In the season that never was, the Dublin Gaels Varsity Baseball team was just starting to embark on a journey that was destined to be something incredibly special. However, the reality of it all was that the journey was much longer than just the six games they played in 2020.
In August 2018, the Dublin High Baseball program began a culture transformation. New Head Coach (Ed Dean) and Assistant Coach (Greg Oravetz) looked for new ways to elevate the program and compete as one of the elite teams in Northern California. The addition of a new course at DHS, “speed & strength”, allowed the players to compete everyday during 7th period. They received training on the baseball field, in the classroom, as well as in the weight room. The weight training program was designed and implemented by strength coach Rob Blackwell (olympic competitor and trainer). Coach Blackwell was an extension to the baseball coaching staff, as he developed an incredible relationship with the team. Most important in all of the changes was a group of kids who were committed and willing to sacrifice whatever it takes for the betterment of the team and program. They developed an incredible work ethic and brotherhood that has provided a foundation to our program for years to come. Dublin High Baseball embodies four core values; show up, work hard, be coachable, and be a great teammate.
As the 2020 season began, the Gaels were in a position they hadn’t been in for quite some time. Out of 22 players on the varsity roster, 15 of them were seniors. Those seniors consisted of Gabriel Chamberlain, Nick Costello, Jack Sweeney, Scott Greir, Fernando Sansone, Brent Boyd, Ethan Liao, Ethan Lee, Stewy Thalblum, Eric Morales, Avantae Spikner, Michael Cool, Alex Gaela, Koby Seely, and Andrew Hoffman. The 7 juniors consisted of Zach Lydon, Elijah Lee, Christian Ah Toong, Elliot Lee, Justin McDaniel, JJ Burgess, and Nolan Long. Each and every one of these 22 players served an important role in our team’s success.
The Gaels coaching staff added two new members in 2020 with the addition of Matt McDonald and Scott Mitchell. Although McDonald and Mitchell are new to the coaching ranks they are not new to the Dublin High School baseball program as both played for Coach Oravetz and graduated from Dublin High (Mitchell 2011, McDonald 2015)
