SEATTLE, Wash. – The Seattle Mariners today announced 10 recipients of the annual $50,000 Mariners Care Equipment Donation Grant to support high school baseball and softball programs in Washington and Oregon. Each of the grantees represent a diverse cross section of the Pacific Northwest and have intentionally built programs to support the unique needs of the student athletes in their communities.

The grants will help ease the pressure on struggling baseball and softball programs, as well as help ensure the game remains accessible to any student athlete who wants to participate.

2023 Mariners Care Equipment Donation Grant Recipients:

• Bethel High School Softball - Spanaway, WA
• Chiawana High School Baseball - Pasco, WA
• Federal Way High School Softball – Federal Way, WA
• Franklin High School Baseball & Softball – Seattle, WA
• Franklin Pierce High School Softball – Tacoma, WA
• Hidden Valley High School Baseball & Softball – Grants Pass, OR
• Nyssa High School Baseball - Nyssa, OR
• Pateros High School Baseball – Pateros, WA
• Rogers High School Softball – Spokane, WA
• Roosevelt High School Baseball – Portland, OR

The Equipment Donation Grant was first awarded in 2017 to programs at the high school level in the state of Washington and was expanded to include the state of Oregon in 2020. Each year, the grant is divided equally among the recipients.

Since 2017, $350,000 has been awarded to high school baseball and softball programs.  This initiative is part of the On BASE (Baseball And Softball Everywhere) initiative, a strategic effort by the Mariners to leverage new and existing partnerships to break down barriers that may prevent children from participating in baseball and softball, either because of high registration fees, lack of equipment, and/or access to playable fields.

2023 Mariners Care Equipment Donation Grant Recipients

Bethel High School Softball - Spanaway, WA
Bethel High School’s softball program, like many high school programs, has had to extend the use of equipment beyond its normal lifespan.  Duct taped and zip-tied gear has left staff, players, and parents alike concerned for the safety of their student athletes. This grant now provides the program with the resources needed to purchase new equipment. 

Chiawana High School Baseball - Pasco, WA
Like many programs, Chiawana High School baseball faces the challenge of how to make necessary safety improvements to their facilities while still providing student athletes with the equipment they need to have a successful season.  As a 2023 grant recipient, Chiawana is now able to invest in field improvements, while also investing in basic equipment like game and practice balls, training equipment benefitting arm care, and caps for players. 

Federal Way High School Softball – Federal Way, WA
Federal Way High School’s softball program is working to provide access to young athletes in a community where many kids face barriers to playing softball as part of high-cost select programs.  The grant, in addition to facilitating opportunities for new students, will help provide first-time players with basic equipment like cleats and gloves.  Head Coach Bingham Togia believes that knowing his student athletes have backing from the Mariners will “encourage them not only in softball, but to push on with whatever their future plans are, knowing that they are supported.”

Franklin High School Baseball & Softball – Seattle, WA
Franklin High School, located in Seattle’s Central District neighborhood, has long had to navigate sharing municipal athletic facilities with other sports, schools, and organizations.  This has made finding practice space for its baseball and softball teams very challenging, especially during inclement weather.  Funds from the grant will be used, in part, to install batting cage netting and equipment on-site at the school in an indoor area, creating a cost-free practice space that is usable year-round.

**Franklin Pierce High School Softball – Tacoma, WA
**Tacoma’s Franklin Pierce High School has been working hard to make positive changes throughout its athletic programs.  While the school’s athletic department does as much as possible to support the softball program and fulfill basic needs, there remains a shortfall around equipment.  Receiving the grant will address these needs and help offset economic obstacles for student athletes.

Hidden Valley High School Baseball & Softball – Grants Pass, OR
Located in southern Oregon, Hidden Valley High School is a small rural high school with a student population that includes a high percentage of children from migrant worker families.  As a result, many students are navigating temporary housing situations, and they are unable to participate in sports due to associated fees and lack of equipment.  The grant will allow Hidden Valley baseball & softball to offset these costs and provide additional resources. 

Nyssa High School Baseball - Nyssa, OR
Nyssa High School, in eastern Oregon near the Idaho border, is home to students from the small agricultural town of Nyssa.  In a community where finances present a significant challenge to many families, the grant will help provide access to baseball for students facing these challenges.  “More and more student athletes are participating in baseball, and it has helped increase school attendance, grades, and improved the overall school climate,” shared Head Coach Travis Sapp.

Pateros High School Baseball – Pateros, WA
Pateros High School is the only secondary school in the town of Pateros, located in central Washington along the Columbia River.  With funding hard to come by in this small community, the grant will allow Pateros’ baseball team to purchase necessary safety equipment like helmets, nets, and practice balls.  “Award of this grant will enhance the safety of play and provide equipment we have never been able to afford,” stated Head Coach Lance Evans.

Rogers High School Softball – Spokane, WA
Spokane’s Rogers High School is investing in basic safety gear including helmets, catcher’s gear, and protective pitching screens, alongside shared equipment like bats, to help their softball program better compete against other programs they face in the Greater Spokane League 2A division. 

Roosevelt High School Baseball – Portland, OR
Located in the St. John’s neighborhood of Portland, Roosevelt High School’s diverse student population includes many kids from households that struggle to make ends meet.  The grant will increase access and defray costs for those participating in the baseball program while helping to provide a quality experience for players without the pressures of buying their own gear. “This grant will go a long way in helping us rebuild with new equipment and making field improvements we desperately need,” said Izaya Laguardia, graduate of Roosevelt High and former co-captain of the baseball team.

For more information about the Equipment Donation Grant program, visit Mariners.com/EDG.