AWCBA Expands To Camrose

The senior men’s baseball scene in Camrose just got a little more crowed as it was confirmed last night, the Alberta West Central Baseball Association is coming to town by way of a new franchise. The new team is expected to start play in spring 2020 and feature a number of former Powerline Baseball League players. 

While a team name has not been set yet, the team will be managed by longtime PBLers and former Axemen/Royals players Wes Harrison and Wes Wilson. Both last played in the PBL in 2018 when the Camrose Axemen joined the league after a decade long run in the North Central Alberta Baseball League. Initial reports are that the team will be completely separate from both the Camrose Axemen and Camrose Roadrunners franchises meaning the roster of players on the new AWCBA team while likely have minimal impact on both current PBL teams rosters. However, all three teams in Camrose as well as any team in the area, might have to work a little harder for new recruits over the age of 30. 

The AWCBA is a 30+ baseball league that operates primarily in the Edmonton area with a total of ten teams participating in the 2019 season. It is expected all ten teams will return for the 2020 season with the addition of a Camrose team pushing the league to eleven and a likely twenty game balanced schedule. It is also probable that the Camrose team will be playing a large percentage of their home games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday to accommodate the travel in the league.

Former PBL Players Spotted on AWCBA Rosters in 2019

Karl Zimmer - Edmonton Blues

Paul Ofrim - Edmonton Heat

Darcy Granberg - Sherwood Park Ducks

Kris Kushnerick - Sherwood Park Ducks

Chad Soucey - Sherwood Park Ducks

Shaun Painter - Sherwood Park Pirates

Lee Palmer - Sherwood Park Pirates

The City of Camrose will have to get efficient with their scheduling of the famed Harry Andreassen Field with now three senior men’s teams using the field and the prospect of a midget AAA also coming into the mix in 2020. Perhaps everyone will now see some residual benefit should the city recognize demand for the facilities and start to put some resources into the required baseball infrastructure.