COACH'S CORNER INTERVIEW WITH SAL TAORMINA
How did you end up becoming a part of our Falcons program?
Luis was my coach for 16u and 17u. We developed a really strong relationship through those years and when I finally graduated he asked if I wanted to coach. And the rest is history…
Where did you grow up and where did you play baseball growing up?
Born and raised in Brooklyn. I played on three teams from seven to eighteen. Our Lady of Grace, Bergen Beach, and Youth Service in that order. YSL from 11u to 18u.
What's your favorite memory or moment on a baseball field?
Winning a regional championship my freshman year of college. That and winning a city championship my junior year of high school.
What daily routine did you pick up during quarantine that you kept as a good habit as we come out of this lockdown period?
I’ve been training four to six times a week doing CrossFit style workouts.
Who was your favorite baseball player to watch and model yourself on when you were growing up? Why?
Hmmm…this is a good one. In sixth grade I read a book about Roberto Clemente and from that moment until the end of my senior year of high school I wore number 21 in his honor. A great ballplayer and a better man!
Mets or Yankees?
Yankees. (That’s really a disrespectful question. LOL.)
Favorite sport other than baseball? Favorite team?
College Football. THEE OHIO STATE BUCKEYES!
You read a lot about military history and the special forces -- what are your takeaways and lessons from that reading that you apply to how you coach baseball?
I love this question!!!! And it has a really simple answer. It’s teamwork, humility and discipline. To be successful not only at baseball but at life you need those three things. Above all else you must be a good teammate, you must be willing to sacrifice your own good for the greater good of the group. To do that you must be humble, you have to realize there are goals and forces at play that are much bigger than your own. And to be a successful team/teammate you must have discipline. Nothing is given to you in sports—you must earn what you achieve and if you want to achieve the greatest things this game has to offer you must be disciplined to do that.
If you had to tell all Falcons players to watch one inspiring movie or YouTube video it would be...
“GOOD” by Jocko Willink
What's the best advice you ever got from another player or coach that wasn't just for baseball but has guided you through life?
One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received was from my college coach. I had overslept for a 5am workout. He’s calls me into the office and says: “You suck at doing things you don’t want to do, and I got news for you, if you ever want to see the field or even be a part of this program moving forward you’d better learn how to get comfortable being uncomfortable. And if you don’t want to do that, I’ll sign your transfer papers tomorrow! Get out and you’d better be there tomorrow morning!”
Moral of the story: There are a lot of things in this life we don’t want to do, but we need to learn that if they need to get done then we MUST do them regardless of our feelings.
How's the 2023 team looking this summer?
2023 team is looking good. We’ve been at it now for a few weeks and I think we coming along nicely. We’ll see what the season holds for us!
What is the funniest thing you ever saw happen on a baseball field?
In a summer league game my junior year of college our head coach got thrown out mid-game and went on an absolute tirade. He started throwing balls into the stands from the dugout, helmets into the outfield, the works! I’ve never really seen someone lose their mind quite like that and I don’t know if that’s an appropriate story to tell here, but it’s by far the funniest thing I’ve ever witnessed on the baseball field!
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