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09/06/2018 12:00 AMFred Ferrie has been a mainstay in the Guilford youth sports community for the better half of the past decade, having coached different age levels in several sports. Throughout that time, Fred has helped his athletes create a plethora of memories by guiding them to some titles, while also teaching lifelong lessons that transcend competition.
Fred grew up in New Haven, attending Notre Dame High School in West Haven and then Southern Connecticut State University. Fred, who has lived in Guilford for the last 15 years, first got involved in the local coaching circuit about seven years ago. Since then, he’s coached girls’ recreation basketball at the 5th-, 6th-, and 7th-grade levels, in addition to coaching girls aged 8 to 10 in the Guilford Little League softball program.
Fred says this experience has proven the best of both worlds, because he gets to do something he’s passionate about, while making a positive impact in the lives of Guilford’s young athletes.
“I’ve always loved to coach. I helped out coaching a basketball team years ago and got hooked from there,” says Fred. “When my daughter joined the softball team here, I signed up as a helper for her team and, from there, I wanted to get more involved and began coaching. I haven’t stopped since, and the years have flown by.”
Fred has piloted several of his squads to championship status on both the basketball court and the softball field. Fred’s AAA 8-10 All-Star softball team has won a couple of division titles and also earned a runner-up finish in the District 9 Tournament. For basketball, he’s taken a team to the title in the Fairfield County Basketball League Tournament, as well as at the 16th annual Ulbrich Boys’ & Girls’ Club Christmas Tournament, in recent years.
“I’ve coached some good teams that have won some championships, which is great to see the kids experience winning something,” Fred says. “One year for softball, we won our division and then faced Madison, who won its division, and it was the first time I saw fans bring banners to the games. We won that game, and parents thought that was the best season ever. The next year, we did the same thing, and then beat an undefeated Clinton team, which was a special moment. Last year, we started 1-3, before we won 11 straight and the Christmas Tournament. I told them after that 1-3 start to just think we are 0-0 and start fresh.”
Fred feels that coaching kids goes beyond teaching them how to make a layup or catch a pop fly. He also takes pride in developing confidence and camaraderie among the people on his teams.
“When they are young, it’s about teaching the fundamentals, but it’s also about forming friendships and creating a team atmosphere. They need to learn how to succeed and fail, along with having fun and building confidence. Between the fundamentals and giving them confidence, they are able to do things they’ve never done before,” says Fred. “I also preach effort and teach them life lessons. So many kids want to keep coming back, and it’s such a great experience.”
Guilford Little League baseball coach Fred Rosa says that Fred makes his softball practices an educational and enjoyable experience for his athletes. Rosa adds that Fred continues to keep an eye on their progress even after their days of playing for him are finished.
“Fred goes beyond just being a youth coach. Practices are always longer as he loves helping girls develop their skills. There’s no stopwatch and, when parents show up to pick up their kids, they often have to wait until the girls are done. Rarely does Fred end the practice. When the girls want to finish, he’ll finish,” Rosa says. “Once a girl plays on his team, he watches her development throughout the rest of her career. Not too many coaches attend players games after they were on his or her team, but Fred loves attending his former players’ games to cheer them on.”
No matter which season it is, Fred keeps coming back year after year, so he can see that look on his players’ faces when they have those triumphant moments. It’s a great feeling for Fred when he knows that his athletes are having fun as they learn the game.
“I love watching it all unfold and seeing the smiles on their faces. I tell them to give it their best effort, and then the rest will come. When positive things happen, they believe,” says Fred. “It’s amazing how these kids pay attention. They really stay focused. I love seeing their appreciation for it all, too. I am enjoying the ride of coaching and giving something back. It keeps getting better.”