The first time Jim Mauro attempted to recruit Justin Santonocito in 1997, matters didn’t train the Niagara University baseball coach session.
Mauro lost out on the 0.33 baseman offer from Monroe Community College to Mercyhurst College because Mercyhurst had more of what Santonocito wished (scholarship cash) than Niagara.
Little did the two realize that their paths might cross again a few 21 years later with the kind of job reversed: Mauro searching for the right man to become just the fourth baseball coach in the history of Canisius High School’s varsity program, and Santonocito seeking to persuade the Crusaders’ athletic director that he indeed became that teacher.
“I felt in speakme to Justin, I knew he become obsessed with the sport,” Mauro stated lately. “But in our meeting, he stated he’d haven’t any hobby in every other high faculty job.”
Why?
“Canisius is the epitome of Western New York baseball,” stated the 42-12 months-old Santonocito, who owns his baseball school in Blasdell, Academy Stars. “I think there’s a lot of lifestyle at that school. It seemed to be a step up from any other program, and I don’t forget looking in Western New York. They appeared to do things differently. Only three coaches are within the faculty records. … The youngsters have always been respectful.”
If any player steps out of line nowadays, Santonocito is responsible for correcting that trouble because that’s one of the duties of running his dream activity.
Santonocito’s first season with the Crusaders goes well. The man, who has taken the reins from retired Bryan Tenney, holds the identical process as Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Famers John Barnes and Connie McGillicuddy.
Canisius takes a 7-7 normal record into Saturday’s nonleague game in Erie, Pa., towards Cathedral Prep. The Crusaders then return to movement at four:30 p.M. Monday at defending Georgetown Cup champion St. Francis in Monsignor Martin High School Athletic Association play.
While the Crusaders’ universal file is a byproduct of a younger group taking its lumps during its annual journey down South, Canisius is five-2 in league play with wins over St. Francis and — most significantly — rival St. Joe’s.
After education, his first recreation in opposition to St. Joe’s, a five-4 win via the blue and gold, Mauro said later that night time Santonocito sent him a text taking pictures of the spirit of coaching in the competition game: “It turned into the whole lot I had was hoping for.”
It’s the purpose Santonocito wanted to get into academic education for the duration of the spring.
Santonocito was involved in the scholastic season at some point as a scholar-athlete at Bishop Timon-St. Jude and West Seneca East. He’s lived his dream of running his baseball academy because, in 2001, he overlooked being a part of the spring season.
Of course, the most effective way he became inclined to teach high school baseball was if he landed his dream job. When Bryan Tenney decided to quit following the closing 12 months, the window opened. Mauro selected Santonocito over seven other exceptionally certified candidates.
“I suppose he’s a splendid teacher,” Mauro stated of Santonocito’s education. “He’s more allow’s play unfastened. Let’s have fun. He wants them to play properly, fitting into how Bryan desired them to, so he’s in shape properly. Santonocito coaches journey groups for his academy; springtime baseball in Western New York is more extraordinary than the travel-league-summer season circuit. He said that summer league groups are geared more toward showcasing person gamers to recruiters than winning. The spring is all approximately the crew stringing together as many ‘Ws’ as possible.
That is what Santonocito quickly found out after succeeding Tenney, who guided Canisius to thirteen Georgetown Cup championships over 25 years.
The Crusaders aren’t the best group inside the Monsignor Martin High School Athletic Association that wants to win the Cup. But they are the best perennial, butender with a new teacher.
“Thcontenderse, which means in these games because you spot these boys five, six, now and again seven days a week,” said. “You experience like a real group. You want to win for each other.”
