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Meet Cassandra Switalski of Miracle League of Arizona in North Scottsdale

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Cassandra Switalski.

Cassandra, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I studied Kinesiology in school with an emphasis on fitness and wellness, and have always been a firm believer that activity and play are important components of being healthy and happy. Also, having two siblings with special needs, I grew up acutely aware of the additional hurdles that someone with physical, mental or health challenges may have to face to be able to participate in typical sport and recreational activities. I feel very fortunate to have grown up in a household where inclusion was the automatic standard, even as our family lived and ventured around Europe for several years. Everything we did, we figured out a way for everyone to be part of the experience, even if it took extra effort and time to have my siblings included. Today, I am so pleased to be involved with an organization that welcomes all individuals, regardless of any challenges or limitations, and gets them out to play, interact, be active, feel included, experience success, and have fun. I’m even more delighted that it’s an experience for my entire family as players, volunteers, coaches and cheering squad members.

I spent some time living abroad, teaching English at a play school and traveling the world after college, but as my sibling’s health needs increasing as they grew older, I realized I needed to make the move to be closer to them again. I moved here to the desert to join my family as the Miracle League of Arizona was just starting to gain momentum and recognition in the valley. I was hired in 2013 as the Program Director for the league and two years ago had the great honor of becoming the organization’s Executive Director. I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity to grow, learn, and direct an organization with a mission that I so strongly believe in.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
As with any job or situation, there are always challenges. I do feel very fortunate, however, in being given the opportunity to grow, learn and improve with each challenge. I find that I am learning daily about the many aspects that my job encompasses; the special needs community, the nonprofit realm, fundraising strategies, staff and board management, community engagement, and more.
One specific challenge for the Miracle League of Arizona is simply awareness. There are individuals with special needs out there that haven’t yet heard about this opportunity, and it’s our mission to reach and serve more of them. Community awareness is key as well, for local companies, schools, and programs to be aware that this place exists as a fun and easy way to volunteer and give back to our local community.

This is such a rewarding, positive and fun organization to be a part of, however, that I have no doubts that it will continue to grow, improve, and be supported.

We’d love to hear more about your work.
The main goal of our organization is simple; to provide a safe, successful, and fun baseball experience for all individuals regardless of any mental, physical, or health limitations that they may have. There are a few more detailed components to what we do, however, that I feel separates us from other similar experiences:

1. We offer what we do free of cost to families. We realize that special needs families may already be encumbered with higher costs of medical bills, therapies, transportation adaptations, and other various additional tasks for their child’s ability to thrive. The last thing we want is for a fee to be what prevents them from being able to get out and play.
2. We have what we call a buddy system. Beyond just the opportunity to be on a team, wear a jersey, and be part of something bigger than themselves, we also encourage instances of social interaction and friendship. Each player gets paired up with a buddy, which is a one-on-one volunteer that acts as a helper, encourager, and friend. They are there to welcome the athletes, get to know them, help them to succeed, and cheer them on. These volunteers bridge the gap between what the players can do on their own, and what they may need some extra encouragement, assistance, or direction with.
3. We have a fully accessible stadium built just for our families. We have a flat, rubberized turf for easy maneuverability, a sound system to play their walk-up songs and announce play-by-play, batting cages, an adaptive playground, and a picnic area so they get that major league feels and can stay and enjoy a day at the ballpark. Our facility is even equipped with accessible bathrooms and caregiver rooms with showers and changing tables so that families can address all needs right here on site to allow their child to get back out and play.

It’s very hard to leave our ballpark without a smile on your face, whether you’re volunteering, playing, or just spectating.

When you look back, what are you most proud of?
I feel very fortunate to have been with the organization for over five years and to have had the honor to advance to Executive Director. From running the games, training and managing volunteers, and working one-on-one with families as the Program Director I feel as though I gained an important grasp of the population we serve and the needs we are meeting. This assists me with my new tasks and ensures we stay true to our mission and continue to best serve our families with our fundraising, budgeting, outreach, growth, and management efforts.

I also have played sports my whole life. In high school and college, my siblings with special needs were there on the sidelines cheering me on and supporting me. Now, I’m so happy that I get to support them in turn. It’s all about their games, their triumphs, their success, and fun!

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Image Credit:
Lacy Kruger Photography

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