If Little League baseball had more coaches like Mike Napoleon, there might be fewer bored little right fielders chasing butterflies or staring into space.
Napoleon has averaged 30 victories a year over the last six years as coach at New Trier, and one of the reasons his teams win is that he tries to involve all of his players in the game.
“Being a physical education teacher, I learned early on that I want as many kids as possible active in practices and in games,” Napoleon said. “I’ll stop and get out of the car if I see a practice being held where one kid is batting and nine are shagging. I’ll watch for about five minutes. That’s about as long as I can stand it. Then I’ll go to the coach and say, `I’ve got a better way to do it.'”
Napoleon’s suggestion to the coach might go something like this:
“I’d have one batter here. I’d have this kid running bases. A kid hitting `flip’ [flips from a coach] over there. Another hitting off a tee. Pretty soon, I’ve got five kids hitting, three kids running, no more than four fielding or shagging balls–everybody involved.”
As Napoleon explained his methods for activating the idle, his voice carried his lifelong passion for baseball. He expresses this passion from his third-base coach’s box when he flashes the signs designed to manufacture a run in a close game with a bunt single, a stolen base, a groundout to the right side and a squeeze.
Napoleon’s methods have paid off with 180 victories against 51 losses for a .779 percentage in six seasons at New Trier. Before that he went 139-38-2 (.785) at Providence from 1992-96 and 119-77-1 (.607) at Notre Dame from 1985-90.
Thus, Napoleon, 42, has a record of 438-166-3 (.725) in 17 years as a varsity baseball coach in the Chicago area. In one six-year period, his teams reached the state quarterfinals four times–Providence in 1995 and New Trier in ’97, ’99 and 2000. The Trevians finished second in 1999 and, led by Matt Lottich, won the state title in 2000.
Expectations for 2003, as usual, are high, and the Trevians enter the season as the No. 2 team in the area behind Catholic League power Providence, which blends a deep pitching staff with a potent lineup.
“We have a great team,” Napoleon said. “Dan Larkin is a stud left-handed pitcher. Chris Harang at third base can swing the bat with power. We have our shortstop back, Mark Mazzone. Brett Sortal, a very good athlete, will play, perhaps at second. Mike Wertheimer is back in the outfield. Gavin Sharp [son of former White Sox outfielder Bill Sharp] has great speed in center.”
Senior Brad Shapiro and junior Dusty Napoleon, the catchers, provide some of New Trier’s strength up the middle. Dusty, the coach’s son, mirrors his dad’s baseball values: He respects sound defense. He recognizes game situations. He becomes a tough two-strike contact hitter. He battles adversity.
Mike Napoleon says he isn’t the rigid disciplinarian he was when, at 23, he became head coach at Notre Dame and demanded “my way or the highway.”
“I’ve learned,” he said, “that some of these kids respond well to a pat on the back and encouragement and reinforcement. Many of them know a lot about baseball and have been playing very well for a long time. So now I just tweak one thing or two and let them play the game.”
Some of his coaching philosophy changed when he used his Providence players to instruct children in clinics he directed.
“When my players coached the little kids,” Napoleon said, “they learned the game themselves.”
Napoleon has been a head baseball coach every spring since 1985 except 1991, when he had other assignments at Danville Schlarman in a one-year stopover between Notre Dame and Providence.
“I loved it at Providence,” he said. “I also got to be offensive coordinator for a state-championship football program.”
However, he was looking to a public school because of the better financial package it could provide. He applied but was passed over for the New Trier baseball job when Ron Klein retired in 1995. Two years later the position reopened, and it was offered to Napoleon.
“We’d bought a home in Shorewood, near Joliet,” he said. “I thought about staying in the Joliet area. My wife, Melanie, told me, `If you want it, go for it.'”
So he accepted the New Trier job and spent two years making the 128-mile round trip between Shorewood and Winnetka. The family now lives in Wilmette.
That’s why Napoleon now can get out of his car after his own practice to suggest to a Little League coach how to run his.
He couldn’t do that when he lived in Shorewood. He was getting home late enough as it was.
%% Napoleon’s record
YR. SCHOOL W-L-T PCT.
1985 Notre Dame 21-9 .700
1986 Notre Dame 22-12-1 .643
1987 Notre Dame 21-12 .636
1988 Notre Dame 16-19 .457
1989 Notre Dame 19-13 .593
1990 Notre Dame 20-12 .625
1992 Providence 28-7-1 .792
1993 Providence 24-14 .632
1994 Providence 26-7 .788
1995 Providence* 33-3-1 .905
1996 Providence 28-7 .800
1997 New Trier* 37-3 .925
1998 New Trier 26-11 .703
1999 New Trier** 29-9 .763
2000 New Trier*** 35-7 .833
2001 New Trier 23-14 .622
2002 New Trier 30-7 .811
At Notre Dame 119-77-1 .607
At Providence 139-38-2 .782
At New Trier 180-51 .779
Overall 438-166-3 .724
* – reached Elite Eight
** – finished second in state
*** – won state title
%%
Top baseball teams
(2002 won-lost records in parentheses)
1. Providence (26-6)
Perennial Catholic League power blends deep pitching with solid hitting. Catcher Bill Musselman and first baseman Zach Rodeghero solidify the middle of the batting order. Rodeghero hit .528 last season with 30 runs batted in. Other key returnees: Chris Vaculik (5-0, 1.47 earned-run average) and three-year varsity shortstop starter Brian Wilkin (.340).
2. New Trier (30-7)
Coach Mike Napoleon has averaged 30 victories per year during his six seasons at New Trier. Left-handed pitcher Dan Larkin and slugging third baseman Chris Harang lead the Trevians. Shortstop Mark Mazzone is back, as are outfielders Mike Wertheimer and Gavin Sharp.
3. Glenbard West (25-14)
Led by slick shortstop Ryan Anetsberger, the Hilltoppers from the West Suburban Silver defeated New Trier to earn a berth in last June’s Elite Eight. Anetsberger hit .398 last season with 32 RBIs. Six of last spring’s nine starters return, among them catcher Mike Sanew and outfielder Rick Chomicz, who hit .408 last spring.
4. Lyons Township (31-6)
The Lions, out of the West Suburban Silver, were ranked No. 1 in Chicagoland through much of 2002. Jordan Baughman, a 6-foot-4-inch right-hander, is one of the area’s top pitchers. Offense is provided by outfielder-first baseman Matt Bolt (.384, 25 RBIs) and outfielder Brian Davis (.384, 24 RBIs).
5. Stevenson (28-6)
The Patriots have two of the state coaches association’s six “Cream of the Crop” honorees: dominant pitcher Ted Ogilvie and speedy outfielder Brian Shust. Ogilvie, who has signed with Creighton, went 9-1 last spring; Shust, who’s headed to Wake Forest, batted .343.
6. St. Charles East (32-8)
Whether it’s summer ball or spring ball, coach Len Asquini’s Saints usually rise to the top. From last spring’s Elite Eight team, the Saints return, among others, 6-5 pitcher-first baseman Matt Reynolds (.400) and junior infielder J.R. Carbonell (.333 average, .529 on-base percentage, 33 RBIs).
7. Andrew (30-6-1)
Second baseman Nick Tantillo (.370) and pitcher Ryan McGuire (10-2, 2.30 earned-run average) should be among the leaders of a team that finished third in the state last spring. McGuire also batted .375.
8. Mundelein (32-10)
Clay Kovac, standout at shortstop and on the mound, earned second-team All-State recognition for his performance on last spring’s fourth-place state finisher. Kovac hit .420 with 14 homers and 57 RBIs and went 13-2 on the mound. Third baseman Mike Nilles (.357 with nine homers) boosts the infield.
9. Sandburg (26-9)
The defending state champion returns seven starters, including 6-5 right-hander Dan Atkenson, the state-tournament MVP who pitched a one-hit shutout in the title game. He finished 5-2 with a 2.40 ERA. Also back are Ryan Campbell (8-1, 1.77 ERA, .414 batting average) and catcher Jim Cassidy (.377).
10. Lockport (25-11)
Jim Hall thinks his Porters will be better at as many as seven positions. Defense is the key. Steve Walker, quarterback of Lockport’s Class 8A state champion, will pitch and play third base. Other keys are Justin Vaughan, 4-0 during summer-league play, and catcher Jeremy Major, a .386 hitter last spring.
Best of the rest: Carmel, Hinsdale Central, Fenwick, Brother Rice, Stagg.
Top baseball players
Pitchers
Dan Atkenson, sr., Sandburg
Jordan Baughman, jr., Lyons Township
Mike Creevy, sr., Stagg
Joe Dunigan, jr., St. Ignatius
George Kontos, sr., Niles West
Dan Larkin, sr., New Trier
Ryan McGuire, sr., Andrew
Ted Ogilvie, sr., Stevenson
Ted Ratliff, sr., Crystal Lake Central
Chris Vaculik, sr., Providence
Kevin White, sr., St. Rita
Catchers
Jim Cassidy, sr. Sandburg
Geoff Dietz, sr., Lake Zurich
John Juergens, sr., Bradley-Bourbonnais
Pat Tumilty, sr., Naperville Central
Sean Walker, sr., Carmel
Infielders
Nick Abernathy, jr., Ridgewood
Jim Adduci, sr., Evergreen Park
Ryan Anetsberger, jr., Glenbard West
Matt Bolt, sr., Lyons Township
Joe Bonadonna, jr., Stevenson
Tim Braun, sr., Brother Rice
Caleb Fields, sr., Fenwick
Chris Harang, sr., New Trier
Trey Johnson, sr., Schaumburg
Clay Kovac, sr., Mundelein
Bret Maugeri, so., Stagg
Mark Mazzone, sr., New Trier
Shedrick Mossman, sr., De La Salle
Clinton Odom, sr., Simeon
Mike Perconte, jr., Naperville North
Matt Reimer, jr., Glenbard South
Zach Rodeghero, sr., Providence
Nick Tantillo, sr., Andrew
Bryan Tews, sr., Loyola
Steve Walker, sr., Lockport
Outfielders
Mike Irvine, sr., Hinsdale South
Patrick Johnson, sr., Kenwood
Josh Lively, jr., McHenry
Dave Mitchell, sr., St. Rita
Aaron Newman, jr., Palatine
Dan O’Brien, sr., Mt. Carmel
Brian Shust, sr., Stevenson
Pete Slowik, sr., Lane Tech
Brandon Zeimann, jr., Carmel
