Photos by Riley O’Shaughnessy
LINCROFT – The softball game may not have had innings and the foul lines on the basketball court may not have been adhered to, but the players and volunteers at RallyDay were delighted to be together and having fun.
This past Sunday, RallyCap Sports, a nonprofit dedicated to providing recreational sports programs for people with special needs, hosted its first in-person sports event since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancelation of programs. Players and their families were thrilled with an opportunity to get back to live activities.
Following all CDC and local COVID-19 safety guidelines, RallyCap Sports provided a safe and fun environment for all. At Lincroft Elementary School four sports stations were set up: soccer, softball, golf and basketball. More than 50 children and young adults with special needs rotated from station to station, getting a chance to play each sport.
“It was time to get back,” said founder and chairman Paul J. Hooker.
“This year of COVID has been tough on so many families, and especially difficult on families of those with special needs. We felt our Rally family was ready for a great RallyCap comeback and, boy, was it special to kick things off right here at Lincroft Little League, where it all started.”
RallyCap Sports, formerly called Challenged Youth Sports, has provided recreational sports for children and young adults with special needs for over 31 years. When the COVID-19 pandemic took away the in-person sports, RallyCap pivoted quickly to virtual sports and activities, starting first with their 2020 St. Patrick’s Day dance. They moved on to provide weekly, virtual sports like dancercise and yoga. They even had a network of volunteers sending in short activity videos to encourage and provide opportunities for activity for their players with special needs. “There was no time to wait and see what COVID would do to our program. Our players needed sports and engagement opportunities more than ever, and we had to find a way to provide our program virtually,” said Luke Sims, executive director of RallyCap Sports.
RallyCap Sports will host RallyDays each Sunday for the next six weeks, from 2 to 3 p.m. at Lincroft Little League, behind Lincroft Elementary. Plans are underway for beach volleyball on Bradley Beach and they hope to be back to normal with fall sports offerings. For more information, visit rallycapsports.org.
The article originally appeared in the May 20 – 26, 2021 print edition of The Two River Times.
