Christian Brothers Academy has done a lot during sectionals this year.
They won in a walk-off thriller over New Hartford in the quarters and they upset top-seeded Cortland to make it to the section final all under the watchful eye of their 85-year-old coach, Tom Dotterer.
At his age, Dotterer doesn't do the hitting during fielding practice, but he has a lot of words of wisdom and advice to give.
What You Need To Know
- The CBA baseball team upset Cortland on Thursday night to make it to the Class A section final
- Tom Dotterer, who is 85 years old has been the Brothers head coach since 1980
- Dotterer has seen a lot during his time as the Bros bench boss
He knows the game better than most. He spent 10 years in the minor leagues before returning to the Salt City. The CBA Hall of Famer took over the program in 1980, and on the field that's named after him, he has coached hundreds of kids over the years.
So the question is, what has kept this bench boss here for so long? Dotterer is about metaphors, so he related his longevity to a blood transfusion.
"Maybe you don't need the transfusion when you're young, but when you're old, they give you a reason to exist, so to speak. It's like if a tree doesn't have leaves, it's not a tree. You feel like you're branching out even at an old age," Dotterer said.
"He teaches you a lot of life lessons. How to respect everyone, how to be a team player and it's rather 'we, than I.' That's one thing he does preach. Whatever you're doing on the field, