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Bialik wins Jewish day school coed softball title
June 25, 2012 | Jack Borenstein - Correspondent
Bialik coed softball team won the Jewish Day School Softball League championship recently. Coaches on top row left to right: Bialik teacher Lindsay Springer, Mike Wilner (Sportsnet 590 Radio The Fan Toronto Blue Jays broadcaster) Bialik teacher Jeff Lieberman and Marcus Dickler, Bialik athletics coordinator.
TORONTO – Bialik Hebrew Day School recently captured the Toronto Jewish Day School League coed softball championship.
After going 5-0 in the regular season they won all five games in the all-day tournament involving seven other Toronto- and Thornhill-based Jewish schools.
Marcus Dickler, Bialik athletics coordinator, said that the championship was the culmination of a great athletic year for the school that won titles in soccer and girls’ basketball and achieved four first-place finishes in the June 13 JDSSL Cross-Country Meet.
He added, “Our sports are successful due to the commitment of all the coaches, who [when it came to] softball ensured we had twice weekly practices. We reflect on practices, what happened in games and made changes or corrections as needed. We hit into two triple plays our first game this season through line drives or pop outs. We expect mistakes to happen during games at this level and strive to eliminate them.”
Dickler said he and other Blizzard softball coaches come from various backgrounds.
“Lindsay Springer and Jeff Lieberman are Bialik teachers and Mike Wilner (Sportsnet Radio 590 The Fan Toronto Blue Jays broadcaster) is around professional baseball through his work.
“We are able to break down games and practices and focus on our batters not looking at the ball while running to first base, smart base running, and on defence, hitting the cut-off person. Our shortstop is the infield captain and our centrefielder is captain of the outfield and we make sure both take charge defensively. We place our players in the best position to succeed.”
Bialik faced Associated Hebrew Schools – Kamin Campus in the playoff final game. Associated scored three runs in the first inning.
“The coaches told our players after the half inning we didn’t need three runs right away and to chip away at the lead,” Dickler said. “Kamin pitchers were outstanding all day but we knew they were gassed when they faced us. They constantly walked our players and we rallied to win it all.”
Dickler said the Blizzard’s winning pitcher was on the 2011 squad that lost in the final and told him before the 2012 final that “‘I want to make sure our team wins it all this year.’ When a student can reflect what happened the year before it’s a learning experience not only in athletics but for education and life in general. It’s phenomenal for students to explore and display talent and skills inside and outside the classroom through athletics or other disciplines like drama.
“As an educator we want to [ensure that] our students [are] well rounded…. We’re proud of Bialik’s achievements inside and outside the classrooms.”
Email: j_borenstein@hotmail.com, Twitter: www.twitter.com/JackJaybee
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