Bregman, Cubs find common ground in autism advocacy

CHICAGO -- When Alex Bregman signed a long-term contract with the Cubs in January, the goal was to help the organization return to the October stage and push for its first World Series triumph in a decade. The veteran third baseman also has work he wants to do off the diamond.

During Bregman’s years with the Astros, he and his family formed the Bregman Cares foundation with the goal of finding multiple paths to helping kids. One of the pillars of the foundation is creating autism awareness and providing resources for families and children to help with communication development and other needs.

Bregman hopes to build on the work done in Houston now that he is in Chicago.

“Definitely, we want to make as big an impact in the community as we possibly can,” Bregman said. “We’re looking to do that through our foundation, which helps kids with autism and helps underprivileged youth. I’m super grateful for the support of the Cubs' organization in making that a possibility.”

The Cubs have already been doing a lot of work on that front.

Earlier this season, Wrigley Field became the first ballpark in Major League Baseball to be deemed a Certified Autism Center by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES). To earn that designation, at least 80% of guest-facing staff must complete autism and sensory training to support guests in need.

The IBCCES also did an on-site review of Wrigley Field, which features a sensory room near fan services on the main concourse and has multiple resources available. That includes sensory bags and kits for fans sensitive to the ballpark environment. Fans can explore the team’s accessibility guide for a full rundown of resources.

The Cubs’ spring home, Sloan Park, in Mesa, Ariz., earned the same designation in 2020.

“We want to be accessible for everyone,” said Jessica Nugent, the team’s director of Cubs guest experience. “I know that it has a huge impact on populations of people who have autism and have sensory needs. And also their families, their friends, to be able to plan outings and plan trips and experiences and know they’re going to be taken care of. They’re going to have options and be able to feel safe doing that.

“I would love for this to be the start of a movement for bigger and better things for other venues, other ballparks, other sports. But it’s exciting that we’re the first. We’re one of the oldest ballparks in Major League Baseball, so for us to be the first to do something like this is a pretty big milestone.”

Bregman loved hearing about that, too.

“I really appreciate it. I think it’s awesome,” Bregman said. “It’s super cool that this ballpark is autism friendly.”

Bregman’s godson, Brady Columbus -- a son of the third baseman’s close friend and personal hitting coach, Jason Columbus -- was diagnosed with autism at 3 years old. Bregman’s relationship to Columbus helped inspire him and his wife, Reagan, to want to launch Bregman Cares as a way to help families in a similar situation.

Bregman’s foundation provided hundreds of iPads (loaded with the “Proloquo2Go” software) to local schools in Houston with autism-specific classrooms to help communication development for non-speaking kids. His work also included teaming up with THINK Neurology to help provide free assessments and therapy to children in need.

“Working with some of the kids,” Bregman said, “I’ve seen how some of the programming and learning opportunities that they’ve gotten now have helped them grow their skill sets. I saw it first-hand with my godson, but even on a bigger scale, seeing it with multiple different families and the impact it can make with helping kids communicate has been huge.”

Nugent said it was great to know they had an advocate for this cause playing for the Cubs.

“Knowing that partnership is great,” Nugent said. “It’s been a passion of ours for the past several years to continue to make the ballpark more accessible. And this autism certification is the next step in that. We’re working throughout the ballpark and off the field to make it as accessible for our guests as we can.

“And we have a partner on the field who’s just as passionate about it. It’s great to know we have that support.”