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Season Preview: Varsity Baseball
The 2015 season marked the beginning of a new chapter for the St. Luke’s varsity baseball team. Under the tutelage of head coach Anthony Conte, the entire St. Luke’s baseball program has witnessed a significant philosophical change. While wins and losses are obviously important in any sport, Conte has urged St. Luke’s baseball players at every level – 5th through 12th grade – to embrace the uncertainty, and failure that is inherent to the game of baseball.
That is not to say that Conte and the rest of the varsity baseball team do not care about winning. In the words of Conte, “The team is focused on competing every day. Because of our work ethic in the preseason we’ve already accomplished a lot. There is parity in the league this season, so winning is going to come down to which team can make the fewest mistakes.” The philosophy of the Storm this season is just that: take care of the little things and compete.
With a talented group of ball players who have taken this philosophy to heart, a successful season is almost a guarantee for the St. Luke’s varsity baseball team. The team is overflowing at the brim with experience. Ten seniors made the squad, including captains Brian Beaumonte ’16, BJ Buckle ’16, Hugh Lavelle ’16, Skye Andersen ’16, and Brian Stute ’16. A group of seven juniors, sophomores, and freshmen compose the rest of the team.
Each one of the seventeen players on the varsity team will contribute in their own unique way this season. Nolan O’Brien ’19, Will Bralower ‘16 and Brian Stute ‘16 will see a fair amount of innings on the mound behind the team’s ace Brian Beaumonte ’16. In addition to the many returning varsity players from last year there were three transfers that will be contributing to the lineup this year. Freshman Ian Blatchford ’19 is a switch hitter who is a consistent threat from both sides of the plate and will hit in the meat of the order. Sophomore Ryan Neafsy ’18 is a dangerously speedy player who is competent not only on the base path, but at the plate and in the field as well. Junior Andy Correia ’17 will contribute lockdown defense in the outfield and a solid bat in the meat of the order.
For everyone involved with the baseball program at St. Luke’s, individual performance matters less than team performance. Conte noted, “Baseball is an odd sport. There’s one person hitting, one person pitching, one person fielding, but it’s still very much a team game. When it comes down to it, there’s one team.” Conte gives a lot of credit to his team for their ability to understand this concept. He added: “That’s the beautiful thing about being here on the hilltop. The kids always come to work, and always work together. There are no cliques. We’re a family. It makes for a fun program.”
Conte, the consummate baseball coach, fan, and philosopher, is confident that the St. Luke’s varsity baseball team will find success this season. However, his idea of success cannot be described in a box score or a win-loss column. He eloquently stated, “Baseball is a big metaphor for life. In both cases, success depends on being able to accept that failure is a certainty. What makes a good baseball player, and a good person, is the way they deal with failure through proper communication and teamwork. We’re learning life out there. I don’t think these guys will make it to the MLB. They’re going to have to go out and have lives outside of baseball, but the way the boys handle themselves on the field will directly translate into their performance in the classroom and in their personal relationships for the rest of their lives. Respect your teammates, respect the game: that’s one of the things I want the players to get out of this season.” For the Storm, the 2016 baseball season is not only about succeeding on the field, but also succeeding in life.
St. Luke’s School is a secular (non-religious), private school in New Canaan, CT for grades 5 through 12 serving over 40 towns in Connecticut and New York. Our exceptional academics and diverse co-educational community foster students’ intellectual and ethical development and prepare them for top colleges. St. Luke’s Leading with Humanity curriculum builds the commitment to serve and the confidence to lead.
