Work pays off for Burckardt

Usually a gifted baseball player blessed with incredible raw talent isn't the hardest worker. Usually the team leader isn't quiet and reserved.

Then again, Trinity Catholic's Stephen Burckardt isn't your usual athlete.

This spring, Burckardt, a true student of the game, batted .517, knocked in 21 runs, stole 11 bases and hit one home run. On the hill, Burckardt went 3-1 with an earned run average of 2.41 while striking out 34 batters in 29 innings pitched and picked up a pair of saves. These impressive numbers earned Burckardt the 2008 Bill Hamill Award given each year to the best baseball player in the city of Newton.

``Normally the kid with a tremendous amount of talent, unfortunately is not often the kid who is the most studious learner on your team,'' says Trinity baseball coach and athletic director Craig Genualdo. ``The strongest kid or the kid with the most talent sometimes kind of coast on that ability.''

This wasn't the case with Burckardt, who says his motivation is ``just to work harder than the person next to me. I know when I go on the field that no one is going to work harder than me.''

His unrelenting dedication was never more evident than during the final week of the season when Trinity already knew they wouldn't qualify for the state tournament.

``The kid was still at practice everyday trying to get better,'' says Genualdo. ``He was still trying to pick up the little nuances of the game.''

His work ethic is only one part of what makes Burckardt a successful athlete. The other part, of course, is natural ability and strength.

``It was obvious early on that he was a physically imposing kid at the high school level,'' says Genualdo. ``I remember pitching batting practice to him and literally ducking for my life.

``There's no question, he's a fantastic hitter, he has excellent hand-eye coordination, he almost never struck out and he's always putting the bat on the ball,'' adds Genualdo. ``There's not many people who can blow a fastball by him. There were days where I would literally try to gas it by him from 45 feet away (in batting practice) and I just couldn't do it.''

Burckardt was one of two seniors on Trinity's baseball team this past spring yet wasn't a boisterous leader. According to Genualdo, Burckardt chose to lead by example and his personality was reserved and humble.

``This year, during baseball season, he kind of let his guard down a little bit and let his personality come out,'' says Genualdo. ``Every once in a while he'd come with a really funny one liner and crack everyone up and it was all the more funny because it came from him.''

This fall, Burckardt is hoping his high school success translates to the college level at Stonehill College, where he'll try out for the baseball team.

``I'm really motivated going into this year,'' says Burckardt. ``I'm hitting the gym, getting into good shape and I'm really anticipating a great start for me.''

``He's not guaranteed a spot on that team, but the coach knows about him and knows he's trying out,'' says Genualdo. ``He could make a major impact at a school like Stonehill and I really hope they give him a look. It'll be their loss if they don't.''

Baseball wasn't the only sport Burckardt excelled at as a senior. He was MVP of the football team and started on the 19-2 Trinity basketball team.

Both Burckardt and Genualdo agree that the most memorable moment of the baseball season came in a late-season game against Maimonides, which, according to Genualdo, has ``had our number over the years.'' After Trinity had fallen behind, 10-4, Burckardt, fearing another loss to the Falcons' chief non-league rival, offered to take the hill and try to stop the bleeding.

``When he said that, it lit me up and I got fired up,'' says Genualdo.

Burckardt rewarded his coach's faith, tossing four no-hit innings as Trinity rallied back for the 11-10 win.

``You absolutely cannot replace him with one player, it's impossible,'' says Genualdo. ``Its not an enviable task to have to replace a kid like that.''

The best Genualdo can do is hope that Burckardt's dedication will resonate with next year's team.