When former Holy Spirit High School softball coach Dennis Smith stepped away from his position on the field to fill an administrative role at the school, he had faith that a recent winning tradition would continue: the At Bats for Autism Acceptance Softball Invitational.
Smith was named director of curriculum, instruction & academic scheduling by Head of School Mike McGhee last year. The two agreed that keeping the invitational was a non-negotiable.
From April 10-12, Holy Spirit hosted its third annual At Bats for Autism on its campus, showcasing eight high school softball games during the weekend. The event, which coincides with Autism Awareness Month, raised money for the Philadelphia Eagles Autism Foundation.
Smith’s son, Drew, 16, has high-functioning autism and is a sophomore at Ocean City High School.
“[The cause] is something that has always been very near and dear to my heart,” said Smith, a 1989 Holy Spirit graduate who coached girls basketball and softball there. “We wanted to get the word out about autism and how everyone can still be a main part of the community.”
Drew is part of the Best Buddies International Club at Ocean City, which fosters one-to-one friendships between high school students with and without intellectual and developmental challenges. Smith describes his 6-foot-2 son as a “Gentle Giant” with a kind heart.
“He would be throwing out the first pitch today, but he doesn’t like loud noises and he doesn’t want to be the focal point of anything,” Smith said.
Filling in for the ceremonial first pitch was Drew’s sister Quinn, who is a freshman at Ocean City and one of four siblings in the family. She said she was honored to be a part of the festivities.
“I love him so much,” Quinn said. “I just want everyone else to love him and not see him differently because he has autism. It makes me so happy to see all these teams here.”
The tournament featured eight games over three days, including Holy Spirit’s 16-6 victory over Cape May County Tech, which evened the Spartans’ record at 3-3 under new coach Pat Applegate. The new skipper said he was thrilled to help keep the tradition going.
“We do anything we can to support this incredible cause,” Applegate said. “Some of the teams are top teams in the state that are coming down here to play. That’s really cool.”
In previous years, Catholic schools located in the Camden Diocese like Gloucester Catholic and Our Lady of Mercy Academy have taken part. Camden Catholic and Paul VI participated this year; the Eagles have now made the trip two years in a row.
Schools like Ocean City, Middle Township, Holy Cross Prep Academy and Egg Harbor Township, along with Holy Spirit, have played all three years.
“It’s growing,” Smith said. “This year, we added the third day because a lot of new teams wanted to get in. But next year, we are looking to make the Friday a very Holy Spirit-centric event where baseball would play, softball would play, and boys and girls lacrosse would play. That’s the goal. We would stagger it through the day. That way everyone is buying into it.”
Smith said he hoped to raise about $1,500 this year for the Philadelphia Eagles Autism Foundation. He wastes little time drawing up plans for next year’s tournament.
“It’s a labor of love for me,” he said. “I usually start around Memorial Day Weekend, trying to put the schedule together for the next year with my committee.”
Did You Know
April is Autism Awareness Month, and the Diocese’s VITALity Catholic Healthcare Services is hosting two sensory-friendly Masses of Welcome and Inclusion:
• April 19, 11 a.m., Saint Teresa of Calcutta Parish, Saint John’s Church, Collingswood
• April 26, 10:30 a.m., Saint Damien Parish, Saint Frances Cabrini Church, Ocean City
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