13 to go

Kenneth Switnicki

13 to go
UR cross-country coach living a dream

Eighty-seven down and 13 to go - baseball games that is. That's the goal for former Churchville-Chili and Gates Chili cross country coach Kenneth Switnicki. "I wanted to have one summer to relive my youth," said the current assistant cross country coach at the University of Rochester. "I grew up in New York City going to (New York) Mets games."

His journey this season began in March when he attended six spring training games in Florida with his beloved Philadelphia Phillies playing in five of them in locals such as Kissimmee, Lakeland, St. Petersburg and their spring home in Clearwater.

Then came a string of 18 Rochester Red Wings games. Mixed in was a May trip to Toronto as the Phillies visited for two games, a day trip to Syracuse and a relatively quick jaunt through Lakewood, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Reading, Pennsylvania and New York City in early June. Philadelphia also was the target on a two game trip to Cleveland. Denver and Ottawa were other early summer stops.

The most extensive travel just concluded August 8 following 15 days and over 2,300 miles of driving. A game at Jacobs Field in Cleveland July 25 was followed in succession with Pro Cooper Stadium in Columbus, Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, Victory Field in Indianapolis, Busch Stadium in St. Louis, GCS Ballpark in Sauget, Illinois, Wrigley Field in Chicago, Miller Park in Milwaukee, Comerica Park in Detroit, Fifth Third Field in Toledo and Jerry Uht Park in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Switnicki, 47-years-old, was a member of both the track and cross country teams coached by John Izzo and graduated from SUNY Brockport in 1984. He took over as head coach of Cross Country/Track & Field at Churchville-Chili in 1986 and moved on to Gates Chili from 1995-97 before entering the college ranks at R.I.T. He has coached at the University of Rochester for the last three seasons.

As of this writing, he had accumulated 87 games and figured 100 would not be a problem with the Red Wings having eight home games plus potentially the playoffs. Also on his future

"The only two problems on the trip were an 87 minute rain delay in Cincinnati, but they played through more rain when it restarted in the fourth inning and a two hour delay at the start of the game in Toledo."

"My top moment was actually not baseball related," recalled Switnicki. "I was at a blues club in Chicago called Buddy Guy's Legends and Buddy Guy was there. He also had a female blues artist with him and I had my picture taken with the two of them. Number two was singing 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame,' at Wrigley Field."