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SUN SENTINEL

West Broward HS Bobcats honor former coach through benefit event

By Emmett Hall - Special Correspondent

Every time he steps into the batter's box, West Broward High School baseball player Alex Gonzalez writes SA in the clay to honor his late coach, Sergio Ambros. Ambros died after suffering a heart attack on the field in June. He was 51.

The Bobcats honored his legacy as they renamed their annual October breast cancer fundraiser to the Sergio Ambros Bats Against Breast Cancer tournament.

Gonzalez, a 16-year-old junior, plays shortstop and second base and is one of the team captains.

"We honor and play for Coach Sergio, who really had a big impact on me and will be sorely missed," Gonzalez said. "He wasn't teaching us just about baseball, but about life. He made us all responsible for our school work and always told us that school comes before baseball. This Bats Against Breast Cancer event is the legacy that Coach built, and it's amazing to see how it has grown."

The tournament was started by Ambros to honor breast cancer survivors and to teach players the importance of giving back. Survivors were introduced to the crowd before each exhibition game during the fundraiser, which also featured teams from Cypress Bay and Western high schools.

One of the breast cancer survivors in attendance was U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, whose son Jake plays baseball at Cypress Bay.

"This is a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness and show the importance of paying attention to your health for women and men," she said. "What Coach Ambros did with this event will save lives, and that is his legacy."

All proceeds from the event went to the Memorial Foundation Breast Cancer Center Fund.