Challenger League members enjoy Newsboys concert in Albany

ALBANY — There were squeals of excitement, no small measure of wide-eyed joy, in anticipation of watching Christian rock favorites The Newsboys perform.

That many of the excited teen and tween girls were in wheelchairs did not seem to register with anyone involved — members of the Leesburg-based Challenger League, their chaperone moms, their teen “buddies,” officials at the Albany Civic Center, where The Newsboys were performing, or even the performers themselves.

Those moments of “normalcy” for participants in the Challenger League’s Teen Club is, according to the moms who’ve marveled at the difference it is making in their special-needs kids’ lives, what the organization is all about.

“What we are looking for are ‘typical’ socialization experiences for our kids,” Challenger League co-founder Jennifer Rigsby said Thursday as the antsy girls around her tried to contain their excitement. That they were being afforded a VIP experience at the concert was the idea of a couple of Albany Recreation and Parks Department employees.

“We came to get tickets for the concert, and we kind of told the folks at the Civic Center who we were and what we were doing,” Rigsby said. “Two ladies — Racquel and Tram — told us they wanted to do something special for our girls.”

That little extra supplied by the Civic Center employees included red-carpet VIP treatment. Included was the opportunity for the Challenger League participants to join other Newsboy fans in asking questions of the popular band before the show.

“They reached out to us and let us know a little about their organization,” Civic Center Box Office Supervisor Racquel Perez said. “The first thing we wanted to do was make sure that everything was more accessible for the girls. We wanted that to go as smooth as possible.

“But when I talked with Tram, we decided to create an atmosphere that would make this as memorable an experience as possible for the girls and the others involved with the Challenger League.”

Tram Uy, who is events manager at the downtown facility, said the purpose of “upgrading” Challenger League members to VIP status was to make what was for many of them a first concert experience one they’d remember forever.

“This wasn’t about some policy that was in place; it was a matter of working with these kids to make sure this first experience was as cool as it could be for them,” Uy said. “When they initially reached out, we decided this was something we could do to make this special, to make it an experience they’d carry with them.”

Prodded by “socialization coordinator” Emily McKnight, participants in the Challenger League who either couldn’t participate in sporting events or who wanted more typical “girl experiences” began to ask league officials for non-sports activities. From that grew the Teen Club, which celebrated its first “road trip” event Thursday at the Civic Center.

“Challenger League is so wonderful because it allows our girls to do things that other girls their age do,” Paige McKnight, Emily’s mom, said.

Another mom, Starla Brokamp, who brought daughters Brooke, a Challenger League participant, and twin sister Briley, a volunteer “buddy,” to their first-ever concert Thursday, said the socialization aspect of Challenger League is important for teen and preteen participants.

“These socialization opportunities — like many of these girls going to their first concert ever — are what make this program so important to our kids,” Starla Brokamp said. “These are the kinds of experiences all girls should have.”

Deborah Salter, whose daughters, Abigail and Savannah, were participating in their first Challenger League outing, said the sporting events that were the inspiration for the founding of the league are not an option for some special-needs children.

“Both of my girls are medically fragile, so they’ve been pretty much home-bound,” Deborah Salter said. “We heard about Challenger League, but my girls are not able to participate in sports activities. That’s why this part of the program, allowing the girls to enjoy social outings, is so important. It’s so amazing to see my girls interacting with other kids.

“As I said, this is our first activity with the league, but I believe it’s going to be a blessing in our lives.”

Information about challenger League is available on Facebook. Parents of special-needs kids or volunteers who’d like to help with or contribute to the league are encouraged to make contact.