Nothing But NESCAC

Middlebury’s McEathron Puts His Athletic Career on Halt to Run for State Office

There is a long tradition of athletes turning to politics at the end of their playing days. Dave Bing made the transition from Detroit Pistons Hall of Famer to the mayor of Detroit. After a 16-year pitching career in Philadelphia and Detroit, Jim Bunning signed as a free agent in Washington, becoming a Republican senator from Kentucky. The list goes on from there. The list of athletes who chose to take a break from, or even end, their playing career to focus on politics is much shorter. That unorthodox act is what Calvin McEathron, a junior pitcher at Middlebury, is aiming to do with his campaign to be one of Middlebury’s two representatives in the Vermont State Legislature.

McEathron grew up on a farm 10 minutes outside of Montpelier, the state capital, and credits that close proximity to the state’s political center, combined with Vermont’s refreshingly open legislative process, with first sparking his interest in politics. “I spent a lot of time in the State House in high school,” McEathron told me over several manuscripts in his cubicle at Middlebury’s library. “It’s nice to be able to walk right into the state house and hear the debates for yourself.”

During his high school career at U-32 in Montpelier, McEathron was involved in several political issues, most notably the heated debate over nuclear power plant Vermont Yankee. As part of an independent study, McEathron worked with several state legislators to craft a position paper, and ultimately wrote his own plan for how to deal with the controversial plant.

With this experience under his belt, McEathron feels that he’s more than ready to represent the people of Middlebury. According to Mceathron, “the overarching theme of [his] campaign is bringing a new direction to Montpelier.” There is a serious shortage of youth in the Vermont State Legislature, which is among the oldest in the country. He aims to keep the young workforce, which is exiting Vermont as soon as after high school, in the state by focusing on small businesses and young entrepreneurs, and improving the infrastructure of the state to benefit them.

This ideal of a more open, youth-friendly Vermont lends itself very well to discussion, which is another central tenant of McEathron’s campaign. He has spent the entire summer on Middlebury’s campus, doing a combination of research and good old-fashioned canvassing. “As a young candidate I need to be the most prepared, because people look at your age as a detractor most of the time,” McEathron noted. All three of McEathron’s opponents are much older, and incumbent Betty Nuovo has 28 years of experience, also known as eight more years of experience in Montpelier than McEathron has on Earth. If McEathron were to win the race, he would be younger than any state legislator currently in office in the United States.

McEathron believes that he has to be able to speak on any issue that will come up in the next term, so his research has been expansive. But more important to him than the research is the face-to-face aspect of his campaign. He hopes to have knocked on the door of every voter in Middlebury by Election Day, November 4. “Another great thing about Vermont politics,” he notes, “is that it’s not a money-based campaign. Getting out there and talking to the voters is much more important.”

McEathron will be taking the fall semester off from school in order to fully focus on the campaign, and if elected, he will leave Middlebury College until his term ends in order to make the people of Middlebury his absolute priority.

He also credits his high school and college sports experiences for shaping his political ideals. “In sports” he begins, already reaching for another old newspaper article, “leadership is a crucial factor in creating a successful team, and sometimes it takes a leader who is a little unorthodox to really get things done.”

For more information on McEathron and his platform or to donate, visit http://www.calvinformiddlebury.com/home.html, and follow the campaign at @calvinformidd.

What the Best Games of 2013 Could Mean for 2014

Obviously the best place to start when prognosticating for 2014 is last season. We don’t really have anything else to go on. Yet remember these games can only tell us so much. A large amount of randomness is at play especially with 18-22 year olds.

Without any further ado, here are the five most important games of last season along with what stories and statistics carry importance into this season.

5. November 2: Williams 14 (2-6) at Wesleyan 16 (7-1)

Wesleyan survived a major scare in this game as their offense had major struggles against Williams. The only Cardinal touchdown of the game came on a one play four yard drive after a freak series of events led to Williams punting from their one yard line. Donnie Cimino ’15 returned the punt all the way to the four yard line, and LaDarius Drew ’14 ran it in the very next play. A late Williams rally fell short when Jake Bussani ’14 intercepted a pass with less than three minutes remaining.

What it means: People point to the improvement Williams made each week when they talk about a possible rebound this year. This game stayed close mostly because Wesleyan could not convert in the red zone settling for three field goals. Still Williams got nothing from their running game and lost the turnover battle by 2. Combine that with the game being at Williams this season, and this could be the hardest game on Wesleyan’s schedule.

4. October 19: Wesleyan 20 (7-1) at Amherst 14 (7-1)

People still didn’t quite believe that Wesleyan was for real when they faced off against Amherst. After this game everyone knew the Cardinals were a threat to run the table. Though Amherst slowed down Drew and Kyle Gibson ’15 a good deal, Jesse Warren ’15 played flawlessly while his Amherst counterparts at QB struggled. Wesleyan was up 20-7 before Amherst scored a touchdown in the fourth, but Max Lippe ’15 threw an interception to seal it for Wesleyan.

What it means: The same reason why Wesleyan should worry about the Williams game should comfort them for the Amherst one: it will be in Middletown. A lot of other factors however, point to Amherst having a better shot in 2014. The 2013 game is a hard one to figure out. Wesleyan won the turnover battle 4-0, time of possession 35:56-24:04, and had three fewer penalties for thirty less yards. Yet Amherst won the first down battle 19-14, third down efficiency (Amherst 7-14, Wesleyan 3-15), and total yardage 355-310.

This was the game where Amherst’s quarterback struggles were most apparent, and it cost them the game. Head Coach EJ Mills has said he hopes and expects one of Lippe or Alex Berluti ’17 to grab the reins this year. If they do that, then the Amherst offense will be able to offset any possible drop in play from what was a fantastic Jeff defense in 2013.

3. October 26: Trinity 24 (6-2) at Middlebury 27 (7-1)

This was another wildly entertaining game that came down to Mac Foote ’14 making all the throws in the final drive before Nate Leedy ’17 sealed the win with an interception as time expired. The game appeared to be over when Middlebury turned the ball over on downs with less than three minutes remaining. The Panther defense stood tall and forced a punt before Foote took over. The two teams combined for eight attempted fourth down conversions. It took Foote 64 attempts to throw for his 310 yards because he only completed 29 throws. Evan Bunker ’14 had one of his worst games as a Bantam rushing for 28 yards on 13 attempts.

What it means: The biggest reason Trinity lost was ten penalties for 115 yards including four that lead to first downs for Middlebury. They controlled the line as 23 of Middlebury’s 100 rushing yards came on a broken play where Middlebury punter Michael Dola ’15 rushed for a first down. Middlebury will have to rely much more on their running game, but they will struggle against the best defenses in the NESCAC.

Another big takeaway was that Puzzo really carried the Trinity offense in this game. He made plays with his arm and legs accounting for 287 yards of offense. With him, the 2014 Trinity offense could have been very good, but now there a lot of questions surrounding that side of the ball for the Bantams.

