Play Ball!

Tony Pellegrino has a passion for the pastime

Tony Pellegrino loves his baseball. “I played the game from Tball through high school,” said Pellegrino, a Journeyman Clerk at Safeway in Burney. “Almost for as long as I can remember. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that I have a real passion for the game.”

Pellegrino played ball at El Camino High in San Francisco. He began his coaching career about 13 years ago shortly after he moved to Burney.

“I started coaching Little League, working with 9-10 year olds,” he said. “Then I worked my way up to 13-14 year olds.”

Seven years ago, he heard about an opening for a varsity baseball coach at Burney High School. He applied and got the job.

“To say I love the job is an understatement,” Pellegrino said. “I get a lot of satisfaction watching the kids grow as people and as ball players.”

Pellegrino said his most satisfying experience was coaching some students with autism.

“They needed some special attention,” he said, “ but it was well worth it.” Because Burney is such a small community (pop. 3,500), Pellegrino gets to see the kids he coaches advance from the time they begin Little League through high school.

“I love the camaraderie we develop because we know each other for so

long,” Pellegrino said. Pellegrino found there was a big difference between playing and coaching the game. “Anyone can play the game to the best of his or her ability,” he said. “It takes new skills and patience to be a successful teacher.”

One of the most challenging things about coaching, Pellegrino noted, is that you have to learn how to treat each player as an individual.

“Some people say kids today have too much ‘attitude,’” he said. “I call it personality. Every one is different.

You just have to find out how to motivate them to succeed.” Pellegrino is also grateful that he is part of the Union team.

Above: Tony Pellegrino joins his Little League team in celebrating a championship. Left: Also an avid fisherman, Pellegrino shows off a prize catch.

“The Union fought for my job,” he said. Pellegrino also values his Union negotiated health benefits.

“I was out for four months with Epstein-Barr syndrome,” Pellegrino said. “All of my medical expenses  were covered and I was able to return to my job. That’s another reason to work Union.”

When he has the time, he enjoys the abundant hunting and fishing in his area. “That’s the beauty of living in a place like this,” he said. “You can almost hunt and fish from your back yard.”