The inaugural season of the Long Island Bucs Baseball Club was a tremendous success. This group of 14-year-old boys played a tough schedule and came through it as proven ball players .The wins were hard to come by but each boy came away with a positive thought for next season. Playing in the Federation of Amateur Baseball Leagues the players fought hard against some of the best competition Long Island has to offer.

The Bucs consisted of boys from Farmingdale, Bellmore, West Hempstead, Wantagh, Merrick and Flushing. These new teammates struggled early on as they worked hard in becoming a team.

Pitching aces Danny Werbeck, Jimmy Daly, Robert Thompson, Danny Wall, Brandon Krueter, Michael Colosuono, Bruce Bradley, Derek Jones and Mickey Venezia worked hard and threw strikes vs. some talented hitters. The tools of ignorance (catching duties) were handled well by Tom Kananowicz, with help from Brendan Lazarus, Bruce Bradley and Thompson.

The infield was anchored by SS Dan Kinney and 2B Derek Jones with gold glove plays by Ryan Catterson, Justin Gibilterra, Venezia, Wall, Krueter and Daly. The outfield play was outstanding as Michael Leung, Lazarus, Venezia, Bradley, Colosouno and Andrew Kohlmann tracked down fly balls all season long.

The great game of baseball in 2002 is about hitting, Bruce Bradley (.341) was the spark plug, Brendan Lazarus'(.313) bat always seemed to find the ball, Colosouno (.311) got on base and "right wing " Danny Wall provided the muscle. Every team needs a leader and MVP Mickey Venezia (.371 BA .463 OB percent) provided big hits when ever the team needed that RBI. Speedy Tom Kananowicz also chipped in with a solid hitting season.

The fall season is just around the corner and work outs for next season will begin before you know it .The great game of baseball is a game made for the boys of summer and these boys came through like the young men they are ........Congratulations !