Saying Goodbye To A Legendary Coach

On May 27^th the Essex Hornets Baseball team will be trying to wrap up their second consecutive Metro League Title, as well as earn themselves one of the top seeds in the upcoming Vermont Division 1 Tournament, when they host Middlebury at 4:30 pm.  For many Hornets fans, players, and parents, as well as baseball fans throughout the Vermont community, a more important event will be occurring that afternoon, the final regular season home game in the career of Essex Head Coach Steve Ferreira.

Over the past 43 years, Coach Ferreira has inhabited the dugouts at Essex High School as the head coach of the Varsity Baseball team.  Throughout those years, Ferreira has amassed a 521-243 record (as of 5/23/10), while winning 4 State Championships and competing in 9 title games.  Under his lead, the Hornets have also won 13 Metro Championships.  Individually, Ferreira was named Metro Coach of the Year 6 times, while leading the Vermont Twin State baseball team, either as the head coach or an assistant coach, a total of four times.

During Ferreira’s long tenure of coaching, he has helped several local stars in their baseball careers at Essex and beyond.  One notable player that Ferreira coached was Bill Currier (Class of ’78) who was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies organization after his time at Essex and went on to become the  head coach of the University of Vermont baseball team for 22 years.  Currently, Currier is down in Knoxville as an Assistant Coach with the University of Tennessee, but was happy to comment on his legendary high school coach.  Ferreira has had a profound impact on the life of the Tennessee assistant as he has also coached a new generation of Curriers, all three of Bill’s sons (Brad, Bryan, and Bryce).  “It’s always difficult for a college coach’s son to play for anyone other than their dad, and Steve has handled it very well knowing that my kids have seen a lot of baseball…they all have really enjoyed playing for him,” Currier told us.  While Ferreira has given a lot to Currier’s three sons, Bill also understands the great impact Steve has had on other families.  “It means a lot to me that Steve has given so much to the kids who have come through the Essex baseball program.  He has coached fathers, he has coached sons…I think he’s coached a few grandsons.  Steve is always out there for the best interest of the kids and he’s done a great job of that for many many years.”

Ferreira watches his team from the dugout - click to enlarge

Currier, who has seen Ferreira coach a lot of baseball, chuckled when asked what his favorite memories of his coach were.  “My favorite memory of Steve”, he recounts, “is the way he deals with the umpires. He may be real upset but he’s so humorous, it makes people laugh to watch him banter with the umpires after all the times he has come out on the field throughout the years.  It has been a funny memory of Steve for me.”

Another father and son combo who has had the privilege of playing for Coach Ferreira is current Hornets shortstop David Valley and his father Tom (Class of ’82).  Tom Valley, who went on to play at Western Carolina after his time at Essex, sees the same traits in Ferreira’s coaching today that made him a winner in the 80’s.  Before David began his time on the Varsity team at Essex, his father let him know what it would be like to play for Steve. The younger Valley recalls, “(My dad told me that) Coach Ferreira was pretty intense and passionate about coaching, and that sometimes he might be ‘loud’ but that is because of his passion.”

Tom’s greatest memory of Ferreira displays the passion that was described to David, as well as the loyalty the great coach has showed for his players. “My senior year we were in a playoff game with South Burlington (14 inning game).  I had a chance to win the game tagging up from third and I ran over the catcher (back then you could do that).  Most of the bench from South Burlington emptied and the first two people behind me were my brother TJ (assistant coach) and Steve.  You simply didn’t mess with one of Steve’s players.” Tom also added that this memory went far beyond that specific game, as well as the game of baseball as a whole.  “You see, with Steve, if you are one of the kids that have been coached by him, the relationship does not stop after you graduate high school.  He is always there for you and has always got your back so to speak.  Loyalty is big with Steve.”

Ferreira congratulates Adam Picard on scoring a run - click to enlarge

When looking back on memories of his father’s playing career, David enjoys the fact that he has played for the same coach. “I think it is pretty cool (to play for the same coach).  I remember my father telling me some stories about high school baseball and I tell him, ‘you know what, I have heard that same story!’”

In 2008, David’s first varsity season as a Hornet, he was able to accomplish something that his father was unable to do.  Twenty-six years after Tom’s final at bat with Essex, Valley’s son won a State Baseball Championship with Coach Ferreira.  David reflected upon that feat, and his coach’s final season by saying, “I feel pretty special that Coach will be retiring after this season.  I think he has a strong bond with our class.  We won a state championship my sophomore year and we very much want to end his career with another state championship.”

Another player who competed under Coach Ferreira and helped win an Essex Baseball State Championship in 2002 was Paul Morgan (Class of ’03).  Paul is also another alumnus of Ferreira who has followed the career path of coaching locally, as the current head coach at Saint Michael’s College.  In his own baseball career, Morgan lettered at Williams College (2004-2007) after Essex, and remembers his high school coach as a person who would help you out no matter if it was an on or off field issue.  “I remember Coach for all his stories and his willingness to do anything for you.  His record on the field speaks for itself, but off the field he was such a great guy, you couldn’t help but love him,” Morgan told us.

