Sunday Morning Chat: Archbishop McCarthy’s Rich Bielski

Today, HSBN Senior Writer Rick Duteau sits down with Archbishop McCarthy Manager Rich Bielski, who shares his thoughts on being a part of state history, their new district rival and who is most likely to pick up the dinner tab in a Mavericks coaches night out.

Rick: So last time we spoke, HSBN was going into its second season, and you guys were looking to repeat after winning your first state title. Back then, you explained the process of trying to repeat. Since that time, you’ve won three more state titles. Did you ever, in your wildest dreams, think you’d go on this type of run?

Bielski: No. Most certainly not. This is a special run, it’s a special time in our program’s history, and a special time in our school history. I always tell everybody I am a dreamer and I dream really well. But I did not dream this good.

Rick: A lot of coaches talk about the standard being the standard, but with you guys, it is truly the case. Does that standard and reputation of greatness sometimes help you when you step on the field with other teams?

Bielski: I think so. I think that’s when the ball game begins is when you step on that field and in between those lines. That’s when you set the tone, that’s when you get focused and that’s when you turn everything else off in your life, school and at home. It’s time to focus on the game of baseball and the love of it, and your skills and going out trying to be the best team you can be.

Rick: Last year, in the regional playoffs, your Mavericks faced their toughest test in the four-year run. You were down big to Mater Academy, with their ace on the mound as the late innings approached. It’s not a situation your team is used to being in. Take me into your head as to what you were thinking when you were down five runs late…

Bielski: I was thinking that the day before we went over this exact scenario of being five runs down, and how it was a very real possibility because we were facing such a strong Mater team. But that we would rise to the occasion; we wouldn’t quit. If we had one out left, one strike left, the game wasn’t over. That momentum swings in the game of baseball, and if that momentum was to swing our way anything can happen. Special things happen. History gets made. Guys make great play and they become legendary and that is exactly what happened in that game.

Rick: When the comeback started, at what point did you think, Holy crap, we may really do this?

Bielski: I really was thinking it could happen from the beginning, and our players were too. I never saw it in their eyes that there was any panic. Nobody was pressing the panic button, everybody knew we were going to score, we weren’t going to get shut out. We just had to hang in there, get a few guys on base, get a break here and there, ad just let all the hard work take over. Stay within ourselves, try not to be Superman and just do our jobs., and do them the best we could. We were very fortunate that the momentum did turn our way and we were able to put up some big numbers and play some great defense and close out the game.

Rick: You’ve seen a lot of pivotal plays in big moments through this run. Was Michael Gigliotti’s catch in that game the biggest?

Bielski: Most definitely. That catch is now legendary. He’s going to be famous for that catch probably for the rest of his life. Every time these boys get together over the years when they become men and old men, they’re going to recall some of the great plays of our season, some of the clutch hits and clutch pitching performances. They will most certainly be reminiscing about the catch that Michael Gigliotti made on that day.

Rick: You guys are setting standards that may never again be reached by any team in Florida. How much do you think about that type of legacy and do you and your staff ever talk about just how far you can take this?

Bielski: We really try to live in the moment. We explain to the kids that this is a very special time and we need to enjoy it, that these are the good old days that we’ll be talking about the rest of our lives. So, let’s see; let’s see what happens and how far this can go. Let’s just try to be the best team we can, each and every year. Each and every year you have guys on the team that don’t have a championship ring, you have guys on the team who have been through the fire and been through the pile ups. They got a taste of it and they want more. So its a great combination of it and every year is a great challenge, and I am so excited for this season.

Rick: Things obviously get much tougher for you this year with American Heritage joining the district. This already was a big rivalry, but tell me how much being in the same district changes things?

Bielski: Well, it changes things a lot. We’re going to play them at least twice during the regular season, and possibly another time in districts, and possibly a fourth time in regionals. Any time you get two teams that are state and national powers, that’s going to create a lot of buzz. They’ve got a great program over there and Bruce Aven does a great job every year of getting his players ready to play. They won a state championship the year before last, and we know it’s going to be a knockdown, drag out fight every time with them.

Rick: OK, enough about the Mavericks. Let’s have some fun… Tell me something that nobody in the baseball community knows about Rich Bielski.

Bielski: I got a tattoo last year, after we made Florida history, because during the season the players said ‘Coach if we win the state this year you have to do something special’. So I said ‘like what?’ and Big B, Brian Gonzalez, actually said to get a tattoo. I said no way, I’m not going to get a tattoo. But they were like ‘come on coach, if we win it this year it’s something that’s never been done before. It’s Florida history. You’ve got to get a tattoo’. So, my pitching Coach Ric Butner said if you get a tattoo, I’l get one too. so the kids were going crazy, but then we kind of forgot about it. After we piled up in Fort Myers, I told Ric ‘you know what this means, right?’ and he said ‘Yup. Time to see the tattoo artist’. So we end up getting tattoos and I actually didn’t end up getting it until our ring ceremony, which is in November. We got the tattoos and I told them that they’ve scarred me, they’ve scarred me for life. But not just with the tattoo on my arm, but also with just wonderful lifetime memories. And I hope that they are scarred in a great way also with lots of lifetime memories and a lot more to come.

Rick: In regards to that, it’s one of those things when you get up each morning and you’re brushing your teeth you will see it in the mirror. Does it constantly remind you?