2. November 2: Trinity 16 (6-2) at Amherst 17 (7-1)

Trinity had just lost a heartbreaker to Middlebury, but this was even more devastating. The Bantams allowed only 56 yards rushing, had seven more first downs, and held the ball for 36:44. Yet this was a close game that, in the words of Lee Corso, came down to special teams. Amherst converted a short field after a poor punt into a 44 yard Phillip Nwosu ’15 field goal. Then after Trinity scored a touchdown to go down one, Ben Rosenblatt ’17 missed the extra point to give Amherst the stunning victory.

What it means: 2013 was a down year for Trinity, but the two games that they lost were by the thinnest of margins. Consider the fact that Trinity only went 3-15 on third down conversions yet still outgained Amherst by 113 yards. Trinity did just about everything you want to do when you are on the road except win the turnover battle.

Amherst relied so heavily on their defense in 2013 to make plays in big moments. Landrus Lewis ’14 and Max Dietz ’14 are both gone after snagging three interceptions apiece, but a lot of talent remains including corner Jaymie Spears ’16 and safety Jimmy Fairfield-Sonn ’16. If Amherst is once again hard to throw on, then their defense should be elite given the amount of returning talent in the front seven.

1. November 9: Wesleyan 10 (7-1) at Trinity 40 (6-2)

Trinity blitzed Wesleyan in what many expected to be a crowning day for the Cardinals as the only undefeated team in the NESCAC. Instead, Trinity dominated in all facets of the game on their way to a blowout. The Trinity defense held Wesleyan to under 100 yards on the ground while intercepting Warren three times. Meanwhile, Trinity ran at ease against the Wesleyan front seven averaging over five yards a carry and 249 in the aggregate.

Warren proved many of his detractors right as he failed to rise to the occasion when Wesleyan needed him. The back-breaking sequence for Wesleyan came late in the second quarter down 16-3. After a Trinity field goal, Wesleyan had the ball on their 37 with 3:07 left. Since Wesleyan would get the ball back to start the second half, a score here would have put them right back in the game. The play sequence went incompletion, completion for loss of a yard, interception on third down. Trinity converted the short field into a touchdown on a trick play pass from Evan Bunker to QB Puzzo. They never looked back after their 23-3 lead at half.

What it means: This game, like most others, was won in the trenches where Trinity just walloped Wesleyan. Drew didn’t have one run of more than ten yards and averaged only 2.9 yards in the game. Both Amherst and Williams got close to beating the Cardinal earlier in the year by completing half of the equation and slowing down Wesleyan’s run game. Trinity was the only team that was also able to run the ball up the gut for consistent gains. A large part of the running success came from the ability of Puzzo to rush for 53 yards, but obviously Puzzo is no longer on the roster. Presumed starter Henry Foye ’15 barely ran in 2013.

Unfortunately most teams don’t have the players in order to compete with Wesleyan in a slug ’em out fight. Trinity might not even be able to this year. In fact one of the biggest questions entering the season is just how much we should take away from this game. It’s pretty clear Trinity was ready to play, and they executed their game plan to perfection, but we just don’t know if Wesleyan was over-matched or simply didn’t show up. If it was only an off-game for Wesleyan, then we should expect the Cardinals to run through the NESCAC this season.

Welcome to 2014

Suddenly the calendar has flipped to September, and that means football is everywhere all at once. The NESCAC football seasons starts later than every other conference which makes the wait just a little bit harder. And once it gets here we only get eight Saturdays before we have to wait for 2015. So cherish it and get ready.

The last images of the 2013 season included Trinity running wild over a previously dominant Wesleyan defense, Mac Foote throwing for a bajillion yards, and Amherst’s triumph over Williams for the third consecutive season. The Panthers, Jeffs, and Cardinals ended up splitting the NESCAC title three ways. Bowdoin made it onto ESPN again with their Hail Mary against Colby, and in the process they snatched the CBB away from the Mules and gave it back to Bates for a second straight year. And despite the loss at Trinity to finish the year, Wesleyan enjoyed their first Little 3 title in over 40 years after beating Amherst and Williams.

2014 promises to excite yet again given the wealth of returning talent across the conference. No team is more stacked with returners than Wesleyan and they look like the most talented team entering the season. And yet, the thumping that Trinity put on them to close out the 2013 season makes us pause before anointing Wesleyan the king of the ‘CAC. Middlebury will try to cement its place as a top-tier program despite the loss of star QB Mac Foote behind a defense ready for the spotlight. Williams looks to return to the the upper echelon, and they might do it because of a transfer at QB. The Maine schools Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin will battle for supremacy up north after an offseason that saw the teams get closer to each other in talent level. Finally, Tufts and Hamilton look to get off the losing skid, and one of them will do just that when they face off in Week 1.

The biggest offseason news surrounded the quarterback position. Way back in July we sent this tweet out.

Besides Middlebury every NESCAC team returns a QB with starting experience #CACstat

— Nothing But NESCAC (@CACSportsBlog) July 27, 2014

That turned out to be not quite right. Three QB’s who ought to have been returning and who saw time in 2013 are not on their team’s respective roster this fall. The 2013 NESCAC Offensive Rookie of the Year Sonny Puzzo (Trinity), arguably the best QB besides Foote last year, Justin Ciero (Colby), and formerly highly recruited prospect Nick LaSpada (Bates) all have left school for a variety of reasons. LaSpada was the backup last year so his loss is not so significant, and Henry Foye, who played in all eight games last year, returns for Trinity. Colby joins Middlebury as the two schools with no significant experience in their returners.

Two fresh faces arrive on the NESCAC quarterback scene after transferring from Division 1 schools. While transferring down does not automatically mean success in the NESCAC, Michael Ecke at Colby (via UConn) and Austin Lommen at Williams (via Boston College) both inherit situations where they could easily start immediately.

Wesleyan, with the ultra-efficient Jesse Warren, might be the only team without at question at quarterback heading into camp in 2014.

As mentioned above, one such team with a fluid quarterback situation is Williams. The Ephs tried both underclassmen Tom Murphy and Mark Pomella at QB last season, but the pair combined for two touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Hence the door appears wide open for Lommen. Better quarterback play could be the only thing holding Williams back from competing for a conference title.

Williams has historically been one of the conference’s best programs, but a 4-4 season in 2012 and a disastrous 2-6 record last year has Ephs’ fans searching for answers. But there’s reason for hope. RB Alex Scyocurka, the workhorse of the NESCAC, is back for a fifth-year. The receiving corps is experienced. The entire offensive line has starts under its belt. The Ephs’ 4-3 defense, fourth in the NESCAC in yards per game allowed last season, should improve. Three All-NESCAC caliber players return on the defensive line (DE James Howe was a First-Teamer in 2013). Likewise, the entire battery returns at linebacker. And All-NESCAC Second-Teamer Tom Cabarle is back at safety to solidify the back four.

