Many victories gained in Life Skills annual game at Hanover Area

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HANOVER TWP. — There was a baseball game played on Monday, complete with two very competitive teams, enthusiastic coaches and fans, a patriotic presentation, Champ the RailRiders mascot and oh yeah — some awesome baseball.

Kathy Healey, Health and Physical Education teacher at Hanover Area School District, once again organized the game that featured students of the district’s Life Skills classes pitted against a group of sixth graders from Memorial Elementary School.

It was a battle down to the wire and, according to Healey, the Life Skills team won a decided victory.

But as the old saying goes, on this day, on this field — everybody was a winner.

The game was held at the Hanover Area softball field behind the high school, but to the participants, it was Yankee Stadium, or Dodger Stadium or Citizens Bank Park or Citi Field.

And for all involved, it was the seventh game of the World Series.

“It was an amazing day,” Healey said. “And 15 minutes after it was over, it started to rain.”

The game was over, pizza and ice cream were served and the students were back in class, Healey said.

Healey said the first game was held in 2016 and every year since then, except for the COVID year of 2020.

“We wanted to include the Life Skills kids in an event that they may otherwise not be involved,” Healey said. “The benefits have been wonderful and not just for the Life Skills students, but for the sixth graders as well.”

Healey said the annual game has seen many positive outcomes. She said the Life Skills students get to do something new and different and the sixth graders, who will be in the same school as the Life Skills kids next year, get a deep appreciation of the abilities of the kids.

“Next year they will interact on a daily basis,” Healey said. “They will be able to talk in the halls because now they have a better understanding of them and they can get to know them even better.”

Healey said the entire program involves students of varying abilities,

“The quality of life for the Life Skills kids, as well as the sixth graders is improved,” Healey said. “And the teachers and aides love the program as well — everyone benefits. They are all on the same playing field.”

Each player was introduced prior to the game by Healey and they ran from the dugout and through a tunnel of coaches and teachers onto the field, high-fiving everyone along the way.

James Scholten, who announced that he would hit a home run every time he stepped to the plate, had quite a day, as did all of the participants.

There were times when the rules of baseball were suspended, like when two runners found themselves on the same base. But no penalties were issued — these players came with there own set of rules.

Prior to the game, the players recited the Pledge of Allegiance and most sang along to the National Anthem.

And it didn’t matter how hard the Life Skills students hit the ball off the tee, or how fast they ran, or if they rounded the bases the conventional way — they all were always safe and they all scored.

2024 Hanover Area

Life Skills Participants

Owen Bonham

Jacob Loux

Maire Sandford

Darrian Quarterman Fulwood

Jayvon Quarterman Fulwood

James Scholten

Michael Trepanier

Kevin Bartman

Wiktor Bogusz

Jaquan Crawford

Lily Lux

Saubel Mejia

Prince Push

Charles Seigar

Asiyah Carter

Noah St. Preux

Nurizi Gosnell

Brian Fabian

Timothy Uffler

Maliha Fall