Sports

Sachem Alums Coaching Baseball at Sagamore

Neubauer and Genoino bring Sachem history back to the diamond.

It's been five seasons since the baseball team at Sachem High School East ran the table and went to the New York State tournament. A half-decade later the fruits of that team are slowly coming of age in the real world.

As is the case with many former Sachem athletes, Billy Neubauer and Drew Genoino have come back to their roots and are coaching baseball at Sagamore Middle School.

Neubauer, the seventh grade coach, played college ball at Adelphi University and Genoino, who made the team at St. Joseph's College, – but did not play – is at the helm of the eighth grade team.

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"Being from Sachem and coming back I couldn't ask for more," said Neubauer, who is a substitute teacher in the district and hoping to be a physical education teacher at some point. "I have a lot of fun coming out here and teaching these guys the fundamentals of the game, instilling in them what I've learned through Sachem baseball and in college."

Both coaches run practices that interlock with one another and the process of handling both squads has been affective. While they take part in separate drills too, the idea of teaching the basic fundamentals of baseball is still at the core of their daily preaching.

Find out what's happening in Sachemwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"We try to break it down in finer aspects," Neubauer said. "Coming through the ball, finishing through, driving with the legs, things on the base paths – little things."

Using an old-school method of coaching, which Genoino compares to days of Joe Murphy, who was a longtime baseball assistant under former Sachem coach Bill Batewell, he stresses that practicing well will translate into good games.

"We're not going to sit here and say, 'good job,' if they're not practicing well," said Genoino, a permanent substitute, looking to be a history teacher. "I try bringing a real world aspect. Start off at that level now, then they'll be able to adapt to it better and be more equipped for it [in the future]." 

For middle school players to learn from guys like Neubauer, who hit 12 homers in his All-Long Island senior season, and Genoino, who speaks of Murphy and Sachem history with that grizzled Red, Black & Gold mindset, this is a match made on the baseball diamonds and the Sachem feeder system can only benefit.

"Playing through Sachem, there is such a pride you have for the district," Genoino said. "You feel more connected and are more driven to get the full potential of your players."


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