The Ephs’ played a lot of close games in 2013. But seven-point losses to Trinity and Middlebury, and a two-point heartbreaker at Wesleyan were too much for the Ephs to overcome. If someone can emerge for Williams at quarterback, the Ephs will be a surprise squad in 2014.

If Wesleyan hadn’t squeaked out that two-point victory over Williams in Week 7, they wouldn’t even have had a share of the NESCAC crown. After looking like the conference’s best team for seven weeks, the Cardinals laid a stinker against in-state rival Trinity. The question for 2014 now becomes not whether Wesleyan is the best team in the NESCAC, but whether it is the best team in Connecticut. Despite losing two games in 2013, Trinity clearly showed that at their best the Bantams are a force, especially at home where Trinity has not lost in over a decade (51 games). Wesleyan essentially returns its entire starting roster (more on that in the Cardinals’ preview yet to come), and is the favorite to win the NESCAC. But the Cardinals are not infallible. And they don’t want to be the Buffalo Bills of 1989-1993, dominating through much of the season before crumbling when it really counts. Is Wesleyan the cream of the crop? We won’t be able to answer that question for 11 weeks.

For those of you who haven’t read us before, welcome. We hope to provide you with the very best NESCAC coverage you can hope for. The NESCAC is a special conference; one where the term “student-athlete” still rings true in that order. As students at NESCAC member schools, we hope to express our love of this amateur game for you in our devoted coverage. We ask for your help in spreading the word about our product and helping us make it as good as it can be. Contact us about great stories, because we know they are innumerable. Follow our coverage of every week’s games, and revel in our committed analysis.

Over the next three weeks we plan to give you every tool you could imagine and hope for in order to prepare you for the NESCAC football season. Team previews, this season’s biggest games, our predictions for the standings and for the end-of-year awards, and heaps of other information and statistics, all leading up to the first Saturday of games. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Thank you.

-Adam Lamont (Bowdoin ’16) and Joe MacDonald (Middlebury ’16), Editors

NESCAC Summer Baseball Wrap-Up

The summer baseball season wrapped up a couple of weeks ago so forgive us for our tardiness. Back in mid-June we let you know where some NESCAC stars were playing. We officially close the 2014 baseball season with a look back at how some of those and other NESCAC stars managed this summer. And if you didn’t get out to a summer league game and you live in New England, consider yourself missing out. Between the CCBL, NECBL, and FCBL, New England has the best and most college baseball in the country.

Cape Cod Baseball League

Nick Cooney ’15, Wesleyan, Falmouth Commodores

The Cape Cod Baseball League is filled with Division One players and MLB draft picks, so it is hard for a NESCAC player to get consistent playing time, but Cooney managed to carve out a role on the Commodores. He started two games at the beginning of the year including a good six inning, two earned run performance against the Chatham A’s. After that he was converted to reliever and he finished the season with 19 innings pitched. Cooney struggled with his command yielding 11 walks, but he still managed a 4.26 ERA which is impressive given the competition.

Gavin Pittore ’16, Wesleyan, Harwich Mariners

The only other player who managed to get a healthy amount of playing time in the Cape League was Cooney’s teammate Pittore. The Harwich Mariners used Pittore in a long reliever role. He often threw multiple innings including on June 19 against the Chatham A’s when Pittore threw two scoreless innings and collected the win. His 6.09 ERA is greatly inflated by a later appearance against the A’s when Pittore allowed eight runs in one inning. Still Pittore had a great summer fulfilling a lifelong dream, including playing with one of his oldest friends.

A few others saw cups of coffee in the Cape League including Wesleyan teammates Guy Davidson ’16 and Donnie Cimino ’15. Bowdoin’s Henry Van Zant ’15 also pitched a few innings for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox.

New England College Baseball League

Nick Miceli ’17, Wesleyan, Vermont Mountaineers

The NESCAC champion Cardinals had the most impressive assortment of players throughout the leagues, and Miceli was one of the few NESCAC players in the NECBL. Miceli caught on with the Mountaineers later in the summer making his first appearance on July 19. After allowing two runs in his first relief appearance, he threw 8.2 scoreless innings in his final three appearances. The Mountaineers had a good season making the NECBL playoffs before losing to Sanford in the semi-finals.

Tim Superko ’17, Tufts, New Bedford Red Sox

Superko had a tough summer as a starter. He started seven games, but averaged less than four innings per start while posting a 7.39 ERA. His biggest problem was that he was incapable of drawing consistent swings and misses garnering only 17 strikeouts. Superko’s control sometimes betrayed him as he let up 20 walks. One bright spot from the summer came in a start against Danbury. Superko threw six scoreless innings before he took the hard luck loss when he allowed a run in the bottom of the seventh. While he did struggle this summer, Superko was also pitching in a very good league at a young age. He will be back even better next year.

Futures League

Mike Odenwaelder ’16, Amherst, Torrington Titans

Nobody in the NESCAC had a better summer than Odenwaelder. He absolutely crushed the ball. He posted a slashline of .370/.422/.586 on his way to winning batting title and MVP honors for the Futures League. He stole 20 bases while being caught only twice. He hit two two homers in one game and had no errors in the outfield all summer. The one thing Odenwaelder didn’t do was pitch for the Titans. Odenwaelder looks like he could somehow improve on his monster 2014 NESCAC season next year.

Nate Pajka ’15, Bates, Worcester Bravehearts

Pajka got off to a hot start before posting a line very similar to the one he did during the NESCAC season. Of course his .255 average this summer came against better competition than the average NESCAC pitcher. The most important thing was that Pajka got a ton of at bats (153) which should help him as he gets ready for next season. Most of Pajka’s 12 steals came in the first half of the season as his bat slowed down a little as the summer went along. Still a very successful summer for a player who will have to be a big part of the Bates offense in 2015.

Jack Roberts ’17 and Jack Cloud ’17, Williams, Martha’s Vineyard Sharks

Jack Roberts Courtesy of Williams Athletics — Jack Roberts
Courtesy of Williams Athletics

Jack Cloud Courtesy of Williams Athletics — Jack Cloud
Courtesy of Williams Athletics

Roberts spent the summer playing for his hometown team on the Vineyard and enjoyed a steady summer. He managed to get consistent at-bats, but only managed a .252 average with only five walks. After slumping down to .229, Roberts used three straight muli-hit games to get his average back up into the .250 range. Cloud saw his playing time dwindle as the summer went along making his last appearance on July 17, but he hit .260 for the summer as well as walking 11 times to have an OBP of .387.

Mekae Hyde ’15, Bates, Old Orchard Raging Tide

The positives for Hyde this summer is that he was the starting catcher and got a lot of at-bats and had a respectable .346 OBP. The negative is that his batting average was only .232. Still he can live with that because of the five home runs he also hit. Hyde had one of his best games August 3rd against the Dirt Dawgs when he went 3-4 with a homer and three RBIs. Hyde saw his power come in bunches as he hit three homers in seven games and then two in back to back games but none others.

