SPU Baseball

[spc91]

The team is now 0-9 to start the season. Some of the games are not even close. Our baseball team has been the sign of futility for many years now. How is it that LeMoyne College usually has a pretty good team and we consistently suck? Please don't tell me the facilities and location are to blame. I've been to Syracuse. It's a crappy city.

[youngalum]

The facilities and location certainly don't help. However, I think the lack of coaching consistency has hurt the baseball team. How many different head coaches have they had in the past 10 years? I think it is all about the Coach with the Non Basketball sports, and the problem is anytime we get a good one they move on because SPU doesn't pay. Look at our pal OT. How was the golf team before he arrived? How do you think they will be after he leaves? Luckily he is an alum and I presume happy to be at the school, but most move on and the program suffers.

[spc91]

YA, that is likely the answer. There have been several coaches in the last 10 years. Lack of pay shows a lack of commitment from the administration. But a good coach can get recruits. OT, the Track & Field coach, and Swimming coaches are but a few examples.

[oldtimer1]

Thanks youngalum ( and for you help in recommending potential student athletes ). I don't have the definitive answer for the non basketball sports but one only needs to look at poor records of almost all non-basketball teams. I will first say that it's not the Coach's "technical" ability that determines a teams success, it's really all about recruiting. The old saying that a coach is only as good as his players. Not that I think that a "good" coach cannot make a difference but that it all starts with recruiting. 'llI tell you "my secret" and that of Track's "secret" below. However, I have met the men's baseball coach and not only is he a great guy and dedicated but has a pretty impressive baseball background. If he sticks to it, I believe that he will be successful.


1) IMO recruiting is more in selling the Program than the school. Certainly the school has it's disadvantages ( Yanatelli is falling apart and that really hurts basketball) but there are enough positives ( education, proximity to NYC, connections in the business or science world etc ) to sell the school. Additionally, the Admissions Scholarships are quite generous compared to other schools and money talks!


2) Our track coach will tell you honestly that one of the reasons for his previous success, aside from his work ethic, was that he was often able to offer a bigger "package" to high profile recruits than his competitors. Unfortunatrely Athletic Scholarships have been reduced ( basketball is a different animal ) and that is now being reflected in his Programs success. Bottom line, is that with a bigger Athletic Scholarship budget for all "minor" sports I am convinced that we could run circles around our MAAC competitors. So yes, Academic Scholarships have increased but Athletic scholarships have not. Coach's need to offer a "nice" package to potential outstanding recruits. Don't know baseball's allocations nor that of other sports but increasing the Athletic Scholarship budgets would be a big step forward. That decision is not on the AD but to what he is allocated from above.


3) Using Golf as an example, I've been fortunate enough to "know" what it takes to get a potential Student/Athlete to play for me. I still do not get the best player in the State (any state) but I am able to get that top ten player who has the potential and work ethic to surpass the best high school player in any state. As a former golfer on an undefeated team at SP ( 1964 ) and an Amateur golfer after that I sort of knew what it would take to attract some very good players. Put us in the best Tournaments, instituted a Spring Training Trip ( paid entirely by parents) and had access to, as friends, some major Professional players. Last Fall I took the team for a one day lesson by Bill Britton who was "on Tour" for over 10 years and once finished top ten in the Masters. Bill is at Trump National in Colts Neck. At Spring Training, the Team drove from Port St. Lucie to Sarasota to have a full day of instruction and play with my very close friend Jim Albus who, several years ago, won close to 10M on the Senior Tour and IMO was the best player on that Tour. Lee Trevino, once said that. You think that the team doesn't soak those guys up instead of hearing from a former no name Amateur like myself. Most of my players have Professional aspirations and how great is it to be exposed to those who have "done it" !


4) Proud of the fact that I've taken this Team from the "bottom feeder" by many, many shots in the MAAC to one of the best, if not the best, Program. It will continue after I leave because a Tradition has been started. It's not me but what we've put in place. Will we dominate the MAAC? Doubt it very much but we will now and always be top tier.


5) Can't give other Coach's advice. I know that we have good people but as "minor sports" coaches need #1 to allocate their partial budget allocation scholarships wisely and #2 be creative in offering potential recruits a reason to come to SP. To me a pretty easy formula. Money and support would help big time! If not, institute a Fund Raising program that can add to whatever their Budget Allocation is.


Hope I've made some sense. I'm older but there is some young talented Coaches out there. With all the "issues" at SP it's too easy to accept settling. Frustration can set in but, I believe, it can be done. Finally, all of us are considered and paid as "PART TIME" coaches. Wonder how these young bucks can support their family? Most need a primary job outside of coaching at St. Peter's. This limits the time they have to coach. Institute full time salaries, Doesn't have to be all that much but how can you win with most of these guys doing this part-time? Admire the work ethic but part time salaries leads to mediocre results. Coaching is a full time job.

[youngalum]

Great post and insight OT. Like I said SPU is lucky to have you!! 2 quick questions

1) Athletic scholarships...Are you saying that they have been reduced in recent years? I know that the MAAC has certain limits on each sport, but if we are not offering as many as other conference schools that is concerning.

2) Anything you can share with the BBall recruiting...Bishops visit, new names, etc. Thanks

[spcfan]

6-8 Dennis Tunstall of Burlington Life Academy one of our targets commits to Towson State.

[spc91]

OT, great insight. Thank you. Good luck this year. Lead us to another MAAC title.

