Île-des-Chênes’ Optimist Park hosted a Blue Jays baseball camp July 20–21. Children aged nine to 16 from all over Manitoba, including one all the way from Thompson, came to meet four alumni Blue Jay players and gain some valuable skills.
Alex Grenier, a volunteer for Seine River Minor Baseball, applied for the camp to be held in Île-des-Chênes in November 2015. Every year, the camp is awarded to a different community in Manitoba. Last year, the Blue Jays camp was held in Brandon, and in previous years the camp has been held at Shaw Park in Winnipeg.
“The day was way over and above what I thought it would be, knowing there would be 160 kids on one baseball field,” says Grenier. In addition to the four former Blue Jays and three team staff, Grenier had to find 14 facilitators to help run the camp. “Working with the pros, I was a little apprehensive at first, then came around very quickly that they are just people who love baseball and want to work with kids.”
The parents and athletes gave only positive feedback. The Blue Jays were very pleased with the facility. Grenier says he would like to apply to host the camp again in three to five years.
Seine River Minor Baseball is hosting the Senior Women’s playoffs August 12-14. The annual Slopitch tournament will be held September 17–18 and the annual fall supper is scheduled for October 2.
