West TN baseball coaches host games for Down syndrome awareness

JACKSON, Tenn. — This week-long event aims to support those with Down syndrome through America’s past time.

In March of 2018, three West Tennessee baseball coaches joined together to create the first Down syndrome awareness game.

Six years later, the free event has grown and developed into a week long event.

This year’s series started Monday at the Jackson rockabilly’s ballpark.

Head coach of Madison Academic Magnet high school, Chris Clark, says the event serves a purpose of raising funds to support those with Down syndrome and their families.

Overall, 19 teams will play throughout the week.

“All over West Tennessee. We have two teams from Memphis and one team from Corinth, Mississippi,” said Clark.

While this tournament serves as a good way to have fun for high school baseball players before the season, the mission behind the series is at the pinnacle.

Evidence of this can be seen in their MVP program.

“One of the things we did, was ask each team to represent either someone with Down syndrome from their community or connected to their team in some way and the majority of the teams were quick to respond with somebody and we’re calling them our MVP’s,” said Clark.

These MVP’s will do things like throw out the first pitch, stand in the lineup, and participate in the event.

While the event serves as a way to get those with down syndrome involved in sports, it also is equally as important at introducing high schoolers to those with Down syndrome.

Natalie Sorensen, the event coordinator, who also doubles as an elementary school teacher, says she hopes this connection will translate to places off the field as well.

“I fully believe in inclusion, and really bringing all students together and this is a way to kind of break that ice in a different way and it’s really not that different for them if they’re sitting next to someone in class that has different abilities than them,” said Clark.

The tournament will continue every night this week, with Thursday being Down Syndrome Awareness Day.

Tomorrow’s match up will include two games, Middleton vs Trinity Christian Academy, followed by riverside vs Chester County.

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