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CONCORD
MIKE SARTORELLI started out acting like their older brother. Then he became like a father.
At age 72 and coaching his 55th season in Concord Little League, Sartorelli admits his players probably now view him as a grandpa. In fact, the lifelong Concord resident has been around long enough to coach several of his former players’ grandsons.
Even after all these years, though, Sartorelli is filled with excitement each spring.
“It brings me back to being a kid again,” Sartorelli said at Rundlett Middle School during a recent practice for his 10-12-year-old team, Davis & Towle Insurance Group.
At the practice, Sartorelli, who has 10 grandchildren who all play lacrosse, had three former players stop by and say hi. Two were middle-school-aged boys and the other was a man who looked to be in his 40s.
Almost every time he goes to the grocery store, Sartorelli is recognized by former players.
One of Sartorelli’s assistant coaches, Mike Brodeur, played for him from 1993-95. In 2023, Brodeur’s first season on Sartorelli’s staff, the team won the league title.
“It’s been awesome,” Brodeur said of working with his former coach. “He’s obviously a legend.”
Sartorelli played baseball, including for Concord Little League, growing up. He loves the sport. But he had never coached any sport before when his coworker, the late Dick Duchesne, asked him to be an assistant coach for one of the league’s teams.
Sartorelli accepted the offer in order to give back to his community. He wanted players to enjoy their Little League experience, as he did while playing for Ed Lovejoy.
“I got hooked,” Sartorelli said. “I’m being an assistant coach (at first) with two guys who really didn’t know baseball and I said, ‘Oh my God, maybe I know more than I thought I knew.’ When a team opened up, I said, ‘I’ll take it.’”
The sponsors have changed and Sartorelli has bounced between manager and assistant coach over the years, but he has been part of the same team almost his whole career.
Sartorelli, who plans to coach for at least a few more seasons, has always coached 10-12-year-olds. The 1970 Concord High School graduate appreciates that boys of that age group believe that they can become pro baseball players.
“They really haven’t discovered females yet,” he joked.
Brodeur, 42, said the Davis & Towle coaches teach their players to be respectful of the game. Sartorelli emphasizes being a good teammate.
Each season, Sartorelli picks three of his veteran players and names them “leaders” — not captains. They are expected to help mold the group into a team.
Sartorelli learned one of the most important aspects of coaching Little League early in his career: put kids in positions to succeed. During that recent practice, Sartorelli worked with his first basemen on what to watch for when fielding the ball.
He complimented one of his players after a strong hit with an “atta boy.” He told his pitchers to relax, throw strikes and not to worry about how hard they throw.
Nicky Mercier, a catcher/pitcher in his third year playing for Sartorelli, said he has learned a lot from his manager, like helpful pitching tips.
“He’s a great guy, he knows what he’s talking about and he’s been doing it for a really long time,” Mercier said.
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Continue reading...
MIKE SARTORELLI started out acting like their older brother. Then he became like a father.
At age 72 and coaching his 55th season in Concord Little League, Sartorelli admits his players probably now view him as a grandpa. In fact, the lifelong Concord resident has been around long enough to coach several of his former players’ grandsons.
Even after all these years, though, Sartorelli is filled with excitement each spring.
“It brings me back to being a kid again,” Sartorelli said at Rundlett Middle School during a recent practice for his 10-12-year-old team, Davis & Towle Insurance Group.
At the practice, Sartorelli, who has 10 grandchildren who all play lacrosse, had three former players stop by and say hi. Two were middle-school-aged boys and the other was a man who looked to be in his 40s.
Almost every time he goes to the grocery store, Sartorelli is recognized by former players.
One of Sartorelli’s assistant coaches, Mike Brodeur, played for him from 1993-95. In 2023, Brodeur’s first season on Sartorelli’s staff, the team won the league title.
“It’s been awesome,” Brodeur said of working with his former coach. “He’s obviously a legend.”
Sartorelli played baseball, including for Concord Little League, growing up. He loves the sport. But he had never coached any sport before when his coworker, the late Dick Duchesne, asked him to be an assistant coach for one of the league’s teams.
Sartorelli accepted the offer in order to give back to his community. He wanted players to enjoy their Little League experience, as he did while playing for Ed Lovejoy.
“I got hooked,” Sartorelli said. “I’m being an assistant coach (at first) with two guys who really didn’t know baseball and I said, ‘Oh my God, maybe I know more than I thought I knew.’ When a team opened up, I said, ‘I’ll take it.’”
The sponsors have changed and Sartorelli has bounced between manager and assistant coach over the years, but he has been part of the same team almost his whole career.
Sartorelli, who plans to coach for at least a few more seasons, has always coached 10-12-year-olds. The 1970 Concord High School graduate appreciates that boys of that age group believe that they can become pro baseball players.
“They really haven’t discovered females yet,” he joked.
Brodeur, 42, said the Davis & Towle coaches teach their players to be respectful of the game. Sartorelli emphasizes being a good teammate.
Each season, Sartorelli picks three of his veteran players and names them “leaders” — not captains. They are expected to help mold the group into a team.
Sartorelli learned one of the most important aspects of coaching Little League early in his career: put kids in positions to succeed. During that recent practice, Sartorelli worked with his first basemen on what to watch for when fielding the ball.
He complimented one of his players after a strong hit with an “atta boy.” He told his pitchers to relax, throw strikes and not to worry about how hard they throw.
Nicky Mercier, a catcher/pitcher in his third year playing for Sartorelli, said he has learned a lot from his manager, like helpful pitching tips.
“He’s a great guy, he knows what he’s talking about and he’s been doing it for a really long time,” Mercier said.
[email protected]
Continue reading...
