Exciting things continue to happen at Ehrlo Sport Venture including a trip to Toronto for Gloria Patrick, program manager and the expansion of the Ehrlo Baseball Rookie League!

The Ehrlo Baseball Rookie League (EBRL) is entering its fifth season this summer and is funded by the Jays Care Foundation.  Along with sponsorship, Jays Care has facilitated training for staff and volunteer coaches each year.

To prepare for this season, they invited staff from across the country to participate in league coordinator training.  The staff members came together to share and collaborate on their individual summer baseball programs, to learn from each other’s experiences, and make to connections. The Jays Care team provided education on sport for development, engaging players and families, and volunteer recruitment. 

Our EBRL is growing this year and will include an additional field in the north end of the city to accommodate more players! The program offers play opportunities to youth aged 6-16 and is supported by staff ambassadors and volunteer coaches. If you are interested in helping with coaching, we urge you to connect directly with Sport Venture.

Registration for baseball will open online in early June and the program will run throughout July and August.

Gloria reflected on the experience and stated, “Being able to provide opportunities for youth to participate in baseball helps build confidence and a love of sport. The training helped us focus on how we can offer meaningful programming while ensuring kids feel safe and have fun!”

The training concluded with an invitation for the league coordinators to join the Blue Jays on the field during their pre-game practice session. Then, they cheered the team on to a huge win in the Jays Care Foundation clubhouse! 

Gloria said, “The training was a great opportunity to reflect on our league and prompted new ideas and initiatives. I am looking forward to the upcoming season and working towards further growth.”