Despite being in the heart of the summer, Bo Bertino is eagerly awaiting the spring.
“It’s the best time of year to fish, and I look forward to doing that with my sons,” Bertino said.
In order to pursue his favorite pastime, Bertino will have to say goodbye to his passion: coaching.
The long-time head coach of the Pittsford Mendon baseball team recently announced his retirement. Bertino has been coaching in Mendon the last 24 years, working with the varsity team the last 22.
Bertino’s legacy at Mendon extends beyond wins and losses. To many of his players, his lessons on life were far more valuable than any advice on the game he could offer them.
“We are certainly very fortunate to have had Bo coaching our son,” said Gary Baron, who’s son Brady played for the Vikings last spring. “There are so many fine things he taught Brady. The way he instilled the “good deeds” life message will be carried with Brady and all of the boys for the rest of their lives.”
The player grows into a coach
Bertino grew up in the city of Rochester and credits his father for having the biggest influence on getting him into baseball. He attended Marshall but he was far from a baseball natural, as he didn’t start until he was a senior.
When he saw playing time though, the right-handed pitcher started to draw the attention of pro scouts. He spent one season with the Seattle Pilots and then earned a two-year minor league contract with the Montreal Expos.
During the offseason Bertino was a teacher in the Rochester City School District and coached football at Franklin. He was approached about coaching baseball at Monroe High School and jumped at the opportunity.
“I renewed my love for helping kids,” Bertino said. “I thought it would be a sin if I didn’t do it. It would have been wrong of me to not help kids. My life wouldn’t be right. Ever since I got out of college, I have always had a way of getting a long with kids.”
The season before Bertino came to Monroe, they ended the year with nine players. Bertino came up with a way to grow interest in the program: spring break trip to Florida.
The next year, 100 players were in the program and they fielded a varsity, junior varsity and freshman team. The good times didn’t last though, as Bertino was soon transferred to an elementary school in the district, which limited the time he could spend with his players.
Despite being in the heart of the summer, Bo Bertino is eagerly awaiting the spring.
“It’s the best time of year to fish, and I look forward to doing that with my sons,” Bertino said.
In order to pursue his favorite pastime, Bertino will have to say goodbye to his passion: coaching.
The long-time head coach of the Pittsford Mendon baseball team recently announced his retirement. Bertino has been coaching in Mendon the last 24 years, working with the varsity team the last 22.
Bertino’s legacy at Mendon extends beyond wins and losses. To many of his players, his lessons on life were far more valuable than any advice on the game he could offer them.
“We are certainly very fortunate to have had Bo coaching our son,” said Gary Baron, who’s son Brady played for the Vikings last spring. “There are so many fine things he taught Brady. The way he instilled the “good deeds” life message will be carried with Brady and all of the boys for the rest of their lives.”
The player grows into a coach
Bertino grew up in the city of Rochester and credits his father for having the biggest influence on getting him into baseball. He attended Marshall but he was far from a baseball natural, as he didn’t start until he was a senior.
When he saw playing time though, the right-handed pitcher started to draw the attention of pro scouts. He spent one season with the Seattle Pilots and then earned a two-year minor league contract with the Montreal Expos.
During the offseason Bertino was a teacher in the Rochester City School District and coached football at Franklin. He was approached about coaching baseball at Monroe High School and jumped at the opportunity.
“I renewed my love for helping kids,” Bertino said. “I thought it would be a sin if I didn’t do it. It would have been wrong of me to not help kids. My life wouldn’t be right. Ever since I got out of college, I have always had a way of getting a long with kids.”
The season before Bertino came to Monroe, they ended the year with nine players. Bertino came up with a way to grow interest in the program: spring break trip to Florida.
The next year, 100 players were in the program and they fielded a varsity, junior varsity and freshman team. The good times didn’t last though, as Bertino was soon transferred to an elementary school in the district, which limited the time he could spend with his players.
“They restructured the (school district) and I got into a little trouble with the principal,” Bertino said. “I was sent down to the elementary school, and that was hard.”
10 years turns into 24
Bertino started his own roofing business, which he still operates today, after leaving the RCSD. His desire to coach was still strong, and he returned to the sidelines as a coach with the Mendon junior varsity baseball team.
He told Pittsford Central School District officials he would work the varsity team for 10 years - that was in 1988. Bertino’s best season with the Vikings came in 2001 when he led the Vikings to the Section 5 Class BB title and an appearance in the state tournament.
“I had to start my own business and I was working way more hours; I couldn’t work with kids and I was feeling guilty,” Bertino said. “So when the chance came to work with kids I put myself into it, I had left some years behind that I shouldn’t have. I wanted to make up for it.”
Bertino doesn’t talk about wins over rivals or league titles when you ask him about his career. He will always mention the kids who improved dramatically from when they arrived in the program to when they left.
There is the story of a Japanese foreign exchange student, who went from not knowing what each position does to ending the season as a starting center fielder and lead off hitter. Then their is Chris Kirby, who went from struggling to earn playing time on the junior varsity team to the varsity team’s cleanup hitter last spring.
In recent years Bertino began handing out t-shirts with the phrase “We Do Good Deeds” on them. After each practice, he would ask players what they did for someone else during the day.
“I can’t tell you how sorry I am that he is stepping down from the coaching job at Mendon,” said Chris Ciaccio, who’s sons John and Anthony played for Bertino. “He has a great record of success, and more importantly, he stands for all the right things.”
Bertino’s respect isn’t limited to former and current players. Even in the always competitive world of high school sports, it is hard to find a coach in the Monroe County League who doesn’t respect Bertino.
“Some of my favorite memories in Victor’s short time in the (Monroe County League) are playing against him,” said Sean Rucker, Victor head coach. “I’ve always had a great respect for the way he coached the game. His sense of humor always came at just the right time during games and in league meetings.”
What’s next?
Despite his decision to leave Mendon, Bertino isn’t ready to give up teaching baseball quite yet. He is hoping to open a baseball academy, where he works with kids on hitting and pitching.
Bertino wants to educate players and parents on how to properly take care of their arms.
“I want to train the parents and the player, exactly how to take care of their arm,” Bertino said. “I’ve never had a kid with a sore arm because of my experience of taking care of own arm. You will never have a sore arm if you take care of it. I know that there are some good private coaches but I think as far as pitching goes, I am the best.”
