Jason Freeman Memorial Award (1993-2019)
For Perseverance and Determination
Played with OBJ from 2009-2012
Baseball was Jason’s passion from a very young age. As a little guy, he would grab a plastic bat and hit balls for long periods of time at the park behind our house. As the youngest of three boys, Jason became accustomed to competing at a level beyond his years, and his natural athleticism was evident. At age 7, Jason won the Mississauga Honda Hit, Run, Throw for his age group and at age 8 he was playing for the AAA Mississauga North Tigers. Attending Jason’s baseball games became something our family enjoyed doing together. As a youngster, Jason was always active and lots of fun to be around yet tended to be a little shy. We observed him grow in confidence through success on the baseball field. In 2005, at age 12, the Tigers were OBA Provincial Champs. That same year, the team played ball in Cooperstown and our entire family enjoyed the experience. Jay was already hitting with power and he competed in the Cooperstown Homerun Derby.
In 2006, the Tigers were once again OBA Champions and as Pee-Wee’s had the privilege of representing Ontario at the Canadian Nationals in Victoria, BC.
In 2009, Jason transitioned from the AAA Tiger’s team to the 16U Ontario Blue Jays PBLO team. He was proud to be playing for the Ontario Blue Jays. Discipline and mental toughness grew during his 4 years with OBJ. He appreciated the skill development and excellent coaching that OBJ provided. He valued the close relationships he developed with both his teammates and coaches. His primary positions were 1st and 3rd base. Some of the memorable moments during Jason’s time with OBJ included competing in the 2010 Mickey Mantle World Series in McKinney, Texas, and the 2011 Wood Bat Tournament in Jupiter, Florida, where he hit a base clearing double against a future MLB pitcher. The many road trips to the U.S.A. on the OBJ bus were all part of the experience that continued to shape him as a young man.
His hard work and determination enabled him to secure a scholarship at schools in Texas and Oklahoma. He knew some of his college teammates from his years with OBJ, which made being so far away from home easier. His passion for the game continued throughout his years at college but when he wasn’t playing ball, he could be found camping, fishing, or crushing drives on the golf course. He earned an honours bachelor’s degree in business administration while playing the game he loved. He returned home in 2016, a self-assured, goal oriented and disciplined young man who was ready to take on the world.
In 2018, just a few weeks after his 25th birthday, Jason was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called Non-seminomatous Germ Cell Cancer. This is a form of Testicular Cancer, but in Jason’s case a tumour was found in his chest. Testicular cancer is the most common type of cancer among men under the age of 34yrs. And is curable if detected early. We would encourage all players to read about Testicular cancer and be aware of the symptoms and the importance of self-examination. Don’t be embarrassed to talk about it. More information can be found on these two websites:
https://www.testicularcancer.ngo/
https://ca.movember.com/
Jay’s cancer diagnosis was shocking to him, (and all of us), since he was focused on leading an active, healthy lifestyle. His challenging gym workouts and protein shakes were part of his daily routine. Jason was fun to be around and when he was with his fiancé, family and friends, there was often much laughter, even during his cancer journey. When asked about it, he said, “It came out of nowhere, which shows it can happen to anyone. My advice to other young men is, don’t take life for granted. Enjoy life to the fullest and be resilient.” He also stated, “My competitiveness has helped me get after it and not back down. I’ve learned perseverance from baseball - there are some games you strike out and some games you hit a home run, but you just keep at it.” He approached his cancer journey with a calm, unwavering resolve to beat it. Jason received the best treatment available at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto and at Indiana University Hospital in Indianapolis. He endured a great deal during the months of chemotherapy and surgery, but there was no quit in him, even after the cancer returned following a short period of remission. His response was to ask the Oncologists for the next plan of action, and his determination was to “get after it”. He was looking forward to participating in a clinical trial in Indianapolis. Jason sadly passed away in the Fall of 2019, but he never gave up. He is greatly missed every day.
Jason expressed that his desire was to be a positive role model and encourage other young men to pursue their dreams with perseverance, determination, and optimism. The OBJ memorial award is confirmation that Jason did just that. We are grateful that Jason can continue to inspire others in such a positive way.
Supporting research into Testicular cancer has become a family goal, and in this regard, an annual local co-ed slow-pitch tournament called “Jay Freeman’s Cancer Crushfest” was started in 2020. All the proceeds from this one-day event, are donated to the Princess Margaret Hospital Testicular Cancer Research Program.
You can make a donation to Crushfest here -> https://supportthepmcf.ca/ui/CrushfestSoftball24/donations/start 
