The dream of just about any highschool baseball participant in Massachusetts is to get a chance to compete on the subsequent stage.
Dan Donato is hoping to make a few of these desires come true.
For the third straight 12 months, Donato has spearheaded the New England Elite 100 Showcase, designed for highschool baseball gamers seeking to get observed by school coaches in any respect ranges. The 2-day occasion will happen at Boston Faculty on June 4-5.
“The numbers are coming in however we look like 15 forward of final 12 months’s tempo,” mentioned Donato, the pinnacle baseball coach at No. 1-ranked Dexter Southfield. “I believe we’ve gotten to the purpose the place this occasion is a should for any youngsters who need to play in school.”
A two-sport standout at Catholic Memorial, Donato went on to play hockey and baseball at Boston College. Following school, Donato had a minor league profession in each the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay (Satan) Rays organizations, getting as excessive as Triple-A.
In his travels as a participant and later as a coach, Donato observed a rising variety of baseball camps and clinics popping up within the south. He usually puzzled why an analogous format couldn’t work within the north, resulting in the creation of the New England Elite 100 Showcase.
“You’d go to locations like Georgia and see these nice showcases,” Donato mentioned. “The fact of the scenario is that 90 % of the youngsters who play highschool baseball round listed here are possible going to play school baseball someplace in New England.”
The early success of the camp has allowed Donato to herald among the prime native highschool coaches to assist run issues. Amongst these on the employees embody Rick Forestiere, who climbed on board from Day 1; Jonathan Pollard (Austin Prep); David Cunningham (Belmont Hill); David Cataruzolo (Roxbury Latin); and former main leaguer Matt Duffy, a bunch which has greater than 100 years of teaching beneath their collective belts.
The primary day serves as a showcase for teenagers to show their skills in a wide range of drills. The following day will include a sequence of video games during which each child is assured a minimal of three at-bats a recreation and each pitcher would get a chance to throw 20-30 pitches. Donato thinks that is greater than enough for a participant to showcase his expertise in entrance of a bevy of coaches from the likes of Harvard, Dartmouth, Boston Faculty, Northeastern, Bryant, in addition to Saint Anselm and the NESCAC.
“This can be a nice alternative for teenagers who need to play school baseball to have the ability to have that likelihood to do it regionally,” Donato mentioned. “They’re going to get an opportunity to be seen by coaches from Division 1, 2 and three. It doesn’t matter what you’re as an athlete, there’s a residence for anybody who desires to play school baseball.
“All I’m attempting to do right here is assist youngsters obtain their desires of taking part in on the subsequent stage. It’s exhausting sufficient to play school baseball and it’s develop into even tougher due to the switch portals. I’ve coached for 25 years and I simply need to do something doable to assist youngsters get to the following stage no matter it occurs to be for them.”
For additional data, contact Tim Fledderjohn at fledd@premierfootballconsulting.com
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