Several people this spring inquired if I was going to run polls for the best baseball and softball coaches as I did in the winter with boys and girls basketball coaches.
I thought it was a fun idea. Last week we asked who was the FCIAC’s best baseball coach.
So for this week’s edition of Extra Base Hits, we are going to hold a poll for you to decide who is the best softball coach in the FCIAC.
I’ve spoken to a few coaches, former players and athletic directors to break down the finalists to nine coaches. Three items were used in the selection process: postseason titles, at least several seasons at a school to base a body of work — thus several promising ones are absent — and getting the most out of their players. Recommendations by others were weighted.
So here are the nine finalists. You can vote until noon on Sunday. If you think I erred by omitting someone (most of those, I would presume, are good coaches who haven’t been at their schools very long), feel free to punch the “other” button and send along a comment — appropriate of course or it won’t be posted.
So, who is the FCIAC’s best softball coach? Cast your vote now
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to shs student. no where in the high school sport program should a coach or teacher use foul language to student or player. Trumbull has 4 catchers an none of them catch, A coach should coach so when a player makes a mistake you dont ream them in front family an friends you tell them to shake it off an work on it in practice.
Pia beats Judge everytime- High School or travel ball field. The difference-Charlie’s players fear him-Tom’s players love him
Just a hunch: this isn’t an SHS student from Black Knight nation.
If it weren’t for Charlie Judge, none of these coaches would be on here, Judge trains Macari of Westhill, DeMaio of Darien, and Kuzco if Stamford High. Theres no way Tony Esposito should be the coach of the year! This acclamation truly belongs to Judge no matter what kind of foul mouth or explosive intensity he coaches with. All that matters is winning ball games, and he does just that.
I would split my vote in half and give half to Tony Esposito and the other half to Tom Pia. Both of these hard working men deserve accolades on so many levels. They are wonderful teachers and great advocates of their players. Both are tremendous Caoches who give tirelessly to kids on and off the softball diamond.
Congrats Tony (looks like you will win) but Tom your skills and love of the game/players is right there too.
I was on the team when Jeff Babineau walked onto the team. Although i knew him from travel ball and that he was a coach, but i did not know what it was going to be. But in our first meeting, the man showed up in a suit and set the tone. He stated what his goals were and what he expects. Later in the season, he showed us that he really cares about the softball game and knows his game. After reading above about Charlie Judge yelling at his players, Jeff Babineau yelled us when we did not hustle or do something right. Now I am playing in college and having a pretty good season so far because I kept in mind the one quote he always told me: “Always be ready!” I have had this motto stuck in my head ever since he first came into the school.
I’m sorry but no way is Charlie Judge the best coach in the FCIAC. A part of being a good coach is knowing how to deal with your players, and how Judge talks down to and disrespects his girls is absurd in my opinion. Frankly, the way Judge behaves is an embarassment to himself and his team. My vote for this one is Jeff Babineau.
Couldn’t have said it better myself Softball Mom and B. Jeff Babineau is by far the best coach in the FCIAC. Wether this poll shows it or not, those who have played for Coach Babineau know who the winner is.
I believe that there is so much more to coaching than wins and loses.I think that the FCIAC has many very good coaches. But I watch and hear some of these guys mentioned above and wonder how a school allows them on a field. There is no place for a coach that is consistantly and noticably rude to his players whether he or she can call pitches or not. The McMahon fan mentioned Dani Brown. Someday soon that young women will be the obviouse choice.
I agree with a softball mom that knows in Jeff Babineau being number one. I couldn’t have said it better myself and I was lucky to have him as a coach for many years. He still is pushing me to be my best in college and the coaching has not just happened on the field. He has taught me so much off the field as well. He is one of my influences for being a future teacher and coach and he will always be number one in my poll. I have so much to thank him for and I’m proud to be a player of Jeff Babineau.
You can’t rate coaches by wins or loses . The FCIAC has many good softball coaches and to say who is better than someone else is farfetched. If everyone had the same talent then you could make a case. A coach that treats his or her team with respect and teaches them the basic fundamentals of the game are the coaches that I would like my daughter to play for.
My vote is hands down for Jeff Babineau. My daughter was fortunate to have had the opportunity to play for this extraordinary man while on the Xtreme Chaos softball team. Nobody and I mean NOBODY works harder than Jeff teaching the game of softball. He is the most organized and well prepared coach I have ever met.He is an exemplary teacher and manager, one who unselfishly shares his knowledge and passion for the game.He has high expectations of his players and of himself. He inspires and motivates his players to want to do their best even years after their playing days with Jeff. But more importantly, he truly cares about the girls and has demonstrated his dedication to his players time and time again.
These polls are entertaining but the true winners are the girls that can proudly say ” I played for Coach Babineau”.
Credit Darien with success as a town with 20,000. So much success with so many sports. Just amazing. Excellent softball facilities at the High School – probably the best in the FCIAC! Great to see the Darien girls getting treated well! The TOWN of Darien gets my vote for getting it done with a small population.
