Autism Awareness Baseball Challenge more than a game
Mike Garlatti vividly remembers the day, nearly a decade ago, of the first Autism Awareness Baseball Challenge, when he and a handful of volunteers would walk up to spectators to deliver pamphlets with information about the nation’s fastest growing developmental disorder.
The grass roots effort that the former Highland Park star and Rutgers University assistant coach started nine years ago has blossomed into the biggest event of its kind in the state with Garlatti, now a scout with the Colorado Rockies, reluctantly having to turn away teams wanting to participate.
This year’s challenge, which will be contested the weekend of April 22-24 at North Brunswick’s Community Park, features 40 high schools from 13 counties with some of the top teams and players from across the state, including seven projected 2016 MLB draft picks and multiple Division I prospects.
Seven of New Jersey’s Top 15 teams, according to a statewide ranking, will take the field, including top-ranked Christian Brothers Academy and second-ranked St. Joseph of Montvale.
“By far this is the most talented group,” Garlatti said of the team’s rosters for this year’s challenge. “New Jersey is really strong this year, and we are lucky enough to have those programs that have been good in the past and continue to be good. The individual talent on those teams is really worth coming out to see. There’s a buzz about the tournament. We’re excited to not only begin heightening awareness, but to have some good baseball, too.”
Many professional scouts are expected to attend games with pro prospects on the rosters of participating teams. They include Colonia shortstop Mike Wilson, Old Bridge left-hander Zach Attianese, Weehawken shortstop Brian Rodriguez, St. Joseph of Montvale right-hander Austin Bodrato, Christian Brothers Academy right-hander Luca Dalatri, Christian Brothers Academy catcher Brandon Martorano and Barnegat left-hander Jason Groome.
At this juncture, it is unclear, obviously, whether aces such as Groome, who is a projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 MLB draft, will take the mound during the challenge, which annually is held during Autism Awareness Month.
A ceremonial first pitch – thrown by a special needs child or someone who works with special needs children – will take place before the start of all 20 games.
The event serves as a fundraiser for the nonprofit Teamwork Unlimited Foundation that Garlatti established two years ago to benefit those in need, but more importantly, perhaps, is designed to heighten awareness about autism.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the identified prevalence of autism spectrum disorders nationally has increased from 1 in 110 to 1 in 68 since Garlatti's Autism Awareness Baseball Challenge began nine years agao.
One in 45 children in New Jersey – 62 percent of whom are boys – are on the autism spectrum, including Garlatti’s son.
Autism is a lifelong neurological disorder that impairs a person's ability to communicate and relate to others. It's broad spectrum of characteristics range from severe detached and isolated behavior to extreme verbal and hypersensitive behavior.
“It’s a special cause because it brings together two things I am passionate about,” Garlatti said referring to autism awareness and baseball. “I think (the event) allows the players, hopefully, to realize how lucky they are to play baseball and have some fun and success doing it.”
Representatives from the participating teams – including 17 from the Greater Middlesex Conference and 12 from the Courier News area – gathered last Sunday for a reception at the Edison Elks Lodge.
The highlight of the reception was an informative and poignant PowerPoint presentation detailing the event’s mission that preceded prerecorded video messages from some of the Autism Awareness Baseball Challenge’s most prominent alumni. They included messages from Kansas City Royals farmhand Brandon Downes of South Plainfield (Virginia), former Home News Tribune Player of the Year Christian Campbell of Sayreville (Rutgers) and former St. Joseph of Metuchen pitchers Brandon Bielak (Notre Dame) and James Ziemba (Duke).
Rutgers head coach Joe Litterio opened the ceremonies, while former Edison baseball star Justin Duran, who embraced the challenge as a student-athlete, and the parent of a former GMC player on the autism spectrum, both delivered inspirational speeches.
The inaugural challenge featured just eight teams from Middlesex County. Players wore specially designed "Autism Awareness" T-shirts only during pregame, and volunteers circulated brochures with information about autism. The event was used, not as a fundraiser, but solely to heighten awareness.
During this year's challenge, players for the second consecutive spring will wear more elaborate "Autism Awareness" jerseys with numbers on the back for the entire game. Tax-deductible donations will be accepted at the gate for the Teamwork Unlimited Foundation. Volunteers will continue to educate spectators, setting up a table between the Community Park’s adjacent fields that will display information about autism.
Garlatti announced during last Sunday’s reception that for every home run a player belts during the challenge, his foundation will make a donation in that hitter’s name to the family of Middlesex High School athletics director and former Blue Jays head baseball coach Mike O’Donnell, whose 14-month-old son, Shane, is batting cancer. The foundation also will make a donation to the family of a baseball player from the Woodbridge program who was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor.
At last Sunday’s reception, Garlatti unveiled a scholarship program through the foundation that is available to current seniors participating in the challenge and Autism Awareness alumni. To be eligible, students must be pursuing a postsecondary education, maintain a minimum 2.5 grade-point average and submit an essay of 250 to 500 words describing how participating in the challenge inspired them to become involved with special needs people.
Participating teams have traditionally put their own spin on the fundraising component. For example, this year Sayreville got an early jump, with baseball players collecting donations at home varsity basketball games. Rahway sold specially designed autism awareness bands. South River decorated a bulletin board in the main office hallway to promote the event. Somerville (nearly $1,700) and St. Joseph of Metuchen (more than $1,000) announced on their official Twitter accounts that their respective baseball programs raised more than $1,000 for the cause. Each of the schools playing in the challenge has its own story.
Players participating in the challenge exchanged "autographed" colored puzzle pieces during last Sunday’s reception. The players asked relatives, friends, teachers and classmates to sign the puzzle pieces in exchange for a donation to The Teamwork Unlimited Foundation. Small change was as acceptable as dollar bills.
The colored puzzle pieces are symbolic of autism. Those diagnosed with the disorder – puzzling for it has no known cause – are as varied as the colors of a rainbow, reflecting the multi-colored puzzle piece symbol that has universally been adopted to promote autism awareness.
All challenge participants are encouraged to wear their "Autism Awareness" jerseys to school in the days leading up to the event to stimulate conversation among classmates.
During last Sunday’s reception, Garlatti implored participating players to spread the word about autism on their respective campuses.
AUTISM AWARENESS BASEBALL CHALLENGE
at North Brunswick’s Community Park
Friday, April 22
Highland Park vs. Dunellen, 3:45
Piscataway Tech vs. Lakewood, 3:45
Colonia vs. Bernards, 7
St. Joseph Regional vs. Jackson Memorial, 7
Saturday, April 23
North Brunswick vs. Hudson Catholic, 10
Spotswood vs. Robbinsville, 10
St Joseph (Metuchen) vs. Steinert, 1
Metuchen vs. Weehawken, 1
South River vs. Rahway, 4
Governor Livingston vs. J.P. Stevens, 4
Old Bridge vs. Elizabeth, 7
South Plainfield vs. Millburn, 7
Sunday, April 24
Somerville vs. East Brunswick, 10
Westfield vs. Piscataway, 10
Middlesex vs. South Hunterdon, 1
Edison vs. North Hunterdon, 1
Barnegat vs. Hillsborough, 4
Christian Brothers Academy vs. Holy Spirit, 4
St. Peters Prep vs. Pope John, 7
Red Bank Catholic vs. Sayreville, 7