Another alumnus who is coaching at the high school level in Vermont is Champlain Valley Union’s Head Coach, Tim Albertson.  Albertson graduated from Essex in 1999 and continued his career at MacMurray State in Illinois.  Like Morgan, Albertson remembers Ferreira as a great story teller, but states he knew there was always a great lesson or meaning behind everything the coach said. “Some of my best memories of Coach Ferreira come from both the classroom as a teacher, and on the field as a coach. He is a great motivator and story teller, and every one of his stories relates to whatever topic he is focused on, whether it is a spider story, Jeter’s heroics, covering first, or running the bases.  While it may take a while to get there, he always kept you listening to every detail until he got his point across.”

Ferreira questions a dropped ball call - click to enlarge

Albertson, who is now competing against his old coach in the Metro, is instilling the values he learned from Ferreira as a Hornet to his young group of Redhawks.  “Steve has set the bar when it comes to performance expectations.  You always know that Essex will give you a tough game, due to their technique and aggressive style of ‘go big’ and ‘establish yourself.’  Having played for Steve, I understand his expectations and feel that they are reasonable. Every team in the state is forced and expected to rise to the occasion of playing Essex. The goals that Steve sets each season are to be the best in the state every year. It’s been fun to coach against him. I know what to expect, but he always has a trick up his sleeve.”

Ferreira has also been an inspiration to many other coaches in the league, even those that he hasn’t coached during his career.  Ferreira has helped guide many Vermont baseball coaches through the Vermont Baseball Coaches Association, which he founded and is a 29-year member of.  The VBCA is an organization that helps the Vermont Principal’s Association (VPA) run High School Championship Games, as well as the North vs South All-Star Game.  Ferreira, who has served as a President of the VBCA in the past, is currently on the board of directors.

A friend and fellow coach who also serves on the Board of Directors of the VBCA is Adam Provost, who currently coaches at Burr and Burton Academy in Manchester, VT but is known in northern Vermont for his time as CVU head coach from 1995-2005.  Provost has worked closely with Ferreira as a colleague and opponent throughout his career and has valued their relationship.  “I didn’t play for Coach Ferreira but I’ve always felt a great camaraderie with Steve and many other of the gents in the Vermont Baseball Coaches Association. Essentially, many of us have been on the same team for decades, just steering our own ships along the way. Steve has been a mentor to so many of us over the years and likely for years into the future,” Provost told us about his experience with Ferreira through various endeavors, including the VBCA.

With Ferreira’s tenure as head coach at Essex ending in 2010, many of his friends, former players, and colleagues will be sad to see him go and wish him the best of luck. “Vermont baseball will be losing a great man.  He was a great guy beyond baseball and had a wealth of knowledge and stories that he was always more than willing to share,” Paul Morgan said on his thoughts of Ferreira’s retirement. “Good luck and relax!  Essex will miss your presence in the dugout and the relationship you formed with all of you players.  It’s no surprise that so many former players come back to watch the current teams,” Morgan added as a farewell to his old coach.

Ferreira has a laugh during a game - click to enlarge

Albertson, who may personally be sad to see his old coach go, but whose Redhawks will greatly benefit from Ferreira’s absence said, “Steve has helped improve the quality of baseball in the state of Vermont. With his high expectations, many programs hope to follow the example set by Steve on a quality program.  He has always been a huge advocate for the Vermont Baseball Coaches Association and he has done nothing but look out for our coaches. He will be missed, I want to say thank you for all your help over the years.  He has been a great mentor as a coach, teacher, and a colleague.  He has given me nothing but support while I have begun my coaching career and teaching career.  Thank you for setting the expectations in Vermont Baseball,” Albertson said, appreciative of Ferreira’s efforts as Tim has begun to build his program at CVU since 2009.

While friend and colleague Adam Provost will miss Ferreira as the Head Coach at Essex, he is reluctant to say goodbye, “All this ‘retirement’ business with him baffles me really. I suspect Steve will be involved off the field with the coaches association over the next 30-40 years. It’s a new step for him. I told him I’ve always got a place for him with me as a bench coach. I’ll get him a helmet like Zimmer had in the Yankees dugout and some eye black… and take a lot of pictures… I’m generally not good with farewells, but I can say this… Steve Ferreira is a mentor, colleague and friend. He’s a person you can count on when times are good and when times are tough. Those are traits I value the most in the people I venture to call friends. We’ll keep in touch, keep talking shop and keep working on baseball in Vermont… especially now that he’ll have all sorts of time on his hands.”

Before Ferreira says goodbye, he still has business to tend to.  His Hornets currently sit at first place in the VPA standings and are the favorite to win the Vermont Division 1 State Tournament.  If Ferreira is able to lead his Hornets to a title it would be his fifth, and his tenth finals appearance.  That’s quite a feat!

Note:  For those who want to give a memory or well wish to Steve Ferreira, please use the comment line below.  Also, to look at a complete list of all Essex Baseball Alumni follow this link (click here)