Information for Buddies

Thank you for volunteering for the Miracle League of MA. We really appreciate your help!

For our new volunteers, let us know if you have any questions. For our returning volunteers, a refresher is always helpful. We are excited about the upcoming season!

 

Paperwork: The following forms need to be completed and submitted BEFORE you can go on the field:

  • Liability Release Form: There are two versions of this form here; one for volunteers under 18 and one for volunteers 18+. This can be brought to the field on your first day of volunteering.
  • CORI form (only for volunteers 18 or older): please email a photo or PDF of the completed form to volunteer@miracleleagueofma.com. Please do this ASAP as it takes some time to do the required CORI background check

 

What to expect on game day:

  • Please arrive at the field 15 minutes before game time each week. It is extremely important that you do not arrive late because every child needs a buddy at the beginning of the game.
  • When you get to the field, please check in at the volunteer registration table to receive your assignment. Before the game begins, the coach will help you find your assigned athlete.
  • We ask the parents to pass along any information that will be helpful for you to know about their child. However, please be sure to ask parents, “Is there anything that would be useful for me to know about your child?”

 

Volunteer Training

  • Please follow this link to watch a short volunteer training video. This was put together by a different league, so not all the information matches with our league. It still has very important information and shares the main rules and expectations of being a buddy with the Miracle League of MA.
  • Please click here to read Tips for Being a Great Buddy and Keeping Everyone Safe. This document includes important safety protocols for the games.

 

Volunteer Duties:

  • Be enthusiastic for your athlete — high fives, fist bumps, and “great jobs” are always good things. Talk to your athlete. You can ask them about their favorite hobbies, sports teams, or their family. If your athlete does not talk, you can tell them things about what you like to do or talk to them about what is going on in the game. Just because your athlete can’t talk, doesn’t mean they don’t like to listen or don’t understand what you are saying.
  • You are there to help your athlete with the game. Some of the athletes just need help paying attention or some encouragement on the field. Others may need physical help hitting or running the bases. There are lots of options to help make your athlete successful. If you have any questions, ask the coaches.

 

What to expect for communication:

Prior to the games, the volunteer coordinator pre-assigns volunteers to athletes. Occasionally, we have athletes that cancel and therefore do not need all the volunteers that have signed up for that day. We will email you as soon as possible if we don’t need your help that day. If your schedule changes, and you are no longer available to help on a day that you signed up for, please let us know ASAP. We need to make sure the athlete you are assigned to has someone to help them.

 

Game day weather:

If it is raining or the weather looks iffy on game day, check our Facebook page or the website. We will post a message if the game is canceled. We typically only cancel if there are heavy downpours or thunderstorms. If you are unable to find the information online, you can call Andy at 978-430-4984.

 

Field Location:

Games are played at the Joseph Lalli Miracle Field at NARA Park in Acton, MA. The official address for the field is 75 Quarry Road. Some GPS systems will send you to the wrong place, but if you take Quarry Road and go past the first parking lot entrance, you will see the baseball field on the right-hand side as well as a wood "Miracle Field" sign (this is different from the blue metal ones). You can see the field from the road. Please try to leave the close parking spots for our athletes. If you are having trouble finding the field, please call Andy at 978-430-4984.

 

Thanks so much for volunteering! We couldn't do the Miracle League without you! If you have any questions, feel free to email volunteer@miracleleagueofma.com or call Andy at 978-430-4984.