Barry Steffey Jr. has been involved in baseball for most of his life. From his time in the Howland

Barry Steffey Jr. has been involved in baseball for most of his life. From his time in the Howland Athletic Club to coaching in the Niles Youth League, Steffey has known the baseball diamond as home. Steffey has lived in Niles for about 15 years and has coached for 11 of them. Steffey believes that baseball is a great way for kids to have fun, something he learned playing for his father. He is trying to teach the lessons that he learned from his time as a player to the boys on his team.

“One thing I really try to explain to these kids is that the most important play of the game is the next one,” Steffey said. “I try to help them forget about the previous play and concentrate on the upcoming one. It’s important to not dwell on mistakes; everyone makes mistakes.”

Q: Did you play baseball when you were younger?

A: Yes, I was born in Howland, so I played in the Howland Athletic Club.

Q: How old were you when you started, and how long did you play?

A: I started playing ball when I was about 7- or 8-years old. I played until I was about 12- or 13-years old.

Q: What position did you play?

A: I played first base primarily.

Q: How did you get into coaching?

A: I first started off as a volunteer, just helping out whenever I could. As you go on, though, you develop a bond with the other coaches and the kids, so I stayed with it.

Q: How long have you been coaching?

A: I’ve been coaching for about 10 or 11 years. I coach in the Niles Youth League, but I also coach for the All-Star games as well.

Q: What is the most beneficial thing about coaching?

A: I think just being there with the kids is the most important. I try to teach them that if you do your hard work during the day, you can play hard at night. But if you go swimming during the day, you’re going to be tired for the game or practice. I tell them that by getting involved in youth leagues it builds character. I learned all these lessons when I was coached by my dad.

Q: What is your best memory as a player?

A: This isn’t allowed now, but when I was playing, my dad had a company pickup truck. After we’d win, we’d all get in and sit in the back and he’d drive us all to the Dairy Queen. We’d sit back there and do our team cheer, “We are the Dodgers, the mighty, mighty Dodgers.”

Q: What is your best memory as a coach?

A: There are so many. I guess my best memory would be just seeing the boys develop into strong young men.

Q: What can kids learn from an organized activity, such as baseball, that they couldn’t learn at home?

A: Failure happens. Failure is always an opportunity to succeed in the future. I tell the kids that it’s not how many times you fall down, it’s how many times you get up and how you are there for your teammates. I stress to them to stay positive and to lift each other up.

Q: Who was your favorite athlete growing up?

A: Jack Lambert [Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker]. He was undersized and wasn’t expected to succeed. If you misjudged him, he’d run you over for it. You can’t measure heart.

Q: What are your favorite and least favorite professional baseball teams?

A: My favorite is the Pittsburgh Pirates. My least favorite is probably the Dodgers; I’ve never liked them. Either them or Atlanta. They knocked us out of the playoffs when we had [Barry] Bonds. That [Pirates] team should have won a few championships.

XInterview by Jon Moffett, The Vindicator