LYNN — With a new baseball season comes a lot of excitement, and that’s exactly what Lynn Classical baseball coach Mike Zukowski is feeling.
However, he knows just how difficult it is for a lot of these kids, especially with what they had to deal with in recent years.
“It’s just good to get back into the swing of things, having a regular season with a preseason,” said Zukowski. “It’s just nice to get the old feeling back. The kids are very excited and I think they all have the same feeling.”
The main focus for this Lynn Classical team is getting itself back on track, which doesn’t come without its challenges. One of the hardest parts about baseball is the steep learning curve, but that’s no worry for this team behind their two captains, seniors Tyler Wilson and Yassine Bakhouch.
“Wilson and Bakhouch are the two captains, and they’ve been absolutely exceptional,” said Zukowski. “They are both the perfect examples of student-athletes. They put being a student first and show the younger guys that they can contribute even though they may not be the impact player a typical captain might be. These two kids are great role models for these younger kids on the team, taking them under their wings to show them the ropes.”
Bakhouch and Wilson haven’t been the only two seniors to step up and make an impact on this team. Kyle Durant is a name to remember for this upcoming season. After having taken two years off by his own choice and not playing since his freshman year, he received high praise from Zukowski for his pitching in their first scrimmage — and he expects Durant to excel on the mound this year.
Jon Baker and Ryan Crichton also received some high praise from their coach as well, and while they may not have the most experience, according to Zukowski, they certainly have played a huge role on this team with their leadership. Whether it is helping the younger guys learn the signs or working on certain mechanics, they’ve also taken them under their wings to help educate.
One of Zukowski’s favorite things about this team isn’t just the leadership qualities that his seniors possess. He’s also incredibly happy with just how well these kids get along and the chemistry they share.
“I always tell these kids ‘you’re not going to remember who hit the game-winning home run in the fifth game of the season,'” said Zukowski. “‘You are going to remember the kid that was good to you in the dugout. Helping you keep your head up, high-fiving you, or telling you that you’ll get another chance at the plate. That’s who you’re going to remember.'”
Zukowski knows that a lot of what this team is trying to accomplish this year wouldn’t be possible without the help of his coaching staff, consisting of Ryan Myette, Scott Zukowski and Patrick Whalen.
“These guys don’t get enough praise,” Zukowski said of his assistants. “The time they take and dedicate to this team, which takes time away from their families, kids, work, whatever. They’ve just been so amazing and we wouldn’t be where we are without them.”
When everything is said and done, though, Zukowski and his team are just excited to be back in full effect. They just want to get out onto the diamond, play a full 20-game season and just get their program back on track, especially after a somewhat disappointing season last year.
Classical is set to open the season with a faceoff against Revere Monday afternoon (4).
