Last weekend, the past met the present at Amherst Stadium.
Members of the 1989–90 Amherst Ramblers Atlantic Championship team travelled home from across the Maritimes and beyond to reconnect, share stories, and honour a season that helped put Amherst hockey on the map.
Pictured above, left to right - Todd Isaacson, Bruce Harper, Kenny Parrell, Pat Flynn, Gilles Maltais ( white jersey ), at front Willie Boyle ( trainer ), Andy Grenier, Troy Kane, Terry Gould ( medical trainer)
The group returned not for a game, but for something more meaningful — to reconnect with their longtime friend, coach, and mentor, Bill Riley, and to install a commemorative display celebrating their championship run and the legacy they built together.
The upstairs cabinet currently features the team’s home jersey, team jacket, historic photos, and keepsakes from the season, anchored by a commemorative collage of the players today — a reminder that while youth may fade, the friendships and memories built through a season such as this never truly leave.
Pictured above – left to right – Terry Gould (Medical Trainer), Andy Grenier, Kenny Parrell, Gilles Maltais, Pat Flynn, Bruce Harper, Todd Isaacson, Troy Kane
This past summer, Coach Riley brought them back together once more and placed a championship ring in each player’s hand — a heartfelt tribute to a season many still call a highlight of their lives, and to the enduring bond between a coach and the players he still proudly calls his own.
More than memorabilia, the display tells the story of a team that represented Amherst with pride on the national stage and formed lifelong bonds that remain strong decades later.
Above : A display of artifacts from the 1989-90 Ramblers Junior A Atlantic Division championship Team Photo Credit Mitchell Fagan (Amherst Ramblers)
What stands out most isn’t just a banner or a trophy.
It’s the fact that these players still call Amherst home.
They still call each other teammates.
And they still show up for their coach.
Moments like this remind us what community sport is truly about — mentorship, friendship, pride, and the lasting connections built inside our arena, generation after generation.
The Town of Amherst is proud to display this piece of our sporting history and grateful to the players for bringing it home.
If you’re visiting the stadium, take a moment to stop by and take a look.
Once a Rambler, always a Rambler.
