Spicer To Lead Spartans Softball

A veteran coach and long-time supporter of Cayuga Community College athletics is taking over the College's Softball program.

Mike Spicer will take the helm of the Softball program after spending more than a decade starting and coaching a travel league softball team while also coaching baseball and basketball. Spicer has worked with Cayuga's Baseball program since the team's inaugural season in 2018-19.

Spicer is eager to revitalize the Softball program, saying each practice and game is an opportunity to identify areas to improve for players individually and as a team.

"I love to win more than anyone I can think of, but I don't let that impact how I coach. There's no pressure in how I coach or talk with players, especially if they just made a mistake or swung at a bad pitch," he said. "My biggest thing, our slogan in travel ball, was to play hard and have fun. As long as we give everything we can, that's all I ask."

Spartans Athletic Director John Rizzo said Spicer brings a strong coaching background to the program, with an emphasis on fundamentals and hard work.

"Mike is a veteran coach who has worked with players in college, high school and younger ages, so he knows how to work with students and connect with them," said Rizzo. "I fully expect that he'll build a competitive team that plays hard, builds their skills and supports each other."

Spicer knows first-hand the challenges that face college students who also compete in athletics. He played two years of collegiate basketball at Jefferson Community College, and continued to play at the College of St. Joseph's in Vermont.

He's spent his opening months as head coach recruiting and connecting with local high school and travel ball coaches. Speaking with students and their families and discussing what the players want from the program and from Cayuga's academic opportunities is an enjoyable part of coaching, he said.

Spicer said he's recruiting players who are committed to the sport, supportive of their teammates, and are looking to connect with the program and help it grow.

"Playing collegiate sports is a commitment, in terms of both time and effort, and it's an added challenge on top of earning a degree. So I want players and families to feel connected to the program through their time on the field and in their interactions with their teammates," he said. "I can say that if you come to Cayuga, and you come here to play softball, you're going to get to play."

For information about the Softball program, email softball@cayuga-cc.edu.