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quote:Originally posted by CPLZ:
Can't argue with success. Coach Sottolano is not an easy man to play for...but nothing at a Service Academy is easy. He is however, fair, dedicated, hard working, and sincerely interested in the best interests of Army Baseball, the players, and West Point. Over the past few years, I've personally had the opportunity to watch players under his tutelage get better, and that's what every parent wants from their sons coach.
He's taken a college baseball team, handicapped for recruiting by military commitment, hamstrung by being a northern school, limited in his recruiting pool by very high academics, and even further limited by the known fact that Service Academy life is restrictive, grueling and constantly challenging, both in mind and body, and produced a winner.
Last years Army team went 36-21 after starting the year 2-6 and won the Patriot League after starting conference play 1-5. They went on to have #1 Nationally seeded Texas down 10-6 with one out in the ninth of the regional championship game at Texas' home field in Austin...and unfortunately, couldn't hold the lead.
That's a pretty sizable accomplishment and Coach Sottolano deserves much of the credit for having these young men (mostly freshman and soph's), believe and achieve.
On top of all that, imagine the kind of recruiter he has to be, in order to bring in that kind of talent to a Service Academy.
Congrats to Coach Joe Sottolano.
