Fit for a Champion

Christmas came early for the East Hampton baseball team, though the present the team received was not so much a gift as it was a reward.

The team gathered on Dec. 20 to receive rings for their Class S title won last season.

Coach Scott Wosleger, who called this another excuse to get the team together, didn't want just any ring, however. Something that resembled a class ring was out. Wosleger wanted a ring worthy of a championship, something memorable.

"One of the things I've always said to all you guys, whether I've been coaching you in high school, Little League or whatever, I'm not big on average," Wosleger told his team. "When we designed the rings, we didn't want them to be average. When guys are in our program, we don't want you to be average. We want you to memorable."

So, he called on in East Hampton.

What did Wosleger and Bill Devine come up with?

"Something that really represents something you did different, memorable not average, that you'll remember the rest of your life," Wosleger said.

Since June 11, when East Hampton defeated East Catholic 6-2 for the title, there has been recognition from the town council, a dinner, a float in the Old Home Days parade, throwing out the first pitch at a Rock Cats game and a new banner that hangs in the high school gymnasium.

Now, to go along with those memories, they have a championship ring.

"It's something that you should really be proud of," Wosleger said. "Even now, six months later, I don't think we all know the impact of what it's meant to you, to us, to our school, to our families ... it's not something that people do all the time. It's not easy to do. Remember that you for a year were memorable, absolutely memorable. Not average.