In his 15th season as Forestview softball coach, one of the things which keeps Kevin Baker coming back each spring is the opportunity to use the game as a means to teach lifelong lessons. Chief among those is that everyone has a role to play, whether inside the circle or awaiting duty in the Jaguar dugout.
However, Tuesday’s mission didn’t require optimal bat speed or pitch location, rather to serve as beacons of kindness and acceptance for those who view the world a tad differently.
Customarily clad in silver, black and teal, Forestview baseball and softball players donned uniforms featuring the entire color spectrum Tuesday, taking part in its 2025 Autism Acceptance Games. Now a staple each April, it is a night eagerly anticipated by the Jaguar athletic program and community at large.
“I think that’s the best part about it, is that people come to enjoy the night and bring awareness for a great cause,” Baker said. “Nights like this don’t come together overnight. It comes together weeks and months ahead, picking a date, finding the kids to come and getting shirts made. It’s a process, but it's certainly worthwhile.”
Autism is a range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication. According to the website Autism Speaks, most signs tend to reveal themselves between 2 and 3 years of age.
One in 36 children in the U.S. are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), recent studies finding four in 100 boys and one in 100 girls have autism. ASD is reported to occur in all racial and ethnic groups, though its found most prevalently among Asian and Pacific Islander (3.3%), Hispanic (3.2%) and Black (2.9%) communities.
Approximately 74% of those diagnosed with autism earn their high school diploma.
It is the fourth consecutive year in which Forestview’s baseball team has dedicated a night toward autism awareness. The Jaguar softball team joined the effort last spring, much to the delight of seniors Lily Cabe and Allison Osborne.
“My older brother has down syndrome, so I have been in that community my entire life,” said Osborne . “I also work at a (Camp Kaleidoscope); two of the sisters who threw the first pitch (Tuesday) go to my summer camp. When people think of those with disabilities, they don't think of a human most of the time. They are so much more than that, and it’s great we get to show them how amazing they are and put them in the spotlight.”
Five youths with autism served as guests of honor Tuesday, throwing out a ceremonial first pitch ...
