Every spring, when the snow on the ground melts and trees begin showing early signs of life, I fight every inclination I have to run outside with a glove and ball to play catch with any willing participants. Even when I’m stuck inside, there’s a baseball in my purse, which I toss around to temporarily entertain my urges. There’s a reason why spring provokes thoughts of baseball in my mind; I vividly recall summers of playing on a local diamond as I did every spring and summer from a very young age. The first home run, the first stolen base, or the first big win in little league baseball are memories that remain ingrained in the minds of many kids as they grow and continue their lives on and off the field.

This season, the Toronto Blue Jays are continuing their support of grassroots baseball through an initiative to cultivate Amateur Baseball in Canada by partnering with Baseball Ontario. This partnership will provide support to five divisions (Rookie, Mosquito, Pee Wee, Bantam, and Midget) which encourages the youth of Ontario to pursue their dreams beginning at an amateur level.

As someone who played baseball from the age of four, my baseball memories of being part of a team year after year, taught me so many valuable life lessons. In a country that thrives in the winter, baseball gives youth an opportunity to get outside in warmer months to be part of a team and learn new skills while developing or improving on skills previously acquired. The Toronto Blue Jays are focused on growing the game of baseball in Canada and giving an opportunity for everyone to play to game. That being said, the participation and introduction of baseball at an early age gives kids the chance to learn the game and instinctive part of their childhoods.

The Blue Jays host over thirty amateur baseball instructional clinics across Ontario each season. These clinics, which began last weekend, allow for player development with the assistance of qualified instructors and reaches out to kids ages seven to fourteen in local and provincial baseball organizations. The clinics spotlight skills such as hitting, throwing, in fielding, pitching and base running and other basic skills of the game. These skills further the initiative to foster baseball driven goals of young players, allowing them to better their skills as part of their leagues. These clinics have a direct impact on baseball at a grassroots level because they directly involve the youth of smaller communities in Ontario and plant a seed within those communities which they won’t soon forget about, furthering the growth of Canadian baseball.

Sunday, the Blue Jays highlighted their support of Baseball Ontario by hosting Amateur Baseball Day at Rogers Centre. Teams from Ontario came down to the stadium and young players representing nine teams – from the ages of eight to thirteen – were invited to be part of the starting lineup and a representative from a tenth team had the opportunity to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Brendan Morrow was also in attendance pre-game as a cheque was presented to the President of Baseball Ontario for $25,000 as part of the sponsorship from the Blue Jays organization. Young players throughout the stands at Rogers Centre wore their team uniforms from various associations in the community as well as Jays caps, every player had been given.

Seeing the excitement on the face of nine-year-old part of the starting lineup dressed in his team uniform, Sunday, sparked my own memories of baseball at a young age. At the age of eleven, I hit a two-run home run in the Championship game as a member of the Wildcats. I have vibrant recollections of the white jerseys and gray pants covered in dirt and the smiles on our faces. I will forever remember the moment that I rounded third base, looking over to see twelve girls cheering and going on to win a second consecutive championship. Those memories will stay with me and return every spring at the sight of freshly painted lines on a diamond or the smell of the grass at the local park. It is those memories that stay with Major League Players as they accomplish their childhood dreams of playing in the big leagues.

Amateur Baseball Day at Rogers Centre and Amateur Baseball Clinics are only two of the ongoing initiatives the Blue Jays execute throughout the season to aid the growth of the game, locally and nationally. Youth in Ontario are fortunate to have the opportunity to play summer baseball and develop and grow as they’re part of a team and a community in cities across the country. I’ll be following this partnership between the Blue Jays and Baseball Ontario as well as the various Blue Jays Amateur Baseball weekend clinics, all season long. Baseball at a grassroots level impacts the lives of so many youth in this country every year and this season, the Blue Jays continue to encourage amateur players to pursue their Major League dreams.