, there was celebration and joy as the league awaits its new permanent home at a new $6.7 million complex being built just near the old one with fields customized to be wheel chair accessible.