Lone Star Play Ball Strengths And Weaknesses

Lone Star Play Ball is a non-profit organization that was founded in San Antonio, TX in 2008. The organization provides individuals with special needs the opportunity to participate in a co-ed non-competitive softball league. While Lone Star Play Ball is one of the few organizations in San Antonio to cater to adults with special needs, it does have a variety of direct and indirect competitors; the most notable being McAllister Park Little League Challenger League, the Miracle League of San Antonio, and NEYSO Special Teams. While these organizations pose as threats to Lone Star Play Ball, they also have several weaknesses that provide opportunities for Lone Star to gain a competitive advantage. McAllister Park Little League Challenger League

First, while McAllister Park has strong brand recognition, it has an age limit of 18 and puts greater attention on the Little League All-Stars teams. Second, while the Miracle League has a large complex and specially designed field, it only has 6 teams as opposed to Lone Star Play Ball’s 14. Also, the organization’s founder was quoted in an article stating the age limit is not enforced but this information is not readily available on the organization’s website. One page on the website specifically states the age group is from 5-19. Therefore parents or athletes that do not read the article in the “News” tab or that don’t call to ask for additional information will be under the impression that they no longer meet the age requirements. Furthermore, this league only has one location in San Antonio which could be inconvenient for some families depending on where they live. Finally, while NEYSO Special Teams offers a substitute service, if a special needs athlete is only interested in playing softball then they will not consider registering to participate in this

This organization has two locations/leagues and 14 teams which allow an increase in participation. Families are able to pick which location is more convenient for them to travel to and the numerous teams allow players to make special connections and lifelong friendships. From speaking with parents of players, the special needs community has a strong bond and spreads the word on organizations like Lone Star Play Ball. The fact that Lone Star has been able to grow so quickly and retain players year-over-year, proves that this organization is doing an excellent job of providing a special experience. This can be witnessed first-hand by attending one of the games. It takes less than a minute to share the excitement with the players, to feel the joy and pride of families, and to witness the fulfillment in the hearts of