What coach out there has been influential in building the feeder programs up, has participated in the travel ball process, and has also been able to be a positive role model for the girls well beyond the softball universe? And YES, the conduct of the coach matters.
Nod to Westhill’s Tom Pia, despite the population advantage that the Stamford schools enjoy. Pia’s out there all summer long developing talent, very quietly.
Staples wouldn’t trade Rookie Head Coach Sara Holland for anyone!
Tom Pia by Far, he has the most wins and his team is always respected. The Demaio thing is amazing, daughter,niece,brother what is going on there? I feel sorry for the other girls on that team they don’t stand a chance,
My daughter played softball for years and most of these coaches are amazing. But I do need to agree that Charlie Judge is absolutely rude to his girls. It’s one thing to yell at them to hustle, it’s another to use language that does not belong on a ballfield. It is embarrassing and shows absolute disrespect for the sport. Wake up Mr. Judge use your skills not your mouth! Why does a school allow a coach to humiliate and speak to his girls with this language?
Being a former player in the fciac and Having the privilege of getting to play against these coaches I think that no one should be bad mouthed because they are all very successful coaches and knowledgable coaches for that. I do have to say I think that this award should go to Jeff Babineau who has had success coming into a tough spot and doing something most coaches can’t with his knowledge of the game and truly getting to know his players strengths to bring out the best in them. He has had much success in the travel game and switched gears continuing to have this success and pass this knowledge onto his players.
Tony Esposito. No contest.
He didn’t just teach about softball – he taught about the importance of working hard, pushing ones self, developing dedication and a sense of pride, creating self expectations. Don’t forget, they’re really not just softball coaches. They’re coaches to student athletes – people who are still growing up. I can’t be more grateful to the life lessons I learned from Es.
And apart from that, he’s one of the kindest and most caring coaches I’ve had – I felt like we all were family when I played on his team.
I played for charlie judge a few years ago. While he may not be the most sensitive coach, he knows the game. He may yell at you during a game but it’s only to make us into the players he knows we are. Off the field, he is a very inspiring and kind hearted man. He deserves to win because he makes a difference. Because he cares. He isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, but he makes a difference.
Tom Pia- Hands down!!!
Look at the success Westhill has had in recent years. My daughter played for him in Travel Ball and would run through walls for him. There are dozens of his former players playing significant roles for their college teams right now. He was instrumental in helping my daughter get to play in college
I was a player for Charlie Judge and although at times, he does not talk to his girls in the best manner, he is by far the best coach in the FCIAC. The only thing Charlie wants out of his players is to play to the best of their ability, and when he knows that there is a lack in effort, he is disappointed and only wants us to play the game the way he knows we can. I have had many coaches in my softball career, and by far, he knows the most about the game and the best way it should be played. I was taught the correct skills for offense and defense that was not taught by many coaches. Charlie loves his players and would do absolutely anything for them. Clearly he is not perfect and many people do not agree with his tactics, but I owe Charlie a big thank you for everything he has taught me and couldn’t think of a better coach to have while attending Trumbull.
If everyone who worked with Charlie Judge hated him then why did they go to him for lessons?? Oh right because he is an amazing COACH. Is this a personality contest or about their coaching? Charlie Judge has had many successful players come out of his program. He deserves to win.
What Dani Brown has done with McMahon in the last two seasons cant go unoticed! The program will only continue to grow and return to being successful.
Nick has put together a program that consistantly rates in the top tier of the conference.
He instills pride in the team, encourages the group to obtain excellence through cooperative effeorts and inspires when others might berate.Truly the Knute Rockney of Softball…
I agree with Softball-EVERYONE who works with Charlie Judge hates him-The way he talks to the girls on his team is rude and unprofessional. He doesn’t deserve to win!!
Look no farther than Tony Esposito of Stamford….no one gets more out of less than him.
I am pretty sure that all the pitchers that worked with Charlie Judge hated him. I was a high school pitcher and i remember my friend playing on the team wished that she went to a different high school. Charlie Judge should not win this poll. However, Jeff Babineau had many successful players go on and become successful in the college careers.
There is no doubt that Jeff Babineau of SJ is hands down the best softball coach in the FCIAC.
To me, this answer is a no brainer. Not only has Charlie Judge had his own success coaching, he trains a majority of the pitchers in the FCIAC in the off season. All coaches listed above are very good, but to me Charlie Judge is the best.
Jeff Babineau has also launched the careers of many D1, D2 and D3 softball players…..a very skilled and beloved coach!!
Agreed. I just wanted to keep this to coaches who have been at their schools a few years.
Harry Trohalis of Danbury is an excellent coach without much of a feeder system.
Jeff Babineau deserves to win this poll because for him to come to a high school program and winning a state championship in his first season is pretty impressive. This man knows the game of softball by his heart and is a great coach. If he did not become the SJHS softball coach, the team would have not have succeeded.