When a child rounds third and heads home during summer ball, the crowd typically goes wild.

But when that child is pushing past the adversity of a disability, it makes that run so much sweeter.

For parents like Michelle Franz and Susannah Heatherly, it’s a blessing to see their children be able to play softball in the Challenger Softball league.

The division is a softball league for children with physical and learning disabilities and is a division of Vidalia Little League Softball.

The division was born in 2012 and began its fourth season at the beginning of May. It is divided into two leagues with two teams each.

One league of children 12 years old and younger plays on Tuesdays, while a league of children and young adults age 13 and older play on Friday nights.

Both leagues play at 7 p.m. at the Vidalia softball fields.

Heatherly said her son enjoys going to the games and looks forward to Tuesday nights.

“Byrne enjoys this so much,” Heatherly said. “He has it written on the calendar.”

A buddy to help Challenger athletes run bases, bat and do other on-field activities accompanies each player.

Heatherly said volunteers staff the league, and she enjoys getting to sit back and watch her 11-year-old son, who has autism, play.

“It makes me proud because he doesn’t get to be involved in a lot of things that typical kids get to do,” Heatherly said. “It always makes a parent feel good to see your child having fun. I almost cried the first time I saw him out there hitting the ball.”

Whitney Arthur, a Challenger coach since its creation in 2012, said the division has grown in its four seasons. In its year of establishment, only two teams played in the league with approximately 20 players, but this year it has 34 players and four teams.

“The league has definitely gotten a little more organized and there are more fans of it,” Arthur said. “People are more accepting and want to come see them and watch them. It was kind of out of the norm the first year.”

She also mentioned that the players seem to gain self-confidence as they play more games.

“I think the kids get a little more confident every year that they play,” Arthur said. “They kind of get the hang of it after their first few games.”

Franz’s son, Cameron, 12 was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and as a result was not a very social child, Franz said. Now, he is more open, and his mother attributes that to the softball league.

“This is his third year,” Franz said. “At first, he wouldn’t play at all and now he wants to participate in it all.”

While the physical activity that comes with running the bases is a plus, Franz said she is happy her son gets to participate in a team effort.

“It gives him a chance to have fun and get to see the other kids,” Franz said. “This gives them a chance to be a part of something. I mean it’s just amazing.”