Bielski: That’s exactly what it does. It’s funny you say that, because sometimes I’ll go up to Big B and say ‘you know what, every time I wake up and brush my teeth and I look in the mirror, I’m thinking of you and of last year’s team making history. You scarred me in a good way, so keep leading us and doing what you’re doing, Let’s go out and continue to have fun and do it the right way’.”

Rick: If you weren’t coaching high school baseball, what would you be doing with your time?

Bielski: I’d be golfing, I’d be fishing, I’d be traveling and riding around on a motorcycle somewhere. I would probably be going to some high school baseball games or some good baseball games and just enjoying it somewhere.

Rick: Tell me one intense moment when you were coaching, talking to your team, where something funny happened and you couldn’t keep a straight face… You know, I think I was at one like this.

Bielski: Hmmm, which one are you referring to?

Rick: I remember a game against Fort Lauderdale last year where Blade got taken out at second, and you went onto the field, and I know the guys were all having a hard time keeping a straight face when you were out there. But it was a moment that seemed to wake everybody up at the same time that day.

Bielski: Yeah, Blade got turned upside down and we felt the kid went after him. He spiked him good, and the kid ended up getting thrown out later on for flipping his bat and it hit the catcher. But that did wake us up. I thought it was a malicious play, a dangerous play, and it really did wake all of us up at that point. It reminded us that people are coming after us, and we have to put up with some tough situations sometimes. That really brought us together.

Rick: Well, beside that one, was there a time where something happened and you couldn’t keep a straight face. I know that one wasn’t funny to you.

Bielski: I know one time I went out to pull Big B from the game for nothing other than that his pitch count was getting a little high. He wanted to finish and he said ‘no coach, I’m going to finish this game’ and I said ‘no, you’re not’. He said he wasn’t coming out so I told him ‘you’re either going to give me that ball or we’re going to be wrestling around on the ground and on the mound here in front of this huge crowd. We’ll put on a show, but you’re coming out of this game’. I literally had to grab the ball out of his hands, and he was not happy. We went eye to eye right there, and that’s just the kind of competitor he is. At that moment, he was in that moment and he wanted to win that game and he wanted to do it himself. He wasn’t seeing the big picture of the season and everything else. We ended up winning and we discussed it later on, and I totally understand those competitive juices get flowing. I think all the infielders that were there, they enjoyed that little show. They probably would have liked to have seen it for the show we would have out on. We’re probably both about 230 pounds and we would have been rolling around having a good time. But we were hugging after the game, and we have a great relationship.

Rick: That would be like watching two polar bears brawling.

Bielski: Exactly. We would have probably headlined youtube, so I’m glad it didn’t come to that.

Rick: OK, word association, I give you a word, you give me your first thought… Mavericks baseball.

Bielski: Winners.

Rick: American Heritage.

Bielski: Bruce Aven.

Rick: My favorite player of all time that I’ve coached… no copout either, give me one player…

Bielski: Well, the first one to pop into my head was Nick Castellanos.

Rick: If the run ends this year, I’ll be…

Bielski: Trying to win another one next year.

Rick: The person on your coaching staff you’d trust with your life? Just one…

Bielski: The first one to pop into my head was Ric Butner. Alex Fernandez popped in there second, but really I would trust my life with any of these guys. Cookie Abay, I trust him with my life and he’s a cop so he coud probably protect me better than all the rest of them. Nellie is True Blue and just an amazing friend.

Rick: The coach on your staff that never picks up the dinner check?

Bielski: That would be me. These guys are always very generous and Alex treats us the best. And we let him.

Rick: The player on you current squad most likely to end up on America’s Got Talent?

Bielski: The first one to pop into my head was Andres Nunez. He’s just a funny kid and he’s got a lot of personality. Look, right now he’s out there dancing to the batting practice music. He’s just a happy kid and he loves life. When the lights go on and he steps between the lines, he turns on a switch and he is very competitive.

Rick: He’s another guy that etched his name in Mavericks lure, because he was the guy who got that final win last year in the state championship game.

Bielski: He sure did. And it’s funny because we talked about that all year. We said that if we’re fortunate enough to get back there again, you now who is going to get the ball in the championship game. He said ‘I am Coach’ and he was right. So we told him ‘when you go out all this season, that is really what you are preparing for, and focusing on is really that’. I just knew through his hard work and dedication and confidence that he was going to go out there and give us the great performance that he did and that we needed. Sure enough, he came through.

Rick: Last one… The one thing I’ve learned about myself through my coaching career is…

Bielski: To enjoy the moment. To enjoy the moment,and not just to enjoy the last game and the pile up at the end. The first time you are chasing a state championship you are basing your success on that last game, and I don’t do that any longer. I enjoy today’s game and tomorrow’s game. I don’t want the state championship to be here yet, we have a lot of work to do. There are a lot of ups and downs in a season and we hae rivalry games to be played. We enjoy the ride and enjoy the moment and we really try to convey that to our players also. The only game that matters is tonight’s game, and after this one the only one that will matter will be the next one. It’s a beautiful day and it’s snowing everywhere else in the country while we’re running around here in shorts and t-shirts playing the game we love. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

Rick: Me neither, Coach. Thank you very much and everyone at HSBN wishes you and the team continued success this season.

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