Physical education teachers and boys varsity baseball coaches Matthew Lemanczyk and Richard Rodriguez led the team through an undefeated 14-0 regular season, setting a historic best, and guiding the team into the playoffs this spring.
Mr. Lemanczyk, who currently serves as the head coach, has led the team for 10 years. This year, Mr. Rodriguez stepped up as a volunteer assistant coach, alongside student-teacher Justin Obidienzo, who helped coach for part of the season before graduating from Long Island University in early May.
Mr. Lemanczyk played baseball growing up and continued pursuing his passion for it in college. He played at a professional level and has gone on to coach for 20 years in various settings, including six years in Great Neck and now 10 years at Townsend Harris High School.
Mr. Lemanczyk said that his experience as a professional baseball player combined with 10 years of intense travel baseball “led me into continuing on this journey of baseball” as a coach. He said, “having that experience and being able to share that with my players has been wonderful.”
Similarly, Mr. Rodriguez said he was interested in becoming a baseball coach because of a passion for the sport that stemmed from his childhood experience. Mr. Rodriguez said, “Coaching the Hawks alongside Mr. Lemanczyk and Coach O has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Baseball has always been a passion of mine, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to mentor athletes who share that same love for the game.”
During Mr. Obidienzo’s time coaching the team, he served as the pitching coach, helping the pitchers improve their mechanics and accuracy. According to Mr. Rodriguez, “What was most memorable about him was his attention to detail and how invested he was in each pitcher’s success.”
Mr. Rodriguez and Mr. Lemancyzk’s experience coaching the team has been an important highlight of their journey as teachers and has helped shape their role as educators.
Through his experience as a coach, Mr. Rodriguez said, “I learn that every student learns differently in response to different forms of encouragement and instruction. This mindset has carried into my classroom and the physical education classes.”
Mr. Lemancyzk said that being a coach and educator overlap in multiple ways through “instruction, planning, motivating, and leadership development” that take place in both the classroom and playing field. He said, “I’ve learned that there isn’t one way to do anything, and that people are all unique in their own ways.”
“It’s important to understand the person and help them navigate through their struggles… and to continue to motivate them so they want to get better, and not because I’m telling them to get better, but because they’re telling themselves that they want to get better,” Mr. Lemancyzk said.
Mr. Rodriguez said that “connecting with the team and their families and sharing my baseball knowledge” are what makes his coaching experience rewarding.
For Mr. Lemancyzk, “The best part [of being a coach] is watching the team develop their chemistry, seeing them improve, and making a positive impact on their lives.”
Many of the team’s players emphasize how both coaches’ love for the sport is apparent.
Freshman Akio Therrien said, “The coaches’ happiness, love, and care about the game is very prominent, which just overall gives a great vibe towards the team. This gives everyone the happiness to pass around to each other, creating that family spirit.”
Junior captain Gavin Lettieri echoed this sentiment. “What’s most memorable is their energy and dedication they bring to the field,” he said. “They care about every player on the team and always push us to be at our best.”
Mr. Lemanczyk and Mr. Rodriguez said that they plan to continue fostering a supportive and successful environment for the team in future seasons. “My goal is to eventually bring a championship to Townsend Harris. While trying to achieve that, my priority is to develop our athlete’s confidence, and skills,” Mr. Rodriguez said.
Mr. Lemancyzk said, “My priorities and goals are for my players to respect one another, for them to work hard, and for them to be sponges, learn, absorb the information, and apply it. And I think when they do that, then success starts to happen.”
Members of the team said they have grown both as players and people due to the thorough and dedicated coaching of Mr. Rodriguez, Mr. Lemancyzk, and Coach Obidienzo.
Freshman Landon Buckley highlighted how both his coaches have helped him grow. “Coach Lemancyzk has helped me a lot with my mechanics in the game. He fixed my swing in practice, and it showed in games,” he said. “Coach Rodriguez also had a big effect. I would have a voice in my head that would repeatedly tell me I can’t do something, and he would always be there to have my back and give me confidence in the sport.”
Sophomore Jake Ortiz said that he is thankful to both of his coaches who have improved his skills just by showing up and being there for him. “I couldn’t have done it without them,” he said.
Following the conclusion of the season, Coach Rodriguez shared this message for the team during an interview with The Classic: He said, “it’s been an honor coaching this season, and I am extremely proud of them.” Mr. Rodriguez closed his message with one of his signature sayings from Kobe Bryant: “The job is not finished.”
