Greenport varsity baseball won’t be taking the diamond this season
It wasn’t the easiest decision to make, but it was the best one. Greenport High School won’t be fielding a varsity baseball team this spring.
“Obviously, it’s not a decision you make lightly, but you got to make, what’s the definition to the students in the long-term health of the program,” Porters athletic director Brian Toussaint said. “Following last season, it became clear that we were definitely facing challenges with pitching depth, which is obviously critical, sustaining a varsity program. We also graduated our starting catcher and one of our primary pitchers.”
It was hardly a snap decision.
“We had conversations with the coaching staff, all the returning players, and we determined that competing at the varsity level would not have been just developmentally challenging, but also competitively,” Toussaint said. “It would not have been appropriate.
“We thought it would be best to field just the junior varsity team this year,” he continued, “allow our athletes an opportunity to gain some valuable experience, be more competitive, especially on the mound, start to develop some more pitchers. Let them grow their skills in a less competitive environment against varsity programs. The goal would be to set the foundation for the future and hopefully get back to varsity as soon as we could.”
Toussaint said that there was no timetable for the future.
“We can’t say when exactly that’s going to be, but hopefully we’re able to develop some more pitching. In the not-too-distant future, we’ll be able to [field] the varsity team again,” he said.
After not fielding a varsity program in 2024, Greenport returned last year as the team struggled to a 1-14 record in Suffolk County League VIII.
Toussaint said that the players’ reaction to competing at the JV level “was pretty positive.”
“They’re understanding,” he said. “Last year was challenging. The consensus was they would rather have a competitive team, even if it’s not at varsity. They’re going to hopefully have some close games, be able to get some more offense going, and not get in so many lopsided affairs where other teams are going to run up the score on us.”
Chris Ryder, an assistant under varsity head coach Chris Golden last year, will direct the squad. Ryder played baseball at Bishop McGann-Mercy High School.
“He’s very hands-on,” Toussaint said. “He’s a baseball guy through and through. I think the kids are definitely taking well to his approach. I know he’s very enthusiastic. He’s looking forward to hopefully building Greenport baseball up and getting back to the varsity level as soon as possible.”
The Greenport JV was scheduled to open its season against Pierson at Mashashimuet Park in Sag Harbor on Wednesday, March 25. The Porters will host the Whalers in their home opener on Friday, March 27, at 4:30 p.m.
In other Greenport updates:
Golden, a former Greenport athletic director, has retired from teaching. He will continue to coach the Mattituck/Southold/Greenport girls soccer team this fall. Toussaint said that Golden, his predecessor, has made a ‘tremendous” impact on Porters’ athletics.
“Over nearly a 40-year career, he’s probably coached everything under the sun,” he said. “I’ve said before how much of a mentor he was to me. He was a great resource as I learned the ropes. It didn’t matter how late I was calling him or what questions I was asking him. He was always willing to help me. He still helps me a lot. We play a lot of pickleball together, so I’m still picking his brain about anything and everything athletics. He was a great resource for me, and obviously a great resource for the community. He’s going to be missed, for sure.”
Toussaint was also hopeful that varsity football would return this fall. The Porters competed at the JV level last fall: “The hope is to field the varsity team … We have every intention to do that. We know what happened last year. It comes down to who we have when [preseason] starts at the end of August. It all depends on who turns up for the first week of practice.”
