- PLAY BALL: Hickey will bring valuable coaching experience to the baseball program. Photo Courtesy of Sammi Ciardi ’15
Tommy King ’15, Will Crager ’15: This spring, the Varsity Boys Baseball team will be led by a new manager, Michael Hickey. Before coming to EA, Hickey coached at Inter- Ac rival Malvern Prep for 17 years, serving as the head for 11 years. He has also helped coach some competitive AAU teams, Temple University, and most impressively, he worked as a scout for the MLB’s San Diego Padres. When asked about the upcoming season, Hickey replied, “This year, I think, is going to be a feeling out process about trying to figure out where we are as a team.” Hickey is looking to start off on the right foot “…by setting expectations and goals, but at the same time getting a really worthwhile experience for our seniors. I want to make this a cornerstone experience for these guys.”
In regard to the possible outcome of this season, Hickey spoke with cautious optimism, saying “My expectations, from what I understand, in terms of what we have back (from last year’s team) are that we will be competitive in the league.”
Hickey has already made an impression on his players. The feeling of excitement among Hickey’s players is almost palpable. Michael Nicholas ’15, a pitcher from last year’s team, has only good things to say about his new coach for the upcoming season, “From my interactions with him, he seems like a great guy and I’ve heard he knows a lot about the game.” Senior captain Jack Keffer ’14 says, “We are all really looking forward to working with Coach Hickey and we can’t wait for the start of the season.” It is obvious that these two players, who were key contributors from last year’s team, speak for their teammates as well when they talk about their new coach. Not only are these two players excited about their new coach, but they are just as excited about their team’s potential this spring. With seven returning starters from last year’s varsity team and an off-season of hard work underway already, the team could be in contention for the Inter-Ac title this May. Many players in the program share this thought, Nicholas in particular “expects big things this year.” Keffer added “We should contend in the Inter Ac this year for the first time in a while.”
This year at Episcopal, Mr. Hickey will be an in-house math and science substitute. He will be substituting in the Upper School for Mrs. Rheam’s Physics classes until her return from maternity leave and will also teach in the Lower School this winter and in the Middle School this spring. He has taught Physics at the secondary and university levels for about twenty years. For the past few years, Hickey has been teaching at several local universities. Hickey’s experience not only in the field, but in the class room as well, is a good next step for the baseball program at EA.