EMERSON,
Ga. – With all of the hype that surrounds tournaments as big as
this week’s 2015 16u WWBA National Championship, it is easy to
forget that baseball is simply a game. Of course, a lot of importance
is put on winning and building your brand as an individual player,
but it is always necessary to remember that there are things that
take place in life that eclipse the game of baseball. Hardships are
experienced throughout this journey that we call life, and it helps
us to remember that there is much more in this world that matters
besides our immediate personal endeavors.
Every
now and then, people are hit with the harshest reality of all; death.
How one deals with losing a loved one varies from personality to
personality, but something that is true for all is that it provides a
different perspective that one can only gain from going through that
kind of devastating loss. Whether it makes or breaks you is up to
you, but with that being said, it is no easy task to recover from
losing a loved one.
All
one can do is try to is turn that loss into something positive, and
that is what the Elite Squad Scrappers are doing this summer ever
since the passing of their beloved coach, Sergio Ambros.
Ambros,
who was the head coach for the Elite Squad Scrappers 16u team this
year, was instrumental in starting up the Elite Squad Baseball
program. The program started in 2006 with one team, and Ambros really
pushed them to create more teams and build the organization into what
they are today. Since 2006, Elite Squad has put over 300 kids in
college, and they have also won some very big tournaments. In 2011,
they won this event, the 16u WWBA National Championship, and the next year they
won the inaugural 17u PG World Series as the South Florida Elite Squad. Since then, they have had
multiple final four finishes.
Just
by speaking to those close to him, one can tell that Ambros was the
kind of man that was filled to the brim with passion. Being around
the game of baseball and passing on knowledge that he had gained
throughout years on the ball field to aspiring young players is
something that Ambros may have been most passionate about, and during
his years spent with Elite Squad Baseball, he was able to touch the
hearts of hundreds of kids.
Not
only was Coach Ambros able to make a difference in the lives of the
players that went through his program, but he was also able to do the
same with his fellow coaching comrades; most notably, Elite Squad
Director and Coach Richie Palmer.
Coach
Palmer had known Ambros throughout his younger playing days as just
another coach, but on one fateful day whilst Palmer was sitting in
the stands watching another team play, Ambros called Palmer over to
sit with him and from there, a friendship was formed. Ambros was able
to make a huge impact on Coach Palmer’s life, and in a sense,
Palmer feels like Ambros was a father figure for him.
“For
me personally, it’s losing the person who was closest to me in my
life,” Palmer said of Ambros. “He was like another father figure
to me, and a best friend. I talk to him more than I talk to my
father. We would talk a couple of times a day, and he would call me
for no other reason than to just check on me and see how I’m doing.
He was there for me in the biggest moments of my life, and so for me
personally it’s a huge loss, but all we can try to do is go out
there and play with the same kind of passion that he had when
coaching these kids.”
The
nature of Ambros’ passing was grueling, as he collapsed with a
massive heart attack on the baseball field while his players were
warming up and getting ready for their next game. Those close to him
say that his final breath being taken on the diamond is how he would
have wanted to go out, considering the love and passion that he had
for teaching the game of baseball. Although dealing with the loss of
Coach Ambros has been extremely tough on those surrounding Elite
Squad Baseball, it has brought everyone involved with the program
together.
“Believe
it or not, I think it has brought a lot of people closer than they
were before,” Palmer added. “People who were barely involved with
program have reached out to us because they knew how much he meant to
this program. The biggest thing that we can do is have as much
passion as he had for this organization, and implement that in our
players.”
In
situations like this, it is easy to mourn and dwell on the loss, but
these players and coaches know that Coach Ambros is watching from
above and they use that as inspiration to play harder each time that
they step between the lines. Coach Ambros always wanted his teams to
play with energy and focus, and that’s what the boys are trying to
do this week at the 16u WWBA National Championship.
“Without
a doubt these kids are playing more inspired,” Palmer said of the
Scrappers, a team re-named in honor of their fallen leader. “Our
17u group played in a tournament just the other week that they
finished very well in, and many of the players on that team were
coached by Coach Ambros. You could tell that Coach was with that team
on their playoff run, and a lot of games we came back from behind and
ended up winning when we really weren’t supposed to.
“You
could tell that Coach was with us every step of the way on that
special run. These players have been battling their hearts out every
single game, and win or lose, these guys have fought to the end. I’m
proud of them and I know Coach Ambros is proud of them too.”
When
the players of the Elite Squad Slugger’s third team started this
summer under Coach Ambros, they fully bought into the philosophy that
he was preaching. Ambros knew that his team didn’t have the talent,
size or tools that other top teams in the country would have, but
what he did know was that his team was going to play harder and with
more passion than anyone else.
The
players subscribed to that mentality, and were able to post a record
of 13-4 to start the summer. They beat teams that were heavily
favored to win because of the heart that they displayed on the field.
Even though their official name was the Sluggers, Ambros always
called them the 'scrappers' because of their scratch-and-claw
attitude when they were down in a game. His team’s tenacity was
unmatched.
Since
the passing of Coach Ambros, Coach Palmer has taken over
responsibilities as the head coach of this team, and the players have
continued that same attitude. One player who is a prime example of
the passion that Coach Ambros passed on to these kids before his
death is outfielder Brandon Dudley. Even though Ambros was only able
to spend two months with this team, Dudley feels like Ambros made a
huge impact on them.
“Well
I only knew Coach Ambros for two months, but his coaching style was
unforgettable,” Dudley said. “The way he coached and the way he
could change his team, he was the happiest man out there. He kept us
up when we were down and we were able to make comebacks that we could
never make before, and he was that type of coach that just gave you
energy. Just him being on the field, his personality made you want
play hard and win the game for him.”
At
such a young age, dealing with death is quite foreign, but the
players of this 16u Scrappers squad have shown maturity beyond their
years and have handled it in a manner that Coach Ambros would have
wanted them to.
“The
first couple of days after he died, we were all in complete shock,”
Dudley added. “It hurt a lot, but knowing that he passed doing what
he loved, it has inspired us to play hard and prove that we are the
team that he wanted us to be. We want to prove that we are the
Scrappers, because we go out there and we work, practice, and play
for him. So every day before the game, we pray, and Coach Ambros is
on our mind.”
So
far this tournament, the Scrappers are an even 3-3. They picked up a
huge win against the Huntington Hounds on Tuesday afternoon in a game
that featured some heavy offense, as the Scrappers put up 15 runs.
They will more than likely not be advancing to the playoffs, but they
look forward to their next tournament and will continue to play with
Coach Ambros in their minds and hearts.
“We’ll
never be able to really replace him; he was that special of a person
and that special of a coach,” Coach Palmer said. “The only thing
we can do is, like I’ve said before, do everything the way he
would’ve wanted to; with passion, with dignity, and with integrity.
We hope to continue his legacy through us.”