When the Tuxedo modified baseball team took the field for their first game of the season last week, there were several new Tornadoes patrolling the diamond at Euvrard Field. This year, four of the team’s players hail from the neighboring Suffern Central School District. Suffern Middle School is one of two schools the Tuxedo Union Free School District has teamed up with to create additional playing opportunities for local student athletes, while providing Tuxedo the numbers needed to field modified baseball and softball teams. The partnership was the idea of Tuxedo Athletic Director Marco Margotta, who calls it a “win-win” for everyone.
“Sometimes we don't have enough players. I knew we couldn't do it in house, so there had to be another way.”
That is when Margotta began thinking about students in nearby towns who didn’t make their school’s squad or weren't receiving the playing time they hoped for. “If they were still willing to play,” he thought, then why couldn’t it be for Tuxedo?
After getting the go ahead from OCIAA sports, Margotta set off to find any nearby schools or districts that might be interested in combining forces. In addition to Suffern, the search led him to the John S. Burke Academy in Goshen, which as luck would have it, had players interested in modified softball, but no schedule.
A good “fit” for Tuxedo, says Margotta, “because we had a schedule, but no players.”
“So, we basically gave ours to Burke.” says Assistant Athletic Director Michelle Hines. “They play our softball schedule, and we have several of our players on the roster.”
Does that make them Tornadoes or Eagles? The answer is both. In another win-win scenario, the black Tuxedo jerseys resemble the navy blue of Burke; allowing players to represent their home school when they take the field.
Margotta, was quick to note there was already precedent in the league for this type of arrangement. It is something he has seen the Roscoe and Livingston Manor school districts do with “great success.” He credits the early success of Tuxedo’s arrangement to the support he has received from his counterparts.
“The athletic directors at Suffern and Burke have been extremely helpful in the process and they're very easy to work with.”
Andy Guccione, the Athletic Director for the Suffern Central School District, is appreciative of Tuxedo’s efforts and OCIAA Section 9’s support.
“I wasn’t certain if would all come together but it did and it’s cool. The parents are very appreciative.”
“It’s just fantastic,” says Hines. “More opportunities to field more teams. More opportunities for kids to encourage others to come out and try something new.”
Opportunity is a word that gets repeated often by Margotta, Hines, and the Tuxedo coaching staff.
“A physical and social opportunity,” says modified softball coach Emily Dowling. “One that allows players the chance to build relationships, learn the game, improve their skills and have fun.
For Coach Ryan McKenna, whose modified baseball team includes the Suffern players, it is an opportunity for his players to be competitive in the division, while being active after school.
And “get out and do something,” echoes Hines. “Engage with other people in real life as opposed to on a screen or in a text. It is pertinent in helping students develop life skills. Not only here, but down the road.”
Hines speaks from experience. The George F. Baker High School English teacher played volleyball and softball when she attended the Tuxedo schools. Students know this because she proudly displays her varsity athlete jacket at the front of her classroom.
“It is a symbol of the dedication and commitment not just to the sport, but to my teammates and coaches, and the respect I had for them and their time.”
Respect and sportsmanship have been a top priority for Margotta and Hines since taking on their roles last year. "Vital” is how Hines puts it.
“How do you work well with people you don't see eye to eye with? They start getting those life lessons from team sports that they're going to utilize when they get out into the workforce.”
Reflecting on the teams he coached during his 25 years with the District, Margotta relates to his partner’s sentiments.
“To play on a team is big for me. There is a value in team sports. Chemistry and bonding that you will never forget about,” he says. “That doesn’t happen when you don’t have team sports.”
Back at Euvrard Field, those bonds are already forming between the Tuxedo players and their new Suffern teammates. Watching from the dugout, Coach McKenna calls it “nothing short of amazing.”
“It’s like they’ve known each other for years.”