Young coach opens a new chapter at HPHS baseball

Mark Blevins believes that Highland Park High School baseball is in need of some extra motivation and increased chances to succeed.

So when the 25-year-old Edison native takes over as head coach this spring, his first task is getting the players on the same page with his vision.

“Highland Park could be a baseball town, there’s a lot of opportunity and promise,” Blevins says. “Players and parents seem willing to let it thrive. (Athletic Director Craig) Girvan gave me an opportunity to take the reins and we’re thinking all positives. I’m interested in being able to build a program the way I’ve seen programs built up.”

Blevins, who directs the Mike Garlatti-owned Baseball Warehouse in the borough's light industrial area, takes over for Rich McGlynn. McGlynn served as Owls baseball head coach for five years. Blevins will remain a Physical Education and Health teacher at Edison High School, but will leave his volunteer assistant post within the Eagles’ baseball program. “I have been in H.P. at the warehouse for seven years, and it’s a diamond in the rough," Blevins says; the head coaching opportunity was "something I’ve looked forward to my whole life . . . I saw kids go through the system and been around players from [Highland Park] on the field and teaching them.”

A 2003 Edison High School graduate and an infielder on Kean’s 2007 Division III World Series championship team, Blevins takes over a HP squad that went 2-17 in 2010. The Owls take the step down to the Greater Middlesex Conference-Gold Division after spending the last seven years in the Blue.

“I’m trying to take from my past experience at Edison and playing at Kean,” Blevins said. “It can be done at H.P. on a smaller scale by building a baseball culture. It’s not all going to happen at once, but can be with some hard work and dedication and all-year-round time. By simple fundraising, family events and things like that, kids will adopt to it well.”

The Owls return a young lineup that has a lot of varsity experience. Juniors Jason Potts (1B), Nick Baay (2B), and Pat Ambrosio (3B/P/C) all have played two years on the diamond for HPHS. Sophomores Angelo Odato (SS), James Webb (OF), and Quatay Nesmith (OF) return as well; and junior Ben Vietze comes over from St. Joseph (Metuchen) for some pitching help. Senior utility players Reuben Kuchinsky and Donald Wen, and freshman outfielder Andy Powell, will look to help with depth.

Due to high school rules, Blevins can’t officially practice with his team until the second week of March, but the squad has the advantage of an open invitation to the Warehouse, which is within walking distance from the high school. Two-thirds of the team has shown up to those workouts without Blevins present.

Because he’s someone who played through a coaching transition at Edison and has mentored youth teams since college, Blevins has a clear plan of action for the future.

“Coaching at the high school level, you need a little bit of everything,” Blevins said. “You come into so many different players and personalities, so you have to coach from different aspects. Sometimes be the motivator, other times be the guy to let pieces fall. I have to see the team before I commit to any positions or arrangements and then we go from there.”

While he admits that the move down to the Gold Division will give the Owls a chance “to compete with schools in similar situations,” Blevins said the intensity of his practices will not allow for complacency to set in.

“I think that the first thing we have to establish right away is discipline,” Blevins said. “Coming to practice and getting more than just one thing done is important. Focusing on two or three things out of every day and working hard at them is a practice. Winning only comes when you do things the right way every single day.”

Having raised the money to get practice uniforms, Blevins believes that the Owls are taking small steps to restore the baseball glory that was a part of the borough over a decade ago.

“We have a group of players who want to be motivated and have an opportunity,” Blevins said. “I’m going to give them every opportunity to succeed, but it’s up to them to take that chance. They’ll have every venue open to get better.”

** Practice officially begins on Monday, March 7 and the Mirror will follow all of the results of Blevins’ first year as HPHS Baseball head coach.