Jake Doyle is a 2015 graduate of Seaford HS, where he posted a .375 career AVG and recorded 100 career hits. He was named All-County in his junior season and is now playing at Vassar College.
David Moskowitz had a chance to speak with him and here is what he had to say…
You attended Seaford High School. What was it like to play there?
Playing at Seaford was one of the best experiences of my life. There is something special about putting on a jersey with your hometown written across the front: there is a huge sense of pride in it. Growing up I would always go to the varsity games knowing that one day it would be me on the field. Being able to play with some of my best childhood friends by my side is a privilege I will never experience again, and is a memory I look back at and wish never had to come to an end.
You played on the first Body Armor Titans team. What was it like to play on that team?
That team was the most talented group of guys I have ever, and will ever play with. It was awesome to be able to compete with every team we stepped out onto the field with. I learned so much from guys like Joe Flynn, Nick Fanti, and all of the other talented players about how to go about my business, and what it takes to set yourself up to succeed not only in baseball, but every endeavor in life. To this day Bob DeMichael is my answer to the question of who has been my favorite coach I have ever played for. His passion for the game, and commitment to the players he coached was instrumental in the continuing of my baseball career in college. Bob went above and beyond to help everyone on the team, but I specifically will always be grateful for the extra effort he put into getting me to and from so many of our games and tournaments that I needed rides to.
Tryouts will be on Jan. 15 at MacArthur HS
A lot of your Body Armor teammates went to D1 and D2 schools. You did not. What made you choose Vassar College?
For me, I always put academics at the forefront of the recruiting process. My goals were centered around using my athletic ability to get into the best academic college possible. For this reason, I never placed an emphasis on what division the school was. I wanted to go to a school where 1) I would be setting myself up for success in the future, and 2) I would have a legitimate opportunity to contribute to a baseball program. This is how I ended up at Vassar. Vassar was the perfect opportunity to further my baseball career while getting a world-class education, something I had always wanted and worked for.
Coach Martin left in the summer and Coach Righter (previously Head Coach at SUNY New Paltz) took over in the fall. How has the transition been going from Coach Martin to Coach Righter? Are there any major differences between the two in terms of how they run the team, personality, etc.?
Coach Righter has been great so far. He has clearly shown us what he wants the culture of Vassar baseball to be, and is laying out a process to get us there. One major difference that is already being felt is Coach Righter’s emphasis on quantitatively measuring our progression as players. We have been measuring our exit velocities, medicine ball throws, pitch velocity etc. to give us a feeling of where we are. The use of baseline measurements is critical into understanding how effective our offseason program is and will help Coach Righter develop a program that will maximize the gains we need to make in the offseason.
You are a catcher. In my opinion it is the hardest position to play as it takes a toll on the body and often times the pitching staff relies on you. Most players do not want to catch: What attracted you to catching? How do you keep your body healthy during the season?
Ever since I started playing baseball I have been catching. I always have enjoyed the aspect of being involved in every play, and there is no feeling in baseball that can equate to throwing out a runner. I started catching full-time when the varsity coach for Seaford, Mike Milano, approached me in 8th grade while I was planning on playing shortstop for the middle school team and basically told me to give up playing shortstop and to focus on catching. It was probably for the best as I am not the fleetest of foot, and I have grown to love the mind-games that come with understanding a pitcher’s stuff and calling a game accordingly.
Is there anyone who had a major impact on your baseball career besides Coach DeMichael?
My varsity coach Mike Milano has played a major role in developing me as a player. He had coached me starting in my freshmen year, when I was just 13 years old and felt like I knew everything there was to know about baseball. My former basketball coach at Seaford and summer coach with the Titans Jaime Adams also helped me a lot with understanding the type of work that any athlete must put in if they want to be successful. The biggest impact has been my parents, who have sacrificed so much between traveling, financing, and supporting me in my baseball career.
You are entering your sophomore year of college. I know you have time to think about it, but have you considered what you will be doing with your life after college? Do you think baseball will always be a part of your life?
After college, I hope to secure a job doing something I enjoy, while obviously also still being able to support myself financially. Baseball will always be a part of my life as I am a huge fan of the Mets, so I will always be following them but in regards to my own career, if there are any opportunities that are available following my graduation to play, coach, or just be a part of a program, I will definitely pursue them.
