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05/18/2016 08:30 AMWhen Rob Manzo’s oldest son, who is now 19, began playing with Max Sinoway Little League when he was seven, Rob volunteered to help. Since then, Rob has been involved in many ways, including assistant coach, coach, board member, and treasurer. Now, 12 years later, Rob is the president of the league.
“I’d always been interested in helping out so when my oldest son started, I offered to be an assistant coach,” says Rob. “Coming into this position, there was a lot of structure in place, so I just try to keep that same program running. It’s such a well-run, organized program and I have good support on the board.”
The board has 13 members including Rob and a commissioner for each of Max Sinoway’s four divisions. In addition to the board, Rob also thanks his wife, Paulette, for supporting him and the time it takes to be president of the league.
Rob says running the league can be like a second full-time job. The spring season runs through July 31, but Rob and the board then jump right into preparing for Fall Ball, which runs through Oct. 31.
“We usually take most of November off, but then we’re right back to planning for the next season with registration in January,” says Rob. “Paulette has been great. She’s been very helpful this year, coming to every game and selling apparel on opening day. I have a very good support system.”
Being involved for more than a decade, Rob has seen tremendous growth in the program. He remembers that when his oldest son started playing, tee ball and Fall Ball weren’t offered. He credits much of the growth to former Max Sinoway president Bob Powers. The league now has more than 360 kids participating.
“I learned a lot from Bob when he was president and saw what he did for baseball in town,” says Rob. “The more you get involved, the more you don’t mind doing for kids.
“I just want them to be happy and come back to play each year—that’s thanks enough,” he says.
Max Sinoway Little League isn’t the only place Rob is involved. He is also the treasurer of North Haven Girls’ Softball and Babe Ruth.
Being a treasurer is right up Rob’s alley as he has been an examiner for the National Credit Union Administration and graduated with an accounting degree from Southern Connecticut State University. Rob, a Yankees fan, tries to work in trips to different baseball stadiums throughout the country when he travels for work.
Rob played Little League growing up in Florida before moving to North Haven with his family to Connecticut as a freshman in college. Rob and his wife, Paulette, chose to raise their children—James, Kelly, and Andrew—in North Haven. While he hasn’t played baseball since he was young, he remembers his grandfather’s lessons and also took a number of coaching classes.
“I learned a lot from my grandfather and I had a couple good coaches along the way,” says Rob. “When I started with Max Sinoway, there were a number of very good coaches I learned from along way, including Bill Mitchell, who was one of my son’s first coaches. I watched and observed these coaches, like Bob Powers, who coached professionally in the Italian baseball league.”
Much of the Manzo family’s time has been spent together on the diamond and he recalls many fond memories, such as the first time his kids put their uniforms on and each of their first hits. He has seen them grow into strong players and notes with pride several standout moments of his oldest son’s play in the state tournament last year.
“We’ve always been a very close family and baseball and softball have been a big part of it,” says Rob, who also enjoys golfing with his brother. “We’ve had a lot of bonding moments on the field.”
Rob and his oldest son are creating new memories on the field this year as James his helping Rob coach James’s Junior Majors team this season. His daughter, Kelly, also helps with the North Haven Girls Softball program when she can.
“On the field, I’m ‘Coach’ and there for the whole team,” says Rob. “As president, I’m there for 360-plus players, as coach I’m there for the 12 or more players on the roster, and at home, I’m there for my three kids.”
Rob has now been with the program so long that his older children are on the cusp of aging out of their respective programs. He has seen his son and his son’s teammates grow up and improve over the years. It is hard for him to believe it is coming to a close.
“I enjoy being out there and teaching the kids, watching them grow, and get better as the year progresses,” says Rob. “My parents warned me it’ll be over before you know it and it went by fast. I get choked up just thinking about it or talking about it.”