An ambitious multimillion-dollar inclusive sports complex, funded by local organizations, will open at the YMCA South County campus next spring.
The highly anticipated initiative will look to offer an unparalleled “major league” experience to all participants, marking a significant step for inclusivity and awareness of adaptive sports. By offering cutting-edge facilities, the completed complex will allow individuals with disabilities to participate in various sports and activities.
The complex will likely be able to serve SLU students in a few distinct ways upon completion. Located about 20 minutes from SLU’s campus, SLU students can participate in and watch adaptive sports or complete service hours.
In the past, the Chesterfield location was the closest YMCA to SLU’s campus. While the South County location still requires a commute, it is one step closer to the SLU community.
“We haven’t done a great job in the past of serving that community. This complex is a great first step,” Associate Executive Director Martin Caupp said. “It [the entire complex] speaks to the greater YMCA mission.”
Caupp also said the new complex will spread awareness of adaptive sports and provide opportunities for people who do not have regular access to adaptive facilities. He mentioned that the YMCA is expecting a wide draw from all over the state, with some families making up to a 90-minute commute to use the facilities.
“We’re itching to get started and begin programming,” Caupp said.
One of the main features of the state-of-the-art complex is a Miracle Baseball Field, which will include a synthetic turf field, a barrier-free dugout, a scoreboard, a spectator pavilion and a concession stand upon completion.
Designed to recreate the look and feel of Busch Stadium, there will also be a silhouette of the St. Louis Gateway Arch in the outfield, just another way to help the participants like their major league counterparts. It will also host the 2025 Miracle League All-Star Game, an annual celebration bringing Miracle League players worldwide to participate in all-star games and festivities.
The complex will also feature an accessible, high school-sized soccer field, a sensory-rich playground and a walking and running track. According to Caupp, it will include ample ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible parking.
The YMCA will begin programming activities for youths and adults on the complex, such as football, soccer and bocce ball – while continuing to run other adaptive indoor sports, such as basketball. According to a University of Washington article, adaptive sports are “sports that are modified to allow people with physical and sometimes mental disabilities to participate.”
“I think this [complex] is a huge step in making adaptive sports more mainstream,” SLU sophomore Grace Lopiccolo said.
Lopiccolo, a self-proclaimed disability advocate, has Charcot-Marie-Tooth disorder, a neuromuscular disease that currently affects her hands, feet and legs. She regularly performs various exercises and stretches to prevent further muscle atrophy caused by the disease.
“I serve in SGA and am in so many conversations regarding CADR (Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources), and ways we can make SLU more welcoming to people with disabilities,” Lopiccolo said. “Last year, I served as our senator for opportunity and ability. In that role, I released a resolution to the administration requesting that SLU does more to help people with disabilities.”
Lopiccolo also serves as the president of Beyond Ability (SLUBA), a disability advocacy and inclusion club on campus.
“Most of my ‘advocacy’ is me just being open about my disability… I think that visibility is a huge part of activism, so having this be a focus on this [YMCA] project means a lot to the disabled community.”
Additionally, in conjunction with an existing array of volunteer opportunities already available at South County YMCA, the finalized complex will introduce new opportunities for students who need to complete service hours. On its website and in-person, the YMCA makes it clear that everyone is welcome to volunteer and that “no athletic experience [is] required.”
“If you can do it and become a volunteer, do it – because it’s great. It’s a good community,” Ashley Perulfi said.
Perulfi, 23, has worked at the YMCA for nearly three years and serves as the site director during the school year and as the Sports Summer Camp Director during the summer.
“You get to work with a lot of different people. Each kid has been able to open my eyes on something different,” Perulfi said. “They [students] should try and come out and see it because they might not realize that it’s something that they could actually use… they’re [the YMCA] hopefully going to open it up to more people that want to be a part of the Y.”
The St. Louis Cardinals and Cardinals Care, the team’s charitable foundation since 1997, broke ground on the complex at Tesson Ferry and Schuessler Road on Sept. 7, 2022. The other partners associated with the project are Gateway Region YMCA, the Boniface Foundation, Miracle League and Mercy – who later joined the endeavor with a $250,000 contribution.
With only $800,000 remaining to reach their target, the South County YMCA is actively fundraising and seeking donations through its website to finalize this initiative.
Although the complex was specifically designed for those with disabilities, it will eventually be opened to the public, allowing anyone – with or without a membership – to use the baseball field, soccer field, track or playground, unless previously scheduled programs are taking place.
The comprehensive sports complex embodies an impressive leap towards inclusivity and awareness, encapsulating the commitment to making sports accessible for all, as expressed by Caupp and echoed by various voices in the community.
