Fields
Wheelchair Softball Fields
From the beginning of wheelchair softball in 1976, practices, games, and tournaments were played on asphalt and concrete parking lots in the NWSA team's local communities. In 1996 the first dedicated field for wheelchair softball was built by the City of Pasadena at the Verne Cox Center in Pasadena, TX.
Since that time many additional cities have seen the positive benefits of having dedicated wheelchair softball fields in their community. These fields are built using specifications designed by NWSA and cost generally over $400,000. Concrete, asphalt, or other hard surfaces are preferred in wheelchair softball to maximize the performance abilities of the players. Rubberized surfaces and other soft surfaces like those used on Miracle League fields can work for a team to practice on, but the smaller dimensions of those fields and the soft surfaces are not preferred by NWSA Wheelchair softball teams. Dedicated wheelchair softball fields are used by a local adult and junior wheelchair softball teams for practices and tournaments, but also support in a multi-purpose way for many additional outdoor adaptive sports activities including Miracle Leagues.
Although many dedicated wheelchair softball fields have been built in the last 25 years, new teams and several current teams still use parking lots in their communities for practices and tournaments. Temporary fencing and white duct tape can easily convert a parking lot into a wheelchair softball field ready for tournament play! The Wheelchair Softball World Series is always held in the parking lots of sporting arenas or shopping malls.
Kenny Krieger Field was the first dedicated junior wheelchair softball field was built in Baltimore, MD for use by the Bennett Blazers junior wheelchair softball team. Junior teams use a field with slightly smaller dimensions than adult fields, but still, use hard surfaces for play.
Click for map of Wheelchair Softball Field Locations
NWSA Wheelchair Softball Specs v2-2021
California
Rivercats Independence Field
Sacramento, CA
Home Teams: San Francisco Giants
Date Opened: 2005
As part of the 2005 Triple-A All-Star Game Legacy Project, the River Cats Foundation, along with River Cats Baseball, contributed cash, goods and services totaling more than $250,000 to River Cats Independence Field. The ball diamond in South Sacramento resurfaced with a custom rubberized turf.
The field also includes dugouts, restrooms, snack bar and a family picnic area.
ILLINOIS
CALIFORNIA PARK
CHICAGO, IL
Home Teams: Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Junior Cubs
Date Opened: 2003
California Park Field was built by the RIC Cubs, Cubs Care, The Baseball Tomorrow Fund and the Chicago Park District.
ILLINOIS
lwSRa field
New Lenox, Illinois
Home Team: LWSRA Hawks
Date Opened: 2016
Home of the Lincolnway Special Recreation Association (LWRSA) Hawks
ILLINOIS
Fernwood
CHICAGO, IL
Home Teams: none
Date Opened: approx. 2013
Located by Langstonn Elementary School in Chicago, IL
KANSAS
Gage Park
Topeka, KS
Home Team: None, Formerly Kansas City Diamond
Date Opened: 2011
Gage Park Accessible Diamond was built by funding from the TPR Foundation, a Kansas City Royals Charities grant, a penny drive by Shawnee County residents, and the City of Topeka.
MARYLAND
Kennedy Krieger Field
Baltimore, MD
Home Team: Junior Bennett Blazers
Date Opened: 2015
This field is the only dedicated junior wheelchair softball field in the US.
MARYLAND
Rockdale park
Baltimore, md
Home Team: Maryland Metro Stars and Baltimore's League of Dreams Children's Baseball League for children with developmental disabilities
Date Opened: Early 2000's
Constructed in the early 2000's, this field is very much like Rhodes Park in Columbus minus the painted field. The complex hosts one of the most accessible facilities in the country.
Massachusettes
brockton
va field
brockton, ma
Home Team: Boston Rollin' Red Sox
Date Opened: 1998
The New England PVA worked with the Brockton VA Medical Facility to construct a wheelchair ball park in a courtyard of the facility. The field was completed with permanent fencing, dugouts, stands and a storage unit. To enter the field, one must drive though a narrow gateway which opens up into a large courtyard housing the field while giving the impression of being inside a Roman coliseum.
