Community Corner
West Orange High School Baseball Team Spring Train in Florida
Team kicks off fund-raising for next year's trip
Baseball players from West Orange High School kicked off their spring training with a trip to Florida Coast Spring Training facility in Fort Pierce, Florida.
Nineteen players were in Florida for five days of training and competitive scrimmage games, and they also had a chance to attend a Mets game.
The team would like this trip to become an annual event and will begin fundraising for next year’s trip with two events. The first is “Casino Night,” featuring a Texas Hold ‘Em Poker tournament on April 19 at the Shillelagh Club in West Orange. There will also be a Beefsteak Dinner on May 18 at the Toby Katz Center in West Orange.
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“Our Florida trip was a wonderful experience for our players. It was an opportunity for our kids to focus entirely on baseball. I could not be happier with the outcome,” said Stephan Zichella, varsity head coach. “Our players developed their skills while playing against top notch competition at an exceptional facility. Florida gave our kids memories they won't forget and witnessing how this trip brought our players together is what high school athletics is and should be all about.”
Besides Zichella, Jay Tiseo, varsity assistant coach and Ron Bligh, athletic director, also joined the team on the trip.
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The trip was made possible through a donation from the Mountaintop League/ Travel Soccer as well as various fundraisers held throughout the year by the WOHS Mountaineer Home Run Club.
The club held a band night and raised funds at concession stands at basketball and cheerleading tournaments. The baseball team also helped raise funds by volunteering for various Shake-A-Cans throughout West Orange. Each player’s parents paid the balance after all donations were deducted from the cost.
The players who did not make the trip were treated to an afternoon of training at Diamond Nation in Flemington, followed up with a scrimmage the next day.
The team is currently accepting players for the poker tournament. To register, or for information on the poker tournament, contact Carol Fastiggi at cfastiggi@verizon.net or at (973) 452-2935.
