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06/16/2016 12:00 AMAJ Margnelli was one of the prominent pitchers in the Shoreline Conference during his playing days and he’s since given back to the game in a big way by coaching right where it all began—at Haddam-Killingworth High School.
AJ played for the Cougars’ baseball squad before graduating in 2008. AJ was a member of HK’s Shoreline Conference champion team in 2006, then made First Team All-Shoreline and was the conference’s Pitcher of the Year as a senior captain two years later. After returning to HK as the baseball team’s JV coach in 2015, AJ began his first campaign as a varsity assistant this spring. He primarily worked with the club’s pitchers and outfielders and ultimately helped pilot the Cougars back to the Class M State Tournament semifinals.
“I was trying to find some coaching opportunities and HK reached out to me last year and said they needed help at the JV level,” says AJ, who grew up and still lives in Haddam. “I was also looking for teaching experience while going for my master’s, plus it was my dream to coach baseball, so I took the chance.”
Although the baseball field is a much-different environment than the classroom, AJ explains that both arenas involve the essence of coaching with the way mentors instill valuable lessons of persistence and positivity.
“You have to take every day as a new day with coaching. In baseball, you aren’t always expected to be the top seed, so you have to take what you are given and work with it,” AJ says. “I always try to keep things on a positive mindset and push myself to show them that I want to be here.”
Having worked with AJ as both a player and now a colleague, HK Head Coach Mark Brookes praises him for owning the right mindset on the diamond, as well as an ability to relate to the Cougars’ current crop of players.
“AJ has come in and done an outstanding job with the pitching staff and outfielders. His rapport with the kids is very effective and he has shown excellent decision-making skills and is a teacher of sound baseball fundamentals,” says Brookes. “Our regular season record of 16-4 is largely due to his coaching.”
One of the things AJ enjoys most about being on HK’s coaching staff is that he gets to share his love for baseball with a bunch of kids who are learning all about the sport. AJ feels that a key aspect in his role as a coach is teaching his players how to honor the game by showing respect on the field.
“Coaching is a feeling you can’t find anywhere else. You are surrounded by like-minded players who are ready to achieve their goals. You can’t ask for much more,” says AJ. “Respect of the game is a big thing with me. I feel the most well-rounded, complete athletes are in baseball. It’s a group of guys that are always together and baseball creates that environment.”
The Cougars made the Class M state final in 2014, although they weren’t picked by many to go so deep into states this season after struggling to a 10-10 mark last year. However, AJ and HK proved the naysayers wrong behind a group of guys who were eager to learn and grow every day.
“No one thought we would be here and get this far. The team last year was hoping to get back to the state final, but we missed that goal,” says AJ. “We started this year hot, but then we slipped a little bit. But they know we are focusing on the fundamentals and, when we as coaches see them make that little change or adjustment to improve something, we take it and run with it.”