Retired Raiders: Baseball's John DiBenedetto '13

Story written and posted by Anthony Perry, Rivier University Sports Information Director

NASHUA, N.H. - John DiBenedetto only spent two seasons as a member of the Raider Baseball program however his presence helped to lay the foundation of which the program stands on today. He played in 72 career games for Rivier after transferring in from Saint Anselm College. The catcher guided the team with 61 career hits, 5 doubles, one home run and 37 RBI while starting 69 games behind the plate. The 2013 Baseball captain recently caught up with RivierAthletics.com for a Q & A.

Q: What was your career like at Rivier? What sport(s) did you play? When did you play? Did you garner any accolades – captain/championship/all-conference, etc.
A: It was an amazing time. I made a lifetime's worth of memories at Rivier. I truly was able to grow into the person I wanted to become during my time there. I played Baseball for two years and Soccer for one year. I played in 2012 and 2013. I was the team captain and won the Rivier Coaches Award in 2012.

Q: Since Rivier, you’ve moved into the work field. Could you describe your current occupation, what company you work for and the role you have?
A: I’m currently the Head Baseball Coach at Brandon High School in Brandon, FL and PE Coach/Assistant Athletic Director at Brandon Academy. I run the day to day operations in regards to my baseball coaching job. It’s truly a dream come true being able to coach at one of the big high schools in Hillsborough County, which is one of the biggest pipelines for players and the MLB.

Q: How did you land your job?
A: I was able to land this job through hard work and perseverance. I took a chance on myself very early on after completing my career at Rivier. I was an assistant at Carrollwood Day School for two years, and then took on a complete rebuilding job at a small school in Land O’ Lakes (Academy at the Lakes). The team had struggled in it’s past, but myself and my staff did a tremendous job turning the program around which led to me getting the job at Brandon.

Q: Is this your dream job?
A: For the time being this is a dream job for me. Being a Head Coach in this county is an honor because baseball is amazing in this area. I get to make an impact on young men's lives everyday and that is something that truly brings me joy. The ability to get my guys signed with colleges is the best part of my job. My ultimate dream job is to become a collegiate Head Coach one day. My experiences at Rivier led me to that dream. Coach Perry was a huge part of that becoming my dream because he took me under his wing and showed me what it takes to run a collegiate program and I feel I would do a great job. I feel like I’m getting closer to making those dreams a reality.

Q: Describe your typical work day.
A: My schedule changes based off of what time of the year it is. I live far away from Brandon, so it's an early wake up (6:00 am);then I have an hour commute every morning. I teach my Physical Education classes all day at the private school I teach at. Throughout the day I have to juggle my teaching and preparations for the day for baseball whether it is practice or a game. I also help with preparations for the sports at my private school. I am always moving a 1,000 miles a minute because I have to make sure that both schools and programs need to be in a successful position. I have to make sure that teams are set up and prepared before I leave school. At 3:30 pm and then head over to my High School for practice or a game. Games start at 7 pm here so those days are extremely long but something I look forward to. I never get home before 8:30 pm.

Q: What’s the most surprising part of your job?
A: The amount of control you have in running a program at the high school level. You have total control of the entire program. That includes the fundraising, hiring of coaches, field maintenance, field upgrades and boosters. In order to be successful at the high school ranks you need to put your heart and soul into it.

Q: What’s the biggest perk of your job?
A: There are a lot of perks with the job, but the coolest one is that all of the head coaches in Hillsborough County get free season passes to the Tampa Bay Rays games. It is an extremely nice gesture by the organization and sets the table for building good relationships within the coaching community.

Q: What are you most proud of?
A: I am most proud that I have been able to help get all of my seniors off to college. In the 7 years I have coached, 100% of my players have gone on to college to continue their education. Whether it’s for baseball or just school, I feel that this aspect is the most important part of my job. Winning games and championships are great but getting a college education is extremely important and something that helps set you up for a successful future as an adult after athletics are over.

Q: What is your favorite memory at work?
A: This is a tough one. I have so many memories as an AD and a coach. Every year brings different teams and new memories. But my favorite one so far has to be when my team at my first school (Academy at the Lakes) had its first winning season in the 25 year school's history. Those players worked extremely hard and to see the pay off was one of my favorite memories as a coach.

Q: How did Rivier prepare you for your role?
A: Accountability and Leadership Training. Athletic provided multiple opportunities to help me grow not just athletically but also professionally.

Q: What’s your favorite Rivier memory?
A: Hitting my only college home run at Southern New Hampshire against Johnson and Wales during my Junior season.

Q: What advice do you have for current student-athletes?
A: Enjoy every moment you have. Make friends and be proactive in taking advantage of the resources the university gives you. Time goes by fast; those four years are truly the best years of your life.

Q: What made you choose Rivier?
A: Coach Anthony Perry/ Aramis Velez (2013 Rivier Graduate)

Q: Outside of work, what is your life like? I.E. family, kids, what do you do for fun, etc?
A: I enjoy golfing, playing with dog Toby and spending time with my girlfriend.

Q: Do you have social media accounts that #RivNation can follow to stay up-to-date with you and your career?
A: @JohnDiBenedett3 @eagles_brandon

— RivierAthletics.com —