Onaway baseball great Wregglesworth now impacting program as assistant coach

PELLSTON – When Trevor Wregglesworth was on the Alma College baseball team, one of his last games took place at Comerica Park in 2022.

“I got to throw an inning there, and that was probably one of the coolest experiences of my athletic career,” Wregglesworth recalled.

But even as his college career finished up, the former Onaway High School all-state shortstop knew what he wanted to do next.

Return home and coach.

Just a few years later, Wregglesworth, who helped lead the Cardinals to a district championship during his career, is back and thriving in his third season as an assistant coach with the Onaway program.

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“I always wanted to give back to the school that helped me and got me so much success growing up,” Wregglesworth said.

Once Wregglesworth graduated from Alma, he joined Onaway’s staff with about three weeks left in the season. During last week’s doubleheader sweep at Pellston, Wregglesworth was there to provide advice and congratulate players as their third base coach. As for what he enjoys the most about coaching, it was an easy answer for Wregglesworth, who recorded a remarkable 0.97 earned run average as a pitcher during his senior year at Onaway.

“Honestly, it’s the kids,” Wregglesworth said. “They’re great, they’re fun to be around, they listen to what I’m trying to tell them, and the kids make it all worthwhile.”

Perhaps benefitting the most from Wregglesworth’s impact on the program is Onaway head coach Rick Price, who said his assistant's knowledge of the game is second to none.

“He's been great, especially on the pitching side,” Price said. “He’s been back for a few years, and you can tell the immediate impact he had on our pitching staff when he came back, and he’s in the school every day with the kids, too, and works on a lot of stuff with them. He gets practice started by the time I get there from work.

"I’d be in trouble without him.”

Eventually, Wregglesworth said he would like to become a head coach. But right now, it’s all about mentoring a group of players who continue to improve under his watch.

“It’s really cool because I think there’s eight seniors this year, and those eight seniors are very athletic and have done a lot in their athletic careers at Onaway with baseball and basketball, of course,” Wregglesworth said. “It’s really cool that I get to be a part of their last high school sports experience.”

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Still in the early stages of his coaching days, Wregglesworth said there’s always room to grow.

“I’d like to learn more as a coach because transitioning from player to coach very quickly, it’s different because I’m a younger guy, but I feel like I connect with the players pretty good as it is,” Wregglesworth said. “I'd like to build on those relationships more, finding little drills here and there that can help them achieve the best success of their athletic careers.”

Contact sports editor Jared Greenleaf at jgreenleaf@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @sportsCDT

This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Former Onaway baseball star now thriving as assistant coach with Cardinals