Locker Room Talk had the opportunity to talk to the Trinity College Baseball captain, Johnny Stamatis, a 2nd team All-NESCAC standout, and two-time Academic All-NESCAC selection, about how he decided to attend Trinity and what it takes to be a leader at the collegiate level.

LRT: What is the best piece of advice that you can offer a student-athlete who is looking to play baseball at Trinity?

Johnny: The best piece of advice that I can offer is to be the hardest working individual on and off the field. Whether you are in the classroom or at practice with your teammates, your work ethic will never go unnoticed. Professors and coaches are the first to see how hard a student/player is working and how determined they are to achieve success. If you work hard at something that you love doing, great results will come. Having four years to play baseball with your best friends at a great school is not an opportunity that everyone gets to have, so cherish the experience and take nothing for granted.

LRT: How many other schools did you look at before you decided that Trinity was the right school for you and why did you pick Trinity?

Johnny: I narrowed my college search down to a few schools before deciding that Trinity was the right fit for me. I would say around 3-5. Ever since I took a tour of Trinity and did an overnight with the baseball team, I knew that it was the right fit and I could really see myself enjoying my time here. I picked Trinity for a few reasons. I wanted a strong academic school with a great baseball program. More importantly, I was confident that I could come into my freshman year and make an impact on the team. Here I am going into my senior year at Trinity and I could not be happier with my decision.

LRT: In one word what is your favorite part of being a student-athlete at Trinity?

Johnny: Friendships. Being a student athlete at Trinity you are able to make so many friends inside and outside of sports and the classroom. These are friends that I will connect with for the rest of my life.

LRT: Being that you have achieved such success in the three years you've been at Trinity, being an all-NESCAC selection and an Academic All-NESCAC, what do you think is the main reason for your success? What do you attribute your success to?

Johnny: I think the main reason for my success or anybody's success on a collegiate sports team is their hard work and positive attitude. I have always taken pride in my work ethic and I also know how important it is to have a positive attitude even when battling through some adversity. I feel that hard work and positivity can help someone achieve any goal that they set for themselves.

LRT: For those athletes who are looking to be a leader of their team like you are, being a captain specifically, what piece of advice can you give them to reach that goal? What makes a good leader?

Johnny: Some advice that I would have is to be respectful to all of your coaches and teammates. Establishing a good relationship with everyone on the team is crucial in being able to earn their respect and their trust in you as a leader. In my mind a good leader is someone who acts responsibly, puts the team ahead of his/herself, has a positive attitude, and has knowledge of the game. In this upcoming school year, as a captain, I hope I can live up to my expectations of a good leader and represent what makes a good leader.

LRT: How did you get on the coach's radar? In the recruiting process, during your career, what set you apart?

Johnny: I met Coach Adamski my sophomore year of high school when I did a baseball showcase in Long Island. I spoke to Coach Adamski after the showcase and introduced myself and expressed my interest in Trinity. Throughout the recruiting process, I stayed in touch with Coach Adamski, giving him my summer baseball schedule and also making sure to inform him of any showcases that I was looking to attend. Most importantly, I continued to carry on a conversation with him. Anytime that I saw him in person, I made sure to say hi and have a quick conversation (this way he saw my interest in Trinity). I believe that during the process, I set myself apart from other players by continuing to have conversations with the coaches of schools that I was interested in. I showed my interest and was proactive in notifying coaches where I would be playing.

* Originally published on July 28, 2018, by Benjamin Reinisch