Soren Hanson ’16, Colby, Martha’s Vineyard Sharks

It took a little bit of time for Hanson to get going, but once he did this summer, he turned into one of the best pitchers in the Futures League. Hanson started the season as a reliever before starting seven games in the second half of the season. He finished the season with a 2.07 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 52 innings. He also had three scoreless starts of six or more innings. Hanson had some troubles at the beginning of the NESCAC season in 2014 as well but finished the year strong and looks primed for a great 2015.

Andrew David ’16, Tufts, Brockton Rox

David threw the fifth most amount of innings in the Futures League, but he finished with a somewhat average 3.92 ERA. His success came from barely walking anyone as he allowed only four walks over the entire season. Teams did hit him pretty hard however as he allowed seven or more hits in each of his final five starts. David was somewhat of an afterthought for Tufts in 2014 because of all the talent in their staff. His summer performance shows a capable pitcher, but one who relies heavily on the defense behind him because he doesn’t strike too many batters out.

Rob DiFranco ’16, Bates, North Shore Navigators

This was an exceptional summer for the Bates reliever. He put up a miniscule 0.82 ERA over 32.2 innings of relief. His K:BB ratio of 8.3:1 was exceptional, and DiFranco finished with eight saves for the Navigators. DiFranco was the best pitcher for the North Shore squad and flashed the ability to go more than one inning several times. With the loss of several starters, DiFranco might be pushed into starting duty next spring for Bates. If he is not a starter, then he will be a lethal weapon out of the bullpen.

Kyle Slinger ’15, Tufts, Worcester Bravehearts

This summer was pretty much a continuation of Slinger’s impressive NESCAC season but with a few more hiccups. Despite those, he finished the season with a 2.55 ERA over eight starts and had a good 6.2:1 K:BB ratio. His best start of the summer was an eight inning outing against the Torrington Titans when Slinger allowed only one run on two hits. The run came in the first inning and after that Slinger fired seven innings of perfect ball. His 0.92 WHIP shows his ERA was no lie, and the southpaw should have another great season in 2014.

Atlantic College Baseball League

Joe Jensen ’15, Hamilton, Trenton Generals

One of the few NESCAC players to play on a team outside of New England, Jensen spent the summer in New Jersey. He could not match the gaudy stats he put up in the NESCAC, but still hit for a .269 average and made the ACBL all-star game. His play also fell off somewhat as the season went along as he had .380 OBP at points of the summer before a late season slide. His 13 steals for the season were also below the ludicrous rate he puts up in the NESCAC, but was still the fifth best amount in the league.

A few more NESCAC players saw a little bit of time in the Futures League and beyond but we ran out of space to feature those guys. If we missed anyone important please leave it in the comments and we will make sure to remedy our mistakes.

That does it for us in 2014 for baseball coverage. Stay warm this fall and winter and be ready for when the NESCAC returns in the spring.

A Fan’s Perspective on the Beginning of the Kevin App Era

Editors Note: As most NESCAC men’s basketball fans (and all readers of our blog) already know, a mass exodus occurred from Williamstown, MA this offseason. Seniors Michael Mayer and Taylor Epley graduated after combining for 32.0 PPG and 11.9 RPG. On top of that loss, NESCAC Rookie of the Year and Second-Teamer Duncan Robinson transferred to Michigan, and head coach Mike Maker stepped down after six years at the helm and three Final Fours in order to take a Division-I head coaching job at Marist. Stepping into Maker’s shoes is his former assistant Kevin App.

Coach App played college ball at Cornell University where he was named tri-captain during his senior season. He got his first coaching gig as an assistant to Maker in 2008-09, then returned to his alma mater for one season before spending the last four years as an assistant at the United States Military Academy under head coach Zach Spiker, who coached App for three seasons at Cornell. Of all his stops as a coach so far, Williams held a special place in his heart.

“”I really didn’t apply for the job simply because I wanted to be a head coach,” App said. “I really applied because ever since I was assistant there, it’s been my dream to be the head coach at Williams College. I didn’t know — or think — I would get the opportunity this early.”

And these aren’t just idle words. App met his wife, formerly Katelyn Brochu, at Williams in his one year there. So Williams fans have reason to hope that App will be in Williamstown for a good long time.

On the departure of Robinson, App has a positive outlook.

“Now, we can kind of focus on the guys that will be there and start planning accordingly knowing exactly who’s going to be there,” App said. “It just gives other guys opportunities to step into bigger roles, which I think some of them are excited about… Even the incoming guys could be stepping into an impactful role.”

App has already been on campus, meeting with returning players and running a camp just weeks after taking the job. He’s also made his excitement about his new home clear via Twitter.

In case you missed Forbes ranking today. Williams College #1!! https://t.co/6zI2w42XeT

— Kevin App (@CoachKevinApp) July 30, 2014

The new coach has announced his first hire, Mick Hedgepeth. Hedgepeth is a former player at Belmont University who played overseas in Spain after graduation. App hopes to have his entire staff in place by the first of September.

Lastly, we wish a happy 29th birthday to Coach App, and the best of luck at Williams.

Appaction — Courtesy of Williams College Athletics

This has been a tough offseason for the fans of the Williams College basketball team, losing both their coach and star player to the bright lights of Division One. In order to get a more direct perspective on this trying period in Williamstown, I turned to my close high school friend (and rising sophomore at Williams) David Burt, a precocious math major, passionate basketball fan and average Mario Kart player. Burt and I sat down to discuss these matters in his basement, over a rousing game of NBA 2K14.

Peter: Okay, I’m sitting here with David Burt, my friend who goes to Williams College-

David: Wait they’re listening to this whole thing? The interview is going on the blog?

P: No, no, I’m transcribing it later.

D: So why are you talking like that then?

P: I was just setting it up a little, getting in the zone…whatever, can we just get started here?

D: Fine, fine.

P: First of all, can I run you a bath, or get you a drink or something? I know this offseason must have been a trying time for you.

D: I definitely do not want a bath from you, no. Thanks though.

P: What are your thoughts on the Williams offseason?

D: There are obviously a lot of questions about next year, but I think it speaks to how strong the program has been in the last few years that our coach [Mike Maker] and Duncan are both going to D-1 schools.

P: That exposure should also help with recruiting in the future, as Williams is much higher profile now due to the Division One attention.

D: Yeah, I would assume so.

P: You mentioned Coach Maker in there, what are your thoughts on the new coach, Kevin App? He’s been kind of a man of mystery on this blog; we haven’t really done anything on him yet, although I understand he doesn’t have much head coaching experience.

D: He hasn’t ever been a head coach is my understanding, but he was at Williams as an assistant, so in some sense he’s coming back, and he’s been with a couple Division One programs as an assistant. Cornell and the US Military Academy, I believe. I think he [Coach App] is young, and will bring a lot of energy to the program, which again should be a good factor in recruiting. (Coughs loudly and obtrusively) Don’t worry, just choking on some popcorn.

