Youth Sports

A winter tune up for the boys of summer

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Looking outside, it’s hard to believe that baseball season is near, especially with a fresh layer of snow. Spring training has begun for Major League teams, and it is also under way for local youth sports leagues, including the Levittown Seaford Wantagh Athletic Association.

LSW Sports, as it is more commonly known, has been hosting weekly baseball clinics on Sundays in MacArthur High School’s gymnasium. The league has intramural and travel programs, and its season runs from mid-April through the middle of June.

Bill Heimink, of Wantagh, president of the league, said the clinics are open to any child and teen with an interest in baseball, whether or not they play for an LSW team. Many take part in the clinic, he explained, to stay sharp for their school baseball team. “We have a very good success rate of putting these kids directly into the middle school and the high school level,” he said.

The clinics are all encompassing, focusing on hitting, pitching, fielding and throwing. Nets are set up in the gym to provide secure hitting cages, and a mix of volunteer and staff instructors work with the players.

Anthony Tufano, 10, of Seaford, has been playing baseball for about five years, starting out at the tee ball level. He plays with LSW, and is hoping to play for his school team when he gets older.

“All the coaches are training me,” the East Broadway Elementary School student said. “They know how to play baseball.”

Evan Paladino, 9, of Wantagh, also had high praise for the instructors, many of whom are varsity players at MacArthur.

“They could help you if you’re bad at something,” he said. Paladino noted that his weakness is hitting too many pop-ups, so the coaches have been helping him hit more ground balls and line drives. “They believe in you,” he added.

The clinic has been bringing children from many different schools together. Mario Vista, 10, who attends Maria Regina School, and Robbie Vitale, 10, who is a student at the Seaford Manor School, both regularly attend the sessions to hone their baseball skills.

Vista likes to pitch, and Vitale is primarily a catcher. The Seaford residents said they both like learning from players with experience. “It just makes me a better player, getting it from other people,” Vitale said. “They’re teaching what’s made them successful.”

One of those instructors is 18-year-old Chris Danetti, a senior at MacArthur High School and varsity baseball player. He got his start with LSW Sports, and appreciates the opportunity to give back to the next generation of ballplayers.

Peter Gaglio’s two sons, Christopher and Nicholas, are both taking part in the winter clinics. He said it is a good way for them to stay active during the colder months. “You can’t get this sort of practice from being at home,” he said.

Gaglio, of Wantagh, said both of his sons have gained a lot of knowledge from their instructors, and it has shown on the field. “They emulate the older kids that are helping them out,” he said. “This is what they aspire to become.”

About 90 to 100 children typically attend the weekly clinics, split over three sessions based on age. Heimick said that instruction is personalized to meet the needs of children of all different skill levels. Talent is also evaluated, to ensure parity as teams are formed in the spring.

When the snow melts and baseball season begins, LSW teams will be back in action at their fields at Duckpond Drive in North Wantagh and behind the Seaman Neck School in Seaford. An opening-day parade will be held in April.