Brick American league ready to resume success
BY WAYNE WITKOWSKI
Staff Writer

CHRIS KELLY Catcher Andrew Stillwagon and his Junior All-Star teammates are coming off a year in which they finished one win shy of a trip to the World Series in Michigan.

Many loyal followers of Brick American Little League remember the unprecedented five All-Star teams that went on to district championships two years ago.

But they also look back fondly last summer at the 11-year-old All-Stars who won the district, and the Junior All-Stars of manager Brian Stillwagon that left a vivid imprint with their postseason run that left them one game shy of competing in the World Series in Michigan, a loss to host Freehold in the Eastern Regionals.

"I'm so proud of those kids," said Tom Nerney, who returns as Brick American president. "In the states, they beat Livingston, 8-6, in 14 innings and then came back the next day and beat them again, 1-0 [for the title] in the best youth game I've ever seen.

"They were unbelievable. It was a reflection of the parents, of the kids' abilities and of their coaches," said Nerney. "They were spectacular, the team nobody knew about. They came out of the losers' bracket every time in the districts, sections, states and regionals."

And in two weeks, it all starts again.

Brick American opens its season on the morning of April 1 with 750 youngsters on 54 teams. The numbers, which fluctuate from year-to-year, are down by about 75 from the previous year, which Nerney says "is because the town now is about 98 percent built out and the drop is in the tee-ball program because we don't have the numbers coming up to replace those who graduated. We're down three teams from nine to six and that's our biggest drop-off but it will eventually level off," said Nerney. "It's not felt in the other age groups yet until those kids move up."

As a result, t-ball drops down in numbers and two other divisions lose a team - minor league from 12 to 11 teams because it could not replace the manager who left the team, and minor league AA lost one team in the 13-14 age bracket and is down to four teams.

There are some changes involving the Brick American program.

There is a district tournament for 13-year-olds which will play toward state championships, like the 10s and 11s did a year ago. The 10s and 11s now are playing in the district tournament, which began last year.

And Nerney said his league is excited about the new Little League team champions, in which the league winners will compete in district play. The Angels of manager Kevin Case won last year's championship in the 10-team league.

For the first time, Brick American will enter its three Senior and four Junior teams in inter-league play against teams from leagues such as Holbrook of Jackson, Toms River, Manchester and Lakewood.

What also has affected the league is moving the cut-off date from July 31 to April 30.

"It's fouled things up but it will work itself out," said Nerney.

A lot of Brick American's major projects were completed a few years ago - an indoor facility was built three years ago and the league spent $40,000 two years ago to refurbish the fields. By the end of this season, Nerney said he and the executive board have to re-evaluate the fields to see if they need work over the offseason.

"The town does a lot for us but they don't have the equipment and the expertise to keep the fields up so you have to spend the money to have it professionally done," said Nerney.

What has been tough, says Nerney, "is getting quality, knowledgeable coaches at the older age level." But that problem always seems resolved once spring arrives.

"What is good is that of our 150 coaches, two-thirds of them have children but the others don't and that says something about their commitment," said Nerney.

And he says the athleticism is not the same.

"Maybe it's spending so much time on the computers or the kids' obesity issue, but the quickness and strength are not there and the hand-eye coordination is not the same," he said.

But Nerney and his executive committee have continued to maintain a first-class league. The officers include Vice President Jon Denley, First Vice President Bob LePore, Treasurer Steve Spinelli, Sergeant at Arms Gene Carafa, Safety Office Ed Rizitello, Buildings Director Mike Carney, Field Maintenance Director Bob Nelson, Umpire in Chief Jack Oujo and player agents Ray Triano for t-ball, John Hazlet Jr. for pitch coach, Joe Short for minor leagues, Mike Radilewski for 11-12 minors, Charlie Marvin for major league, Charlie McGinness for Junior League and Minor AA and Jeff Thompson for Senior League.