MICHIGAN
MINNESOTA
Todd Anderson Field
Brooklyn Park, MN
Home Team: Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Flamethrowers.
Date Opened:
MINNESOTA
Fallenstein Field
North Mankato, MN
Home Team: None
Date Opened: 2008
Fallenstein Field is a fully accessible softball/baseball field in Minnesota built for children and adults. The Miracle League of North Mankato, with the help of dedicated volunteers and numerous companies, raised more than $650,000. A 5 team National adult wheelchair softball tournament was held on the field in it's first year of existence.
MISSOURI
pleasant valley
Kansas City, MO
Home Team: Kansas City Royals
Date Opened: 2020
The Parks and Rec Department of KCMO with the assistance of Midwest Adaptive Sports completed this field that is the first phase of a much bigger park improvement project. The cost of the project was $152,000 and is located in Pleasant Valley Road Athletic Complex in Kansas City, MO.
MISSOURI
Spirit field
St louis, mo
Home Team: None, Formerly the St. Louis Rams
Date Opened: 2002
The Cardinals Care Organization contributed over $300,000 to build a state-of-the-art wheelchair softball field in Spanish Lake Park. Spirit Field is the home of the first solar powered scoreboard in the United States.
NEBRASKA
Nebraska Barons Field
Omaha, Nebraska
Video Tour (Click Here)
Home Team: Nebraska Barons, Nebraska Junior Barons
Date Opened: 2008
AllPlay Foundation built AllPlay Complex , the nation's finest barrier-free sports and recreation complex. The $1.5 million dollar complex is located in Seymour Smith Park at 6802 Harrison Street, Omaha, Nebraska. The entire complex utilizes barrier-free design concepts that allow people who have mobility impairments and other disabilities to fully enjoy sports and recreation. It also features a playground and water park.
NEW JERSEY
NEW YORK
Bald Hill
Farmingville, NY
Home Team: NY Mets and NY Yankees
Date Opened: 2006
This is the first on Long Island created specifically for that Wheelchair Softball. The Ball Field at Bald Hill was officially dedicated Sept. 24 with a ceremony that featured State Sen. John Flanagan, who helped appropriate a $150,000 state grant to build the field. The field is specifically designed for wheelchair softball only,
OKLAHOMA
OHIO
Kenny Cambell Memorial field
Columbus, Oh
Home Team: Columbus Pioneers
Date Opened: 2000
The Columbus Pioneers, in conjunction with the PVA Buckeye Chapter, Ohio Wheelchair Sports Association built field featuring painted surface and permanent fencing. Rhodes Park played host the 25th and 29th National Wheelchair Softball Tournament.
TEXAS
wheelchair softball complex
Pasadena, TX
Home Team: TIRR Hotwheels
Date Opened: 1995
The Texas Stars worked with the City of Pasadena - a suburb of Houston, Texas, and revolutionized the game with the construction of the first known wheelchair softball field complex housing two state-of-the-art fields separated by a stand alone facility for wheelchair sports.
The surface of both fields was painted to represent grass, an infield, and a warning track complete with permanent fencing. Field 1 was designed as a small stadium with dugouts, stands, concessions, lights and an electronic scoreboard in the outfield.
TEXAS
Morgans
Wonderland
Field
San Antonio, tx
Home Team: San Antonio Straps
Date Opened: 2020
Morgan’s Wonderland Sports will provide 8,000 square feet of covered space for wheelchair sports – basketball, softball, baseball, football, soccer, pickleball (12 courts) and tennis (six courts). Two acres of concrete playing surface will be tinted to minimize heat from the sun and striped in accordance with regulation dimensions for the various sports. Hartman said one of the most critical aspects of the project will be use of laser technology to pour 2,000 cubic yards of concrete and ensure the playing surface will be completely level.
TEXAS
Challenged Athletes Dream Complex
Victoria, TX
Home Team: Victoria Bad News Chairs
Date Opened: 2013