Steve Styrzo returns with hopes of revamping Lockport’s diamond dreams

Steve Styrzo hadn’t coached a varsity baseball game in nine years. But the door to return wasn’t entirely shut.

Styrzo was the man at the helm in Lockport from 2000 to 2015, winning four Niagara Frontier League championships, including its last banner in 2013.

The Lions had chances to win a Section VI title, reaching the Class AA semifinal in 2011 and again in each of his final three seasons.

Styrzo stayed involved by coaching his kids in travel ball, but his itch to still teach the game led him back to coach Lockport’s junior varsity team two years ago. Styrzo anticipated being at the level again this season, but with Trait Smith’s resignation last year after three seasons, he applied and was approved in February.

Now, with Styrzo back in the varsity role, the Lions are hoping to return to their previous ways of winning. Including last year’s 10-9 finish, Lockport has only had three winning seasons since Styrzo left.

“It was kind of a no-brainer at this stage in my career,” said Styrzo on putting in for the varsity position. “I’ve taught at all three levels in (the) Lockport city school district. … This is kind of like always giving back and I think a lot of coaches do that. That’s why they coach. One reason is to kind of give back and keep trying to spread some baseball knowledge to the young guys coming up.”

The game of high school baseball has changed since Styrzo stepped away from the varsity level, with his final game a loss to Williamsville North in the section’s AA semifinal in 2015. Pitch count and overall safety of players has increased, with Styrzo noticing an emphasis on protecting pitchers’ arms from overuse.

But Styrzo’s overall approach towards coaching his players has remained the same. Creating a positive and winning environment through teaching is his overall objective in bringing the Lions back to their consistent ways.

“They know when they make a physical error in the field,” Styrzo said. “They don’t need to be hounded out. They know that it happens in sports. So always, have fun and try to be positive and try to get the best out of each player on the field, offensively, defensively as much as we can without… It’s high school baseball. That’s just what it is.”

Last season, Lockport scored 107 total runs but had an up-and-down season. Against teams with below .500 records, the Lions had a 6-3 record and scored 6.5 runs per game.

But against teams that finished .500 or above — including two regular season meetings and the Class AA quarterfinal against Niagara Falls — Lockport went 4-6 with a decrease of nearly two runs per game at 4.7.

Out of the team’s 16-man roster this season, 13 previously played for Styrzo on JV, establishing the familiarity in place. The Lions also return six players from last season, including all-NFL first team pick and sophomore Jowell Garcia, who batted .451, with nine RBIs and a .548 on-base percentage.

So far, Lockport picked up non-league wins over Nichols and Iroquois. With Styrzo back to lead the way, the players have noticed a change.

“I feel like the team morale is obviously up, because the guys are having more fun,” sophomore pitcher Graham Schultz said. “Styrzo brings the energy… His pregame speeches, I really am a big fan of those. … A common theme with those speeches so far is just play hard.”