Dusty Hart made sure his team knew how special it is to be invited to the Little League Baseball Challenger Division season finale.
“We don’t have to be here,” Blinn College baseball’s third-year head coach said, “we get to be here. It’s an honor; it’s a privilege to be invited to be a part of this amazing day.”
The Buccaneers were one of four teams participating in the upcoming NJCAA Division I Baseball World Series to take part in Thursday’s event at Canyon View Park in Grand Junction, Colo. Hart and the Bucs have participated as JUCO Buddies in each of their three appearances at the World Series since 2023.
Joining Blinn were McLennan Community College (Waco, Texas), Johnson County Community College (Overland Park, Kan.), and Salt Lake Community College (Salt Lake City).
Founded in 1989, the Challenger Division is a branch of Little League Baseball designed to provide opportunities for individuals with physical and intellectual challenges. The program supports thousands of special needs athletes worldwide.
The Buccaneers split into two factions to assist players from the Vibes and the Chukars in the field, at the plate, and on the base paths during a competitive 60-minute ballgame. Blinn’s two crews helped players from both squads with hitting, running, pitching, and fielding.
Hart participated in the Challenger games as a player with Grayson College in 1998, and later attended with his team as head coach of Grayson on several occasions before taking the reins at Blinn in 2023.
The Bucs are navigating a busy week leading into their World Series opener against Lake Land College at 3 p.m. on Saturday, but Hart said Thursday’s festivities will be rivaled only by their own games in the coming days.
“This entire event is one of the most amazing and impactful experiences you could ever be a part of,” Hart said. “We’re very fortunate that we’ve been asked to come back year after year. Any time we get the call to come be involved in this, we won’t hesitate. It’s such a fun deal seeing our guys smile and have fun with the amazing kids out here. It’s really hard to put into words.”
Sophomore catcher participated in the event with the Bucs in 2024 ahead of their national championship victory. Williams said being side-by-side with the Challenger athletes holds a special place among his World Series experience.
“Any opportunity we get to come out here and connect with these kids is awesome,” he said. “They look up to us, but I also think in a lot of ways we look up to them, too. Getting the chance to have fun with these kids and learn about their stories, their challenges, and the way they’ve persevered I think is a pretty important and inspiring lesson for everyone out here.”
Carma Brown, co-director of the Little League Challenger Division in Grand Junction, said her branch began the JUCO Buddy partnership with NJCAA baseball programs more than 20 years ago. As she watched Blinn guide its Challenger athletes through their ballgame Thursday, she said the Bucs’ efforts served as a reminder of why they’ve continued to receive an annual invitation to participate.
“When you have teams come through here and demonstrate pretty quickly that they want to be here and want to be here for our kids, it’s an easy decision to pick up the phone and dial their number the following year,” Brown said. “You have the coaches of these teams telling their players that they’re going to come here and do this, and because of that those players understand that this is important. Blinn – as well as the other teams participating today – truly understood the assignment that is coming out and giving our athletes an unforgettable baseball experience.”
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 53 national championships since 1987.
