Newburyport High School Baseball

There's a small city in the Northeast corner of the state of Massachusetts called Newburyport. This city has one high school with many outstanding and dedicated administrators, faculty, parents, students, coaches, advisors, and supporters. But for a few of us, there is only one program that matters when spring arrives: Varsity Baseball. And as we prepare to begin our 34th season in the Cape Ann League, and capture our 4th CAL Division I Title in as many years, we rekindle the excitement this town felt joining the league more than 750 games ago.

We welcome the sons, parents and guardians of Newburyport H.S. baseball to come and share and enjoy the season with us. Our basic objectives are very simple. They are as follows:

1. To teach and execute sound fundamentals

2. To share knowledge and understanding of the great game of baseball

3. To model leadership and sportsmanship

4. To exemplify "class" on and off the field at all times

5. To take pride in the membership of the NHS Baseball Program

6. To articulate and accept that it is an honor and a privilege for any student to be a member of any athletic team, not a right

We also have few but distinct rules for all team members.

They are as follows:

1. There is to be no consumption or possession of alcohol, tobacco products, controlled substances (including steroids), or stealing. The MIAA (Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association governs all sports in state and will issue a two (2) week suspension for the first offense and immediate dismissal from the squad for a second offense

2. Missing a 2nd unexcused practice will result in dismissal from the team

3. A general 10:30 PM curfew will be in place on ANY night prior to a game or practice

4. No abusive language will be tolerated on or off the field (inter alia: pejoratives, cursing, or taunting

5. Proper dress and attire is to be adhered to which includes: no facial hair, jewelry (on the field), or long, unkempt hair

We ask the Parents and Guardians to help us enforce these important team rules which are supported by our School Committee. Please make an honest effort! If we all can make a commitment to the Program, we will be successful striving for our 17th CAL title since 1974!

"Why I Love Sports & Wanted to Coach"

You know, when I was a kid growing up in Natick, I had a lot of heroes. My first was Ted Williams. Boy, did I admire him as a hitter! And like a lot of young kids in Natick, my other early heroes included: Willie Mays, Henry Aaron, Stan Musial, Roberto Clemente, Al Kaline, and Brooks Robinson. I admired and respected them, and couldn't wait to get the morning paper to see how they did the night before.

In Junior High I had new heroes—many, in fact. They were the Varsity Athletes at Natick High School. One in particular, though, was Walt Hriniak. He was the greatest athlete to ever graduate from Natick H.S. I admired his talents, loved pitching batting practice to him on the playgrounds, and grew to respect his unbelievable work ethic and true character.

When I was in high school, I had new heroes for different reasons. My older brother, my father, Father Sweeney, and JFK. I began to learn what respect, integrity, ethics, and morals were all about. Not only concerning the game of baseball, but also in life. I thank my family and those great people for that.

My ultimate heroes became the Coaches' at Natick H.S. We were truly blessed as student/athletes at Natick to have the greatest coaches young men could play for. The late Dan Bennett, Bob Whalen and Jim Stehlin, our Hall of Fame football coaches. Charlie Christie, now a Hall of Fame Basketball coach. But my greatest hero of all was John Carroll, my Baseball coach, who taught me real life lessons that I can never repay. He is still my idol!

After high school there were still a few heroes left out there. There was Alex Nahigian, my Providence College coach. There were Nolan Ryan and Johnny Unitas. John Havlichek and Oscar Robinson. I feel that I grew up in the best of times in Natick, Massachusetts. Because in the 1950s, small town USA still catered to the youth of America and kept us active all year long with, in my case, sports activities that shaped the kind of person I'd grow up to be.


How fortunate we all were back then.