Nederland -
21-year-old Johnathon Burnett is autistic, but that didn't keep him from enjoying his favorite sport: baseball. Johnathon and more than 100 other kids and young adults with disabilities are able to play thanks to the Adaptive Sports for Kids (A.S.K.) league, which kicked off its 2nd baseball season Saturday at Doornbos Park in Nederland.
"There's really not that many things for these kids to do, and we're giving them an opportunity to be athletes," A.S.K. founder Scott Ferguson said at the opening ceremony.
For Johnathon's mother Donna Hill, the program is a blessing.
"This league means a lot to me because Johnathon loves it. I just love seeing him out there having fun and being with his friends," Hill said.
When it came time for Johnathon's first at-bat, he smacked a line drive down the third base line, which came as no surprise to his mom.
"He's been really good... he's never met a challenge that he hasn't been able to overcome," Hill said.
There were smiles all around, as Ferguson's league means more to the players and their families than he knows.
"The city of Nederland gets together to do all of this... I just love it," said Hill.
And Johnathon loves it too. He can't wait for his next game.
Adaptive Sports for Kids offers 6 sports programs: baseball, basketball, flag football, soccer, tae kwon do, and cheerleading.
The league runs on donations and is completely free for those who join.
