James Calo, Senior here at Malden High has been playing baseball since he was six year’s old. He does not remember much of who/what influenced him to play baseball, but says he has always loved baseball “more than anything.” Calo plays positions first base and designated hitter. This year, he’s excited for the “change in the coaching staff we’ve has this year, I think it’s served us well and the coaches have done a really good job putting us in the best possible position to win.” The immediate goal for the team this year is to make the state tournament (since they did not make it last year) and “once [we] get there, [we] hope to continue on as far as [we] can.” Calo just hopes to help the team win and that is the main thing on his mind.
Calo’s strengths are being a “decent hitter and fielder” and says “[he’s] a grit guy, that’s a big part of [his] motivation.” His biggest weakness is his “arm strength.” The most memorable game this year was beating Everett in Calo’s opinion and says “it’s always nice to beat Everett.” The team’s toughest challenge was learning how to “bounce back” after losing games [they] know [they] had a good chance of winning.
Calo started off as a second baseman and it is his first year as a fielder. Senior Matt Geer says Calo “is a good fielder at first base, but his mechanics aren’t very smooth because it is his first year playing the position.” Geer also says that Calo “cares more about the sport than probably any guy on the team, and has improved at hitting the ball a lot over his high school career.” As a friend and teammate, he is a “real goofy, fun-loving kid who cares more about getting a win at the end of the day, than a personal performance.”
It is most mentioned that Calo tends to be really hard on himself. “One of his weaknesses” says Geer. Adding on to this, Senior James Pandolfo, a close friend of Calo’s, agrees and says “his biggest weakness would probably be that he gets down on himself too quickly sometimes.” Senior Nasiah Turner, another close friend of Calo’s, mentions that sometimes he gets “down on himself when he makes a mistake, but it’s only because he knows he can do better. Don’t let that fool you though, he is really good at putting the team before him by letting it go, going out and making the next play.”
Pandolfo has known Calo since they were ten year’s old and his biggest strength is his hitting. “I know that he is a hard worker who loves the game. He’s smart on the field, has a lot of grit.” Pandolfo also says he’s the “first guy on the field, and the last guy off.”
Turner has known Calo since freshmen year in high school. “James is an all around athlete like myself. Not only do we both play baseball, but also basketball and football as well. He is a good athlete, but a better team player.” Turner also says that Calo brings a “great sense of humor to the team” and that they are both alike in many ways. “[Me] and Calo are often underestimated but [we] go out there and battle every day at practice for the opportunity to beat the odds and prove everyone wrong.” Turner strongly believe Calo is going places “no matter what he does in life. James Calo, remember that name.”
Overall, the Malden Varsity Baseball Team is a very well rounded team, filled with plenty of good friends and hard working student athletes.
