After coaching the freshman baseball team for three years, Phil Kozlowski is taking up the mantle of head coach for the varsity team. Kozlowski’s end goal is for his boys to win a Mac White championship at the district tournament being held at the school this year. In addition to teaching baseball, Kozlowski wants to teach his players valuable life lessons.

Having been on the team for the past three years with Kozlowski as his freshman coach, junior DJ Edwards believes his coaching style will be a much needed addition to the varsity team.

“He talks to us about teamwork and leadership,” Edwards said. “He pushes us to work at our best.”

As the season has progressed, senior Henry Rocho has found Kozlowski to be a respectable coach. The amount of knowledge and skill carried by Kozlowski has impressed Rocho and he sees that it will benefit the team for a long time.

“They’re [coaching staff] really solid in their baseball knowledge and skill and I think we will be good for years to come,” Rocho said. “Obviously we haven’t played our best yet but we are working on that and they are helping us through it.” 

Not only does Coach Kozlowski teach his players how to persevere through obstacles they face on and off the field, but he has begun to see them as an extended family.

“Life is going to throw roadblocks at you whether it’s baseball or just life or maybe your job,” Kozlowski said. “When those times come, how do we battle through it? How do we get better? How do we learn from it? How do we move forward? That’s what I’m trying to teach them.”