[oldtimer1]

spc91/youngalum

1) The so-called "minor" sports are so much different from basketball in that the coaches are given a recruiting budget and need to allocate that budget in the "offers" that they make to players. And yes, while the Academic Scholarship totals have been increased ( for all Students) the Athletic Scholarships have been reduced in total. No big deal to me, but a resourceful coach should then target potential Athletes with higher GPA's and SAT's. A good coach should know how to minupilate his allocation. I offer anywhere from #2,000 up tp $18,000 depending how much I want a particular player. Athletes do not get even amounts. So their is skill involved in doing that. Coach Massone is very good at that, even taking non-scholarship walk-ons in order to save money for the higher profile recruits. So yes, total budget allocation is a big factor as well as how well each coach allocates his funds.


2) Personally, I think a bigger problem is salaries. Discussion in the past has suggested full time coaches but nothing has materialized. Not"big bucks" but a living wage. Several of us coaches are retired but we also have a lot of younger, eager guys who need to make a living. Coaching is their 2nd job after their main occupation. Some other MAAC schools have part-time coaches, others have some full-time but what can you expect from someone who has a limited time committment?

3) All coaches need to do Fund Raising. I limit myself but I do, do a lot. Could do more but I don't see myself spending all my time raising what I don't receive in my Budget. Without mentioning numbers my Fund Raising last year ( also have great parents) totaled a little bit below (80%) my entire Budget. Wouldn't have a Program without that. This is true of other schools in the MAAC Conference. My former Assistant Coach who now works at Iona and is their Head Golf Coach also needs to do Fund Raising. So we are not unique.


4) Thus things are much more complicated than wins and losses. Yet each one of us wants to produce a winner. Not easy!


5) Finally, regarding Basketball, I've posted that I try not to "snoop". However, once in a while I do get some information. Nothing yet. So, I really know very little about our recruiting status. Not holding anything back...just don't really ask or know.

[youngalum]

Thanks again OT. Frustrating to hear that you need to be Billy Beane of Moneyball in addition to coaching

From the latest SPU Alumni Magazine: "With more than $1.3 million raised (132% of the $1million goal) in support of the University's 19 D1 teams, Students at the Center: The campaign for Saint Peter's University has enhanced opportunities for student athletes to excel in the classroom and their chosen sport. Gifts toward athletic scholarships, team travel, and improvements to athletic facilities have served the needs of individual competitors and propelled Peacock teams to greater success."

HUH??

[oldtimer1]

Thanks for the information youngalum. You can be sure that I'll bring up that quote at the next required Coach's meeting in mid-April. Given all the secrecy around here I have no idea where that money will go even if allocated. We have required Coach's meetings once a month and this topic has never been raised or addressed. Several years ago part-time coaches were promised a slight raise. Never came through. The excuse was that enrollment was down. Now that enrollment is back up ....nothing. If fact, this time last year it was announced at a meeting that Athletic Scholarships per team were being reduced slightly.

Quite frankly I don't trust very much. You would think that all AD employees would be kept in the loop. This bothers me. If , in fact, this money was or will become available everyone should be kept in the loop. Funds should be spread around between facilities (Yanatelli is indeed falling apart), athletic scholarships, increased staff and coach's salaries. Divide it any way wanted but be above board and fair. Not a characteristic here.

[bergenbird]

Careful OT, remember what happened to Fiore when he complained.

[cindycrawford]

I think it was a little more than that. i think OT is pretty safe. Doing a great job. We missed you at the games this year ,Berginbird. Hope you and the Mrs. Are well.

[oldtimer1]

Thanks bergenbird, cindy. Not worried. If one can't speak openly and , hopefully, constructively than My overall point is that there should be open and full disclosure as to the direction SPC Athletics is heading so that everyone, staff, coach's and fans have input into that direction. Remember the survey? Any feedback?

Bottom line for me is to just concentrate on my team and not get involved in the politics. However, when asked I will venture my opinion.

Will be an interesting Season for the Golf Team. Put together the toughest schedule in the MAAAC but there are 4/5 teams that can realistically win the Championship. Like our chances and the players have worked very hard indoors and at Spring Training. Open @ Townson with a very good 20 plus team field next Saturday. We'll have 4 plus weeks until MAAC's to reach our peak.

[figgyprez]

It's such a different world in the non revenue sports. When Mike Granelli coached the soccer team, in my era, he had some really good teams, but the majority of the kids came from Bayonne(Connie Gallagher, Dom Pagano eg) Hoboken(Mario Mirkovich, Matteo Percontino) Marist(Jay O'Brien, Gerry Scala), Weehawken, St. Cecilia's, Essex Cath with a smattering of kids from shore. Now look at the schools named. many are closed or just not very good anymore. The best hs programs locally are St Peter's and I think we've gotten one kid. We have never drawn much from Kearny or Harrison. Frankly we've done best with St. Benedict's. There are kids to be had locally, but Monmouth has become a power and several MAAC schools now recruit here who never did before.

[oldtimer1]

True, recruiting is now more regional, national and even international. While there are other factors involved such as the possibility of playing time, schedule, and even comfort and confidence in your potential coach, money can make a difference especially since all "minor" sports are "partial" scholarships. Take a look at some of our teams rosters....we get athletes from all over. So it can be done. I am confident in that.

In SP case a little more funds ( doesn't have to be a lot ) for increased Scholarships, Team Budgets, Coach's salaries can go a long way. Actually, I think basketball is tougher since all schools offer a potential player a full ride. In the "minor" sports, money does talk since Scholarships are partial. That, and the fact that our younger coaches need to make a living and thus have primary outside jobs. I admire the hours that they put in.

All that said, I am hopeful that things improve. Really, doesn't take all that much. I really root for all our teams. Basketball is king but Peacock pride should also come from our other sports.