Jackson Berner of UChicago Provides Alternative Baseball Opportunities for Those With Special Needs
University of Chicago sophomore student-athlete Jackson Berner combined his love of baseball with fulfilling a need for those who shared that love, but who ran out of opportunities to keep playing it. In his junior year of high school, Berner founded the Chicago version of Alternative Baseball, which provides a chance for those with special needs to continue to enjoy the sport.
“My mom works with special education families, and I saw that beyond Little League, there was nowhere special needs youth could continue to play baseball in an organized way. I started with one player who would come once a week. I coached him 1-on-1 for three months,” stated Berner. “I wanted to bring the concept that was founded (by Taylor Duncan) in Atlanta to Chicago. We have grown tremendously and now have up to 30 players. It is amazing to see what it does for the families. I look forward to returning every summer.”
Duncan founded Alternative Baseball in 2016, inspired by his own experiences with autism and being excluded from youth baseball and adult softball leagues. What began as a developmental baseball program for individuals on the autism spectrum has evolved into a nationwide program for teens and adults with autism and other disabilities that promotes inclusion and empowerment.
The fact that Berner gives back to the sport in this way is consistent with who he is, according to head coach Kevin Tyrrell. “I had known his travel coach for 15 years and he gave me some insight to what kind of person Jackson is,” Tyrrell remarked. “He has traits that every coach wants but some never have. He goes beyond saying the right thing. He is the person who does all the right things even when no one is looking.”
This past summer, Berner interned with a financial services company and took the train to the suburbs each Monday to train the players in the Alternative Baseball program. “We have put up fliers at the special education departments in North Shore school systems, in hospitals, and doctor’s offices. We have been fortunate to have news blitzes about the program on Chicago television stations. It is so rewarding to see humanity come together for a good cause,” he commented.
Berner saw limited action in his freshman season, but it did not deter from his experience on the Maroons’ first team in program history to qualify for the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship. “UChicago is the perfect school for me. It is in my own backyard (he grew up in nearby Glenview and attend North Shore Country Day School) and Coach Tyrrell is amazing. Ever since our first contact he has been a great mentor,” Berner described. “The academics are unparalleled for economics, socially it was a great fit, and the team was so welcoming. They are like my brothers.”
“He reminds me of two other players I’ve had in the program in that there is no way to outwork him. You can tell he is going to accomplish things due to how badly he wants them. Obstacles may slow him down but not stop him,” Tyrrell added. “He makes everyone better. When things get hard, it is easy to make excuses, but he never complains about anything because he embraces it!”
The team’s first trip to the NCAA tournament was not only historic, but memorable as well. After losing its opening game 34-8 to University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, the Maroons won three consecutive elimination games, including one over UW-Oshkosh, before finally falling in the regional final, just one game short of the World Series. “It was a testament to our team-first mentality and how we put our bodies on the line. Short memories really helped us and as tight as we are, we were able to come back and play for one another after that first game,” Berner explained.