Baseball League celebrates its champs

Winning isn’t everything in the Valley Stream Baseball League, but it’s pretty important. By focusing on winning games, league President Bob Inzerillo says children learn how to play the game the right way.

Last Friday night, the league celebrated its winners, presenting trophies to the three championship teams from 2010 during its annual awards dinner at the VFW hall. The Cardinals, led by coach Billy Byrnes, won the David Wright Division for 9- and 10-year-olds. The team captured the championship when Jake Byrnes hit a walk-off homerun.

The undefeated Braves were champions of the Derek Jeter Division, for 11- and 12-year-old players. Coach John Schroeder said most of the team has been playing together since tee ball.

For leading his team to a 19-0 season, Schroeder was named the league’s Coach of the Year. He said that the award belonged just as much to his players, who always give 100 percent on the field. “This league is about the kids,” he said, “not about the coaches.”

Capturing the Firemen’s Division championship this year was the Nationals. Coach Nick Vecchione talked about how much his players have improved over the years. Now 13 and 14, the boys have really become solid baseball players, he said.

The Baseball League also honored a top player in each division. The Mayor’s Award for the Wright Division player of the year went to Anthony Simos of the championship Cardinals. Byrnes, his coach, said the award is about more than just baseball skills. “Anthony is just one of the hardest workers I’ve ever seen,” Byrnes said. “I’m happy he’s on my team.”

Brian Morales, who was not present, won the Baxter’s Sports Shop Award as the top player in the Jeter Division. The Player of the Year honors in the Firemen’s Division went to Vito Friscia, whom Vecchione described as one of the team’s leaders.

The Valley Stream Herald Contributor of the Year award went to Jonathan Ciprian, a coach and member of league’s board of directors. Inzerillo said Ciprian did a great deal of fundraising for the league this past year, with money helping to pay for equipment and events such as the awards dinner.

“I totally wasn’t expecting this,” Ciprian said of the award, adding that being a coach has been a great experience.

The league is currently registering for its 2011 season.