This former Mets pitcher talks life beyond the mound at Valley Stream District 24

Before former Mets pitcher Nelson Figueroa finished smacking wiffle balls around the playing field at Robert W. Carbonaro June 13, he visited a fifth-grade class at  to talk to students about the importance of dedication, perseverance, teamwork, and hard work.

Valley Stream 24 School District Superintendent Unal Karakas attended the visit and said that hearing from Figueroa was a great way to help the class develop not only as students, but as people who are leaders and who work hard.

“For a former pitcher of the New York Mets to come back and outline to our students about challenges he faced and how he landed the position that he did and persevering through that process, I think showcases to all of our students that with hard work with not giving up, with chasing your dreams, that you can reach the outcomes that you would like to,” said Karakas. “I think that’s really critical for our students to hear, especially as they get ready to get to sixth grade and to middle school and beyond. We’re really trying to develop that resilience and grit in our students.”

Figueroa discussed the path that led him to the Major League. He grew up playing Little League and pickup baseball in Coney Island. He then played Division I baseball at Brandeis University for three years, after which he was drafted by the New York Mets in 1995, his favorite team as a child. Throughout his career, he played for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Philadelphia Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Astros.

“Don’t be afraid to push yourself,” Figueroa told the fifth graders. “Don’t be afraid to take classes you find interesting; you’ll find out a lot about yourself. That’s the fun part about playing sports.”

Carbonaro physical education teacher Phil Testa said that he hopes that Figueroa’s talk inspired more students to get involved in baseball, as the sport has lost some popularity in Valley Stream. He added that Figueroa’s advice and success can help the students both on and off the field.

“He has life experience in the world of sports and just growing up in a society where it’s hard to make it at that level,” Testa said. “They have to know and understand what it takes to be successful and to challenge themselves and realize that there are going to be failures on their way to whatever they decide to do and understand that you will fail but that doesn’t mean that the dream is over. Whether you want to become a math teacher or you want to play Major League Baseball, you have to keep trying and working hard.”

Figueroa’s nephew, fifth grader Zenon Figueroa, said that it was a special experience to have his uncle talk to his class and play wiffle ball with them. He added that he learned the importance of focusing on your own game from his uncle’s talk.

“Don’t really think about the noise,” said Figueroa. “Just get focused, get locked in. The noise around you is nothing. You just have to focus, lock in, pitch, hit, and do what you have to do.”

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