At 9:00 on a spring morning in McComb, the Miracle League field comes alive. Players take their positions, volunteers step alongside them, and families gather along the fence line, ready to cheer. It is not just baseball being played. It is joy, connection, and a sense of belonging that stretches far beyond the game itself.
The Miracle League of McComb provides a space where individuals with special needs, from young children to adults, can step onto the field and be part of a team. That inclusion matters. Too often, special needs adults are left without opportunities to stay involved in community activities as they get older. Here, they are not only included, they are celebrated.
It is something our area has quietly done well. With programs like Open Doors Theater and the Miracle League, this community continues to make room for everyone, making sure no one is left on the sidelines.
The impact goes both ways. The players light up the field with their excitement, and the smiles are constant. But it is just as meaningful for the volunteers. This year alone, 180 high school students are involved, showing up to help, encourage, and walk alongside the players during each game. In doing so, they are learning patience, compassion, and the value of simply showing up for others.
The league itself has grown in a way that speaks to its importance. What began in 2014 with just 28 players and parents serving as buddies has expanded to 124 players today. That kind of growth does not happen by accident.
The vision for bringing Miracle League to McComb began with Ronnie Wilkinson, who spent years working to make the field a reality. Through persistence and determination, he was able to secure the funding needed to build it, creating something that continues to impact families across the community.
Today, the league is led by League Director and Board President Addie Boone, alongside Assistant League Director and Board Vice President Sam Marsalis. Board members include Terri Barnes, Carolyn Boone, Selina Greer, Linda Love, Colleen Siebert, Megan Smith, and Emily Troxler. Addie Boone and Carolyn Boone have both served on the board since the very beginning, helping guide the league from its early days to what it has become now.
Each season, the board works to keep the league running through local support, raising funds by selling banners, sponsorships, and concessions. Those efforts go directly back into the league, ensuring that every player is taken care of. At the start of the season, players are given a jersey and cap, and at the end, they receive photos and trophies, small things that mean a great deal to the families involved.
There is something powerful about watching a game where every hit is cheered, every run is celebrated, and every player is supported. It is a reminder of what community is supposed to look like.
The Miracle League of McComb is more than a baseball league. It is a place where people of all abilities are given the chance to participate, to be seen, and to be part of something bigger than themselves.
And if you stand there long enough, watching the games unfold, you will notice something simple but important. Everyone is smiling.
