Computer whiz links runs, hits, eras

For more than half a century at Naperville Central, the task of molding hundreds of baseball players into talented teams has fallen primarily to two head coaches, Hall of Famers Dick Smith and Bill Seiple.

The task of "reuniting" these players is also a two-man job.

Redhawks Hall of Fame assistant coach Phil Lawler and Class of 2007 graduate Nick Stocchero have joined forces to launch the NCHS Baseball Alumni Project.

A new Web site (www.nchsbaseballalum.com) that includes "top five" lists, a "fantasy team" and a database for alumni, with more features to come, links the past with the present.

"The main purpose," Lawler said, "was to reconnect 55 years of successful baseball."

As of Oct. 8, 91 players had contacted the Project, mainly by word of mouth and most with stories to tell.

"Some of them I laughed so hard I fell out of my chair," Lawler said. "Some of them were so touching they brought me to tears."

Lawler was not the one to bring all their tales to light on the Internet. He knew the ideal candidate.

"There was only one call to make," Lawler said.

Stocchero, the former Redhawks bullpen catcher, is a freshman at Bradley University, awarded three different scholarships for his technical expertise and citizenship.

Stocchero took Lawler's call aboard an airplane headed to the Skills USA Championships in Kansas City, Mo., last June.

"I said, 'Sure I'll see what I could do,' " Stocchero told Lawler. Before he departed the plane -- and became national champion in computer repair at the competition -- he composed most of the Web site's interior coding during the two-hour flight.

This is a guy Lawler said had his own computer trouble-shooting business as a freshman; who set up an automatic text messaging system for ballplayers and their parents announcing site changes, delays, cancellations and final scores.

As a senior Stocchero was employed by District 203 as a "technology integration intern" in computer support. The computer he uses at Bradley is composed, he said, mainly of parts he won at Skills USA and assembled.

He was pleased to be a backup catcher for the 2006 Class AA state championship team. It allowed him more time to work on the team Web site. Despite carrying 16 hours this semester of college, he remains committed.

"We want everyone who's ever played baseball at Naperville Central to connect with each other, to see where they are now," Stocchero said. "We're trying to rekindle those friendships and bonds (from) when they were playing."

Stocchero said markets abound for Web sites devoted not just to sports but church groups, Boy Scouts, anything where members may want to keep a tradition alive.

His door is open but his goal is "not to be a zillionaire." One day he'd like to return to Naperville Central to teach. His mother, Gail, is a first-grade teacher in Darien.

"If I really wanted to, I would be a computer programmer and I could probably learn the ins and outs of Web site programming and put together a Google or a YouTube," he said.

"I want to work with people, and that's why I'm leaning toward the education side."

Meanwhile, he'll flesh out the Baseball Alumni Project with scanned newspaper clippings, team rosters and stats, streaming video and as many alumni profiles as there are interested alumni.

All in accordance with Lawler's rumination over a life of baseball.

"Eventually," the coach said, "if you've been around it long enough you realize it's not about winning or losing, it's about building relationships."

Big-time Brittany

Former Neuqua Valley All-America soccer player Brittany Bock was named the National Soccer Coaches Association of America female player of the week of Oct. 10 after totaling 4 goals and an assist in Notre Dame victories over Syracuse and St. John's.

The sixth Fighting Irish player in history to score the first three goals in a game, against Syracuse on Oct. 5, Bock earned several other awards as well.

The junior forward got her first Big East Conference offensive player of the week honor, and was Top Drawer Soccer's national player of the week. Soccer America and Soccer Buzz each had Bock on their national teams.

Just wondering

Is it just us or is this fall sports season whizzing by faster than ever?

Great rebound

Greg Ktistou was hired this spring to coach the Downers Grove North varsity boys basketball team after six-year coach Jim Haack resigned the position to spend more time with his family.

Former all-area Wheaton North and Augustana guard Jim Thomas also applied for the Trojans' head coaching spot. He stepped out of the competition when no teaching positions were available.

Funny how things happen.

Thomas' college roommate at Augustana, former Downers North sensation Drew Carstens, told Thomas this summer a position was indeed opening up. Thomas, bearing master's degrees in secondary education and special education, now works in Downers North's Special Services Department.

It gets better. Ktistou resigned the Downers North basketball job Oct. 1 to accept an offer to play professional basketball for the Rock River Fury. Thomas was hired the next day.

Get ready for some skin-tight man-to-man, coached by a three-time Augustana defensive player of the year.

"We will concede no possession, is what I like to say," Thomas said. "We'll fight tooth and nail on defense."

Out of Wheaton North's Class of 2000 -- transferring from St. Francis after his sophomore year -- Thomas honed his chops under his father, Mike, at St. Michael's, current Wheaton Warrenville South coach Mike Healy, former Wheaton North coach Bob Ward and Augustana's Grey Giovanine.

By all accounts an intense coach, the 26-year-old Thomas began his own career with his youth club team, the Wheaton Heat. He was a volunteer assistant at Wheaton North in 2004-05 before taking over the Falcons sophomores the last two seasons.

"It's just kind of nice to take what I've learned from everybody and put in my own twists," he said.

Downers North can see his stuff right off the bat. The Trojans host seven of their first eight games.

"I just want to help these kids out," he said. "They've been through so much change over the last half-year it'll just be nice to get the ball rolling and see what we can do."