BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — More than 140 athletes gathered at Riverlakes Ranch Community Center to celebrate the start of the League of Dreams 2026 basketball season — a milestone event that also marked the debut of the organization's first-ever mascot and a special appearance by the Cal State Bakersfield women's basketball team.
The gym filled with cheers as teams came together for the season opener. League of Dreams provides adaptive sports opportunities for athletes with disabilities.
Board Vice President Laura Avila said community support makes the programs possible.
"All of our programs from basketball, baseball cheerleading gymnastics. We couldn't do it without our community partners and the volunteers coaches and that show up to every event to help lead these children."
Avila said donations and community partnerships are the foundation of everything the league offers.
"It gave them a whole new world. And what we get to see these kids, their faces light up, and they just have the best time, and they've found a community, and it's not just for the kids and the athletes. It's for the families."
This season also brought a new addition to the league family — a mascot named Dreamer.
"We are revealing Dreamer, our golden Retriever this year, this event, and we're super excited to show him off," Avila said.
Israel Crockett's son, Zion Herrera, is playing basketball this season. It is his second sport with the league after playing baseball last season. Crockett said the league gives her son something many programs do not.
"So the fact that there is a league that pushes them, that encourages them to do all these things, it's just truly amazing."
"For my son at least. Being able to have a part of something and do something with other kids, that way he's not left out. For him to be able to experience all that is truly amazing, because there's not much for these kids to do. So it's really amazing," Crockett said.
Crockett said watching her son interact with players from the Cal State Bakersfield women's basketball team was a highlight of the day.
"Was a ball back to him except for him to shoot it multiple times. He was just so excited by that. So, like, seeing that they got the push to, like, really practice with them and see what they're gonna be doing. I think that was really exciting for him," Crockett said.
Nseije Ortiz, a player on the Cal State Bakersfield women's basketball team, said the team was glad to be there.
"Interact with kids in different ways they have us all over here being able to accommodate to the kids needs and just make sure they have fun while doing the sport that we have fun doing as well."
"To be able to just come and do this on a Sunday and give back to the community. We appreciate them allowing us to come out here and enjoy time and enjoy the sport," Ortiz said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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