P: We’ve got Smart Food down here, he requested it as compensation.

D: I think it was more of a demand than a request…

P: Anyway, the big story coming out of the Williams offseason was Duncan Robinson’s transfer to Michigan, and, honestly how do you think he’s going to do there? We haven’t had a lot of discussion about that yet, we’ve been more focusing on the effects it has on NESCAC, but it’s certainly exciting to imagine. Can he play with those D1 guys?

D: Clearly he was different, you could tell as soon as he stepped on the court at Williams that he was the best guy. It’s hard to say, but with the year off to develop, the future looks bright.

P: Yeah that’s one thing I was thinking as I was reading the SI.com article on Robinson, this year off could be the best thing for him. A year to practice against his seasoned D1 teammates, and get his quickness and defense up to that level will be huge for his development.

D: Definitely. Offensively I think most everyone who watched him last year can imagine him being a Division One level player.

P: He was definitely special.

D: Question. If I say “off the record,” will it actually be off the record?

P: Of course. If you say that, I won’t put it in the piece.

D: That’s cool, I like that.

(Pause)

P: Do you have something to say off the record?

D: Oh not at all, I was just wondering.

P: Okay, cool. It would be huge for NESCAC if Robinson did well there also, just for respect and exposure purposes. From watching NESCAC basketball the last couple of years, you have a basic knowledge of the rest of the league, so how do you think the league shakes out with these changes in Williamstown?

D: Amherst looks good-

P: Way to earn the Smart Food, stellar analysis there, Tim McCarver.

D: Let me finish. Williams is definitely a wild card, it would be hard to imagine a NESCAC season without them being in the mix at the end, but some things will definitely have to work out. Middlebury is also something of a wild card, they have a lot a talent and returning starters, but the inconsistency from last year has to get worked out. Tufts will also be in the mix. I think Amherst has to come in as the favorite, as much as I hate to say it. And I do HATE to say it.

P: More than anything. Yeah, I actually expect Tufts to be excellent this year, almost all of their key players are coming back. I could see them finishing first or second in the league, and certainly being above Williams and Middlebury in preseason rankings. I would still have to put Amherst at number one though, which is just terrible.

D: Sucks. Completely unbiased note here, Amherst is awful.

P: Well, those were David Burt’s illuminating comments. David just spilled a ton of Smart Food on the floor, so we’re going to go deal with that situation now. Thanks for reading.

Duncan Robinson Announces Transfer to Michigan

The announcement was made official on Twitter Wednesday afternoon. Duncan Robinson is leaving Williams to take a scholarship at Michigan. NESCAC fans everywhere, except for a certain corner of Massachusetts, had a little more pep in their step knowing their teams wouldn’t fall victim to Robinson’s devastating shooting over the next three years.

This was really an unprecedented offseason in NESCAC basketball because the two top underclassmen, Robinson and Matt Hart formerly of Hamilton, both transferred to Division 1 programs. Hart received a preferred walk-on spot at George Washington in the A-10 conference where he will have a chance to win a scholarship while sitting out a year because of NCAA transfer rules. Robinson’s transfer has received a lot more press nationally (SI.com and YahooSports.com have run stories) because he is receiving a guaranteed scholarship and Michigan is a much more high profile program. Writer Peter Lindholm covered some of the potential impact on the NESCAC 2014-2015 season, and we will have much more about the effect of those two leaving as we get closer to the winter.

How Robinson went from a lightly regarded high school senior to the NESCAC Rookie of the Year and subsequently a Big 10 recruit is a story of hard work and a different developmental curve. At this point it is pretty well documented how coming out of high school Robinson had offers from other schools but choose Williams early and stuck to that because none of those offers gave him nearly the combination of athletics and academics. His game, already underrated, kept getting better and better while playing for the Middlesex Magic and Phillips Exeter.He submitted one of the finest NESCAC freshman seasons ever last year. After Mike Maker left to take the head coaching job at Marist, Division 1 coaches knew they had one last chance to make right on their mistake of missing Robinson before.

We gave our take on how we see Robinson’s game as he leaves Williams over at UMHoops.com so feel free to check it out here. Robinson himself has said that he is still growing and definitely has a lot of muscle that can still be put on his lean frame. When news broke on Robinson possibly transferring we reached out to a couple of NESCAC players and coaches to get an idea on how they felt Robinson projected and the general level of play in the NESCAC. The responses we got back were remarkably similar in their assessment of Robinson. Both Bowdoin guard Lucas Hausman ’16 and assistant coach Brandon Linton noted Robinson’s high basketball IQ. Hausman added that “He was also a very smart player and he made very few mistakes. He knows how to space himself and use screens to get open shots even if the defense is focusing on him.” Everyone I talked to obviously touched on Robinson’s greatest strength as a player, his shooting ability. Linton put it simply after noting Robinson’s basketball IQ and shooting that “there is always room for players on any team with that skill set.”

Their opinions of the jump that Robinson would face in moving from the NESCAC to the Big 10 centered primarily around the athleticism gap. Colby point guard Luke Westman ’16 told us that “Division I players, for the most part are quicker, faster and stronger. Division III players may be just as skilled, but could lack the explosiveness of a Division I athlete.” When we asked him exactly how the NESCAC level of play compares Westman said, “I think there are a few other NESCAC players that could play Division I basketball (primarily upperclassmen). I do not think any of them have the potential to be as good as Duncan though and achieve at a high level.” Hausman echoed this sentiment saying, “I think there are definitely some other players in the NESCAC that could be scholarship players at the D1 level (mostly Ivy or Patriot League), but have already used two or three years of eligibility”

At this point it is hard to project how Robinson will do at Michigan given the jump in competition, but merely the scholarship is a huge endorsement of the overall level of play in the NESCAC. Remember that Robinson was not even the best player on Williams at points last year. That would have been senior center Michael Mayer ’14 who caused NESCAC defense fits over the last few years. This isn’t an indictment of Robinson especially given the three year gap in college experience, but it shows how good some NESCAC players are.

Perhaps no player has seen Duncan Robinson grow quite like Wesleyan point guard Harry Rafferty ’17 has. They first played together way back in seventh grade, but they really became close friends when they played first together on Middlesex Magic and then at Exeter. Rafferty is very excited to see his friend take his game to a new higher level. Before he heard Robinson’s decision Rafferty told us, “if he leaves I think he will be great. He will continue to work hard and prove the doubters wrong. That’s just who he is. He loves being the underdog because he has been one his whole life.” He still thinks Duncan has a lot of room to grow as a player, and more importantly the desire and work ethic to achieve that level of play. “He is one of the hardest working guys I’ve ever met. He lives in the gym and takes a professionals approach to the game. Most importantly though, he is an absolutely GREAT person.” For Rafferty and others that have known Robinson for a while, there couldn’t have been a better person to have such a confluence of events happen to them.

Duncan Robinson and Harry Rafferty while at Exeter

We leave you with one final story from Rafferty about Robinson’s final game at Exeter in the NEPSAC Class A championship game. We wish Duncan Robinson the best of luck over the next four years at Michigan.

“We were playing Choate in the championship game. It was a pretty anticipated match-up. Both teams were good. A lot of scholarship talent. We had guys going to Wisconsin, Stony Brook, and San Francisco. They had guys going to Columbia, Yale, St. Mikes so there were a lot of guys who were theoretically suppose to be better than this D3 guy going to Williams. On top of that Duncan had his worse shooting game of the season the first time we played Choate. So he had a lot of motivation. I’ll never forget, we got off the bus at Endicott, and as we walked into the gym he told me he was ready. You could tell he was locked in. He went out and dropped 24 points and 11 rebounds on 9-9 from the field and 5-5 from three. He dominated and did it in the most efficient way I had ever seen. A lot of high level college coaches were at Endicott that day and I think that’s when a lot of people started to realize how good he actually is.“

One-on-One with Trinity’s James McCullagh ’18

Editors Note: We are really excited to have Sean Meekins, Trinity ’15, join us as a contributor as we continue to grow and add writers.

I was able to get a hold of James McCullagh ’18, an incoming big man to Trinity, from Chaminade, a prestigious high school on Long Island. James took time out of his day to talk with me on the phone about basketball and his transition to a new team, school, and environment.

Sean Meekins: James, I know you were a part of the team that won the Long Island championship in your junior season. Obviously that was a great memory, but what was your best memory of your senior season?

James McCullagh: One of my best memories was beating Holy Trinity at home by 25. That was one of the games where we played as a team and everyone contributed. They were one of the top teams in our league and it proved to others that we had what it takes to win.

SM: Did you play any other spots besides basketball?

JM: I was on the track team my freshman year. Then I played football, basketball, and volleyball my sophomore year, and basketball and volleyball my junior year. Senior year, I decided to focus solely on basketball because that is what I was planning on pursuing in college.

SM: What are you going to miss most about your high school basketball experience?

JM: The team camaraderie based on the bond that we formed throughout our high school career.

SM: What made you choose Trinity?

JM: I first heard about Trinity because of its academic reputation, so when Coach Cosgrove contacted me I was excited to visit campus. When I went on a campus tour and met the team I knew it would be a good fit both academically and athletically.

SM: What do you think the biggest transition will be from high school to college in terms of basketball?

JM: The physicality and the quick pace of every game. The games will be much more intense compared to the high school level.

SM: Are you excited to play for Coach Cosgrove?

JM: Yes, because he pushes you to get better in all aspects of the game. I believe his coaching style will be very effective for my type of play.

SM: Trinity had very successful season last year and really showed significant improvement. What do you think you can contribute to a team that is returning a good core of their players?

JM: I can learn a lot from the upperclassmen and can contribute a big body that can rebound and play solid defense. I am looking to help out the team in any way that I can.

SM: Have you met any of the other incoming freshmen? Do you think that you can form the same bond you shared with your high school team?

JM: I met Eric Gendron ’18 who I will be rooming with in the fall. We have common goals for the season and I hope during pre season workouts we lay the foundations for a successful four years on the court.

SM: Thank you so much for taking the time to talk. You seem excited for the upcoming season. Hope that workouts in the fall go well and that you guys can continue to show success this winter.

Williams’ Duncan Robinson Mulls Transfer

“Robinson 2 Mich?” Thus read the text I received from David, my fellow grade A NESCAC basketball junkie (and current card-carrying member of the Tortured Williams Basketball Fan Society) at roughly 9:30 AM yesterday morning. Once I recovered from being awakened at such an ungodly hour, I did my best Chris Broussard impression and reached out to my other sources, in hopes of distinguishing truth from the various hysterical rumors. The most updated news I’ve found maintains that, as Duncan Robinson ’17 himself told The Wolverine, a Michigan-focused branch of Rivals.com, he is heavily leaning towards transferring, and is weighing interest from Michigan, Davidson and Creighton, all noted Division One schools. However, he will not make a decision before meeting with new Williams coach Kevin App. He has already visited Davidson and Michigan, and is planning to visit Creighton next week.

Robinson’s announcement comes on the heels of three other major stories involving Division One and NESCAC relations. Matt Hart, last year’s leading scorer left Hamilton for George Washington, Amherst was able to snag two Division One players for themselves in Jayde Dawson from Fairleigh Dickinson and Eric Conklin from Arizona (cue Lord Vader’s March). Finally and most notable in regards to the Duncan Robinson decision, Williams coach Mike Maker accepted an offer to take over the program at Marist. It seems like a safe assumption that the departure of Maker, a former assistant of Michigan coach John Beilein, was a major factor in Robinson’s decision to explore transferring. Maker’s system at Williams was heavily derived from the principles he learned under Beilein, namely a focus on ball movement and outside shooting, two things in which Robinson specializes. Throw in the personal connection between Beilein and Maker, and it becomes clear that Maker’s departure set up that of Robinson, and possibly Michigan’s interest in him. Robinson is first visiting Davidson this weekend and Michigan early next week.

There will be no shortage of speculation over the next week or so as to where Robinson will choose to go, and how he will fair, but the effects that his departure will have on the NESCAC if he does indeed transfer are equally intriguing, and that is what I would prefer to focus on, at least until there is a concrete place for that speculation to center on. In the short term, Robinson’s departure creates a fascinating paradox in NESCAC. On the one hand, it creates what appears to be a top two in the league. Amherst will be in the mix as usual, with the Division One players joining talented junior Connor Green ’16 and rising sophomore David George ’17. The newcomer to the upper crust would be Tufts, with an experienced returning class, including last year’s Rookie of the Year (non-Robinson division) Hunter Sabety and the possible return from a year off of 2012-2013 NESCAC Rookie of the Year Tom Palleschi ’16.

Yet, Robinson’s departure also greatly opens up the league, with teams like Middlebury, Bowdoin, Colby, and Trinity all having somewhat equal chances to contend for the spot at the top that Williams will presumably forfeit. And, even Amherst, with lots of unproven commodities, and Tufts, who were only 13-12 last year, could lose their presumed spots at the top to one of the younger, upstart teams that were previously swallowed by the Williams-Amherst juggernaut. The idea of a NESCAC top three without Williams is hard to fathom for those of us who have followed NESCAC basketball over the last ten years, but it seems like it could be the case next season, and possibly for the next few years as Coach App tries to launch his program without its wings. A good amount of talent including Dan Wohl ’15, Hayden Rooke-Ley ’15, Mike Greenman ’17, and Dan Aronowitz ’17 will return to Williams no matter what Robinson decides, but the amount of talent they lose is huge. Besides Robinson, Michael Mayer ’14 and Taylor Epley ’14 were the first and third leading scorers respectively and both have graduated.

The long-term ramifications of Robinson’s move are naturally more difficult to project. However, depending on his success in Division One (if he does indeed choose to transfer), we could see a continuation of the high levels of Division One-Division Three interaction we’ve seen this offseason. This would hopefully benefit both leagues, with players ideally transferring back and forth, as Division One teams see the value of Division Three players, and Division One players who aren’t stars opt for the playing time and better educational experience that Division Three schools can offer. However, this could also increase the level of shady recruiting tactics. Regardless, this is an incredible opportunity for Robinson to play at a Division 1 level.

This will certainly not be the last piece we post about Duncan Robinson this year. In fact, it probably won’t be the last one this week (Editors Note: It won’t. Expect another article after Robinson makes his decision). But wherever he ends up, his progress and the effects it has on NESCAC will be fascinating to follow and cover, and all NESCAC fans should be rooting for him at his new home. Unless, of course, he somehow ends up at Amherst.

One-on-one with Bowdoin College’s Joe Gentile ’18

Today I sat down with Bowdoin College outfielder, and a good friend of mine, Joe Gentile ’18, about academics and athletics at Groton School and what’s in store for the Bowdoin program.

Joe MacDonald: Hey, Joe, how you doing today?

Joe Gentile: Good, Joe, how are you?

JM: Great. Thanks for joining us. Let’s get started. First off, how was playing baseball at Groton School?

JG: I’d say playing at Groton has been the biggest learning experience for me overall. Especially in baseball, being on the team since eighth grade, I got to learn the game from a lot of older guys, and as I got older really started to take on a leadership role. When I first got there, in terms of skills, I was a pretty rough player, and then as I got older, being under Coach [DiSarcina] and the older guys, started playing the game a lot smoother, started honing my mechanics in hitting and in the field.

JM: What was it like playing for somebody like Glenn DiSarcina, a former Major Leaguer?

JG: Like I said, great learning experience. He really holds his players to a high standard, which really helped me. Doesn’t let anyone slack off. As a hitting coach, he’s probably the best hitting coach I’ve ever had. He really taught me to have a good approach at the plate. Really turned me into a line drive, gap-to-gap hitter which I really wasn’t before and that’s really transformed my game a lot. The fact that he was in the Major Leagues, he can show you aspects of the game that you wouldn’t otherwise see, little intricacies. He knows the game better than anyone else I’ve ever played under.

JM: At Groton you played three varsity sports, you were captain of two of them, hockey and baseball. What do you think are the merits of playing multiples sports in high school?

JG: Each sport taught me something a little different. Football is definitely a strenuous game, a lot about grit and determination, overcoming adversity. So that was new. I had never played football before going into high school and that was a huge experience for me, growing up and getting bigger and stronger for football. Hockey I’ve been playing my whole life and I couldn’t picture not playing hockey. It just came so naturally. And that, once again, taught me other things about sports; competition, flow of a game, having to stay positive throughout a whole game, momentum and all that, very important parts of sports. Then baseball of course just teaches you the mental side of the game, just having to overcome certain things, stay focused. So I think combining the three really just taught me a lot about competition and what it means to play sports and I wouldn’t have done it any other way.

JM: Do you ever wish that you had given up one or two other sports so that you could have focused on baseball more?

JG: I thought about that during high school, for sure. Either giving up football to work on strength and conditioning in the fall, having some more time to get bigger and stronger, but looking back on it now I don’t think I’d give up any of the experiences. I think being a teammate for all those years has really taught me how to be a leader and to be a good teammate. It taught me how to win, how to lose, and all the things that come along with it, so I wouldn’t change a thing.

JM: At what point did you decide that you wanted to play baseball in college?

JG: I started playing in the summer showcase circuit after sophomore year, and that really just got me into the whole culture of it, and after that I knew that baseball was the route I wanted to take, and I started getting more passionate about the game. Before that I had kinda split my time between hockey and baseball which were my two main sports, I’d say, and playing hockey my whole life it was tough to make that choice, but I think I made the right one.

JM: Groton’s one of the top academic prep schools in the country. Was it tough to balance your academics and your athletics and how do you think that experience will prepare you for your future in college?

JG: Definitely the tough academics and playing sports really taught me how to balance my time effectively. Trying to get into the weight room after practice just for as long as I could and then getting right out and doing my homework and trying to get down early for extra reps and all that. It teaches you to use your time effectively, not to waste any of your time. I know Bowdoin is academically rigorous as well. I think I’m prepared. I think I know how to manage my time well and get everything that needs to be done, done.

JM: A couple questions about your on-the-field game. What would you say are some of the areas that you still need to work on?

JG: I think I still could use some work in the outfield, getting good reads on the ball, getting my breaks on the ball better, coming around it, throwing the ball to the cut off men. At the plate, having a full-field approach, mostly. Hitting line drives to all fields. I really try to focus on hitting the ball gap-to-gap. Just hitting line drives. I’ve been trying to focus on that for a long time now. Baserunning is another thing, I think Coach Connolly wants me to be a threat on the basepaths, so I can always get faster and more explosive on the basepaths, so that’s another aspect of the game that I want to improve on.

JM: And you haven’t always been an outfielder.

JG: No, I made the transition from first base to outfield after my freshman year. It just seemed like a more natural position out there after I shed some baby fat and gained a little more speed. I felt a little bit like my tools were better used in the outfield than at first base.

JM: What do you think some of those tools are?

JG: I think speed’s one of my good tools. I have a pretty strong throwing arm. Overall sense of the game, I don’t really have to think about the flow of the game, it kind of just comes naturally to me. I can hit line drives. Pretty good approach at the plate, rarely strike out, just make good contact, contact hitter, put the ball in play, try to get on base as much as I can.

JM: And how has your summer ball experience been different from your school experience?

JG: I’d say at school I was more responsible for the bulk of the run production and the leadership, especially as an older player, but now, on my summer teams, I’m surrounded by such good players, playing for Northeast Baseball, I feel like my role has kind of changed to more of a role player, like I started batting leadoff in the summer as opposed to batting third for high school, so I kind of have a different approach from the leadoff position, just trying to get base hits, get on base rather than driving in a lot of runs. And as far as being a teammate goes it’s kind of more laid back in the summer, people kind of coach themselves. But I feel like in school I was kind of more responsible for my teammates, trying to watch out for them, mentor them as much as I could.

JM: Can you take us through the recruiting process and how you decided that Bowdoin was the place for you?

JG: I knew starting off the process that I didn’t want to sacrifice the academics for the baseball experience, so I started looking at Ivies and NESCACs early on. Talked to a few Ivy schools, that didn’t really work out, then Bates and Bowdoin were the top two NESCAC schools on my radar. I talked to both coaches and talked to Coach Connolly. I think Coach Connolly got a connection from my 16u summer coach, Matt Petherick, who told him back in 16u that he had a kid for him to watch and Connolly kind of knew about me going into the 17u summer season, and he saw at a tournament early on in Worcester, and he liked what he saw, and he emailed me after I came back from my summer trip to Georgia [to the Perfect Game World Wood Bat Association Championships]. We got talking on the phone and I came up to campus and I instantly fell in love with the place. I could tell that he ran a great program and I loved the school right away, the campus, the academics, it just seemed like a great fit right off the bat. It was kind of an easy choice as soon as I got up there.

JM: Are you excited to play for Coach Connolly next season?

JG: He seems like a great coach, very disciplined. Lots of knowledge of the game. He’s been around baseball for a long time now so I know he’s knowledgeable about the game, and everything I’ve heard from current players, they say Connolly is a great coach, that they’d rather play for no one else, and he really holds his players accountable which I like. He runs a tight ship up there.

JM: How do you feel about the opportunity to play fall ball and prepare all year for baseball season?

JG: It’s definitely going to be an advantage now, going from the spring to the summer to fall ball without any gaps. I can work on more, focus on my game more, just keep hitting. You tend to lose some of your hitting mechanics in that gap between the summer season and the spring starting up again in high school so I feel like this extra time for practice is going to be great, especially for the strength and condition aspect.

JM: Where do you expect you’ll be playing in the field?

JG: Really anywhere in the outfield. Centerfield was my natural position in high school the last two years, but I’m pretty comfortable in the corners. Anywhere that I fit in out there would be great. I know that they lost a couple of outfielders this year.

JM: How do you feel about your chances at playing time this season?

JG: Coach Connolly did mention that he was graduating two senior outfielders, but I know there are other kids up there and I know that I’ll be competing for a spot right away, I won’t just be walking into a job and I know that it won’t come easy but I’m ready to prove myself up there and earn a spot in the starting lineup right away.

JM: How have your interactions been with your future teammates thus far?

JG: When I went for my visit in the fall they were very accepting. I’d already committed by then so they said it was more of a celebration than them trying to wine and dine me, but I love the guys up there, they seem like a great bunch of guys. Even outside of baseball they seem like they’re all best friends on the team, they all hang out with each other, so it seems like a great culture that I’m walking into up there and very welcoming and a tight-knit group.

JM: What do you expect will be the biggest difference between high school and NESCAC baseball?

JG: Definitely the pitching that I see day in and day out will be much stronger than I saw in high school, so that will be an adjustment. The speed of the game, just having a good player at every single position, as far as your opponents go, always gotta be on your toes. There’s never going to be an easy out up there, which is an exciting thing, I’m looking forward to the quality of play up there.

JM: One more question, Joe, what Major League player would you say your game is most like?

JG: Well I would say that I try to model my game after Mike Trout. Obviously, those are huge shoes to fill, but watching him play, he gives his all on every play. He utilizes his speed and his power and runs the bases well, plays a great outfield, so if I can one day be a fraction of how good he is, I’d say that’s who I want to model my game after.

JM: Thanks a lot for sitting down with me.

JG: Any time.

Thanks again to Joe Gentile for giving us his time, and best of luck at Bowdoin in 2015 and beyond.

Football Recruiting Summer Camps

While Division One football recruiting is a ballyhooed process that plays out in the public eye today, NESCAC football recruiting remains one that happens in relative anonymity. More than a million high schoolers play football at their school, and many of them harbor dreams of playing in college. Most of them haven’t heard of NESCAC schools or would not consider playing at the Division 3 level. NESCAC coaches have to identify from this vast crowd of candidates those who qualify academically and athletically. A crucial part of that process happens in the summer at camps all across the country. Coaches spread out over the country to go to as many camps as possible and catch a glimpse of players in action.

Most of the camps happen in the northeast and are hosted by colleges. Every NESCAC school holds a camp over the summer which differ from most of the other camps out there. All of them are one day camps that are usually just in cleats and shorts. The camps are very specific in the sense that there are only coaches there from that particular school. The Amherst camp is run exclusively by Amherst coaches and players, for example. Camps at non-NESCAC schools run for multiple days and have many different college coaches there. Camps at Ivy league schools are multiple day affairs that have many hundreds of kids in attendance.

The amount of football that happens at these camps varies, but given insurance concerns, none of them are full contact. Linemen camps are built around drills and competitions that often carry little relevance to games. Skill players do drills and also play games of 7-on-7 which reward players who are comfortable in space. In general, summer football camps are better as vehicles for recruiting than improving yourself as a football player. Primarily, these camps serve to show off an individual’s athleticism above all else. While the instruction can be very good, most of the camps have too many athletes for the coaches to concentrate for too long on any individual. The amount of repetition is also not nearly as high as at regular practices because of the amount of athletes. In my opinion, based off of personal experience, the NESCAC camps were the best at football instruction. Each position group worked exclusively with one coach so that he could start to get an idea of each respective kid’s strengths and weaknesses. Most NESCAC camps are capped at much lower numbers so each athlete gets to play more than at bigger camps.

While coaches are the ones tasked with finding players, the onus is almost always on individual high schoolers to reach out and make first contact. Even if you go to one of these camps, getting noticed by a coach is hard to do just by your play. Consider that while the New England Elite Camp had 150 coaches there, there were also 1200 players. Unless somebody make an incredible play or possess exceptional speed, a coach is not going to come up to him. In the NESCAC recruiting process self-promotion is crucial. Letting a coach know by email or Twitter that an athlete will be at a camp beforehand will allow him to concentrate on him and gain a fuller perspective of that person’s ability. Talking to coaches after the camp is over is also considered good operating procedure. Coaches are just as interested in how you are as a person as how you play on a hot summer day.

All of this adds up to the fact that camps are not really going to make you a much better football player. Essentially you are paying money for access to coaches. This is truer the bigger the camp. The biggest camps will give each individual almost nothing in terms of instruction, but the benefit of them is that if a kid is proactive, he can meet with many coaches and express his interest. Camps are especially useful for players from around the country who will not be able to visit many colleges during the school year for overnight stays. Being able to go to the school for a day and meet some coaches can tell a kid a lot about a school. For a prospective college student-athlete, these events can help you achieve your goal of playing at the next level. But the preparation for the camp – i.e. notifying coaches – is almost as important as your actual performance on the day itself. So, recruits, do your homework if you want to make the best of your opportunity.

While it sounds funny that camps really aren’t about the actual football, the camp structure makes sense. Football coaches understand games are won not by the best looking athletes, but the best football players. In the NESCAC they know that they have to recruit the best possible person and not simply the best football player. At camps they prefer the kid who shows good attitude, hustles, and comes across as a put-together young man when they have a conversation. Not many kids will become NESCAC students because of their performance running around in July playing something reminiscent of elementary school football at recess, but going to camps is a critical step along the road of recruitment.