AMBA coaches and volunteers take the field and are cheered by players

Coaches and volunteers with AMBA played a friendly game at Bill Wigle Park Sept. 2.

Coaches and volunteers with the Amherstburg Minor Baseball Association (AMBA) got a chance to put what they preached into practice.

It was the coaches and association volunteers who took the diamond this time in a friendly, season-ending game at Bill Wigle Park. A large crowd of families and friends watched the coaches play the game, with the some of the youth they coached this season filling out the lineup cards and umpiring the game.

“It’s all about the Amherstburg coaches and volunteers,” said Tim Vigneux, who played in the Sept. 2 game and also is AMBA treasurer and a coach. “It kind of a fun way to wrap up the season.”

There were 22 players in the game with kids from each team helping out. The teams represented by their players were the U9 Select/Rep, U11 Rep/Firebirds, U10 Rep and U12 Rep. 

Vigneux said it was the first time the AMBA had tried such a game.

“We might keep doing this year-after-year,” he said. “Hopefully we can make it a yearly thing.”

Vigneux estimated roughly 300 people came to Bill Wigle Park for the game.

AMBA president Sarah Anderson pointed out tryouts for next season start Sept. 12. There were approximately 300 players who participated in minor baseball in 2026. Combined with the Malden Ladies league, there are about 420 players in baseball this year.

Vigneux added the hope is that future councils keep Bill Wigle Park as it is now.

“Wigle Park is awesome. We can’t get rid of it,” he said. “Look at all the people here tonight.”

AMBA coaches and volunteers take the field and are cheered by players

By Ron Giofu