Blue Jays send $50K to Saanich baseball academy

A wave of disbelief hit Graham Campbell when a former major league outfielder told him the Toronto Blue Jays were sending a major grant to Saanich. The Blue Jays and Jays Care Foundation are donating $50,000 to the Lambrick Park Baseball and Softball Academy. The funds are part of the Jays Care First Pitch Fund, distributing $300,000 across Canada to celebrate the franchise’s 50th season. The local academy was selected for the financial boost by former major league outfielder and 2004 Lambrick Park graduate Michael

Saunders, who joined the program’s coaching staff just over a year ago. Saunders was on hand at Rogers Centre for the announcement on July 1, watching his former team thump the struggling New York Mets 9-3. He played 775 games across nine professional seasons. “There’s a lot of great talent in B.C., and all kids deserve the same opportunities to develop,” Saunders said in a press release. “When Jays Care came to me with this donation opportunity, I knew I wanted to support my hometown

and give kids in the community the same opportunities I had. I know this initiative will go a long way in supporting homegrown Canadian talent.” The grant arrives as the academy establishes the Friends of the Lambrick Park Baseball and Softball Academy Society, a newly formed charitable organization aiming to remove financial barriers for local ball players. This grant will do exactly that. Campbell, an instructor and teacher at Lambrick Park, said the idea for a designated fund gained momentum after Saunders personally covered the

fees for a student who could not afford the program last season. “He just did that out of the kindness of his own heart. It speaks of the person he is,” Campbell said of Saunders. That gesture highlighted the need for a sustainable funding model, prompting staff to build a formal structure. “This money is an unexpected, but such a generous influx of cash,” said Campbell, a coach entering his fifth year with the academy. Established nearly 20 years ago, the academy hosted about 95

students during the 2025-2026 school year and expects about 100 athletes this fall. It operates as an individual development program rather than a travelling team, with players taking their refined skills back to their community clubs. The developmental focus is paying off, with eight senior academy players recently committing to college programs. Campbell said having Saunders on board has changed the dynamic for local players. “The level of professionalism and the services we can provide for our students has gone up to another level,” Campbell

said. “We’re so fortunate to have someone of that background and pedigree within our ranks.” Saunders received a standing ovation during the Jays pregame ceremony at Rogers Centre on July 1, a moment that contrasted with his everyday role in Saanich. “When we’re at the field, he’s just a regular guy, super humble,” Campbell said. “He seems like a superstar out there, but with us, he’s just a regular, super humble ball player. We really are lucky to have him.” Campbell knows the impact on

the local sports community is significant. “We’ve been put on the radar of the Jays, and I think it’s going to spark further opportunity down the road,” he said. Five other Canadian Blue Jays alumni, John Axford, Matt Stairs, Paul Quantrill, Russell Martin and Scott Richmond, also selected youth baseball organizations to receive matching $50,000 donations through the national initiative. RELATED: Michael Saunders brings big-league pedigree to Saanich’s field of dreams

Toronto Blue Jays, Jays Care Foundation, Jays Care First Pitch Fund, Saanich, Lambrick Park Baseball and Softball Academy, Michael Saunders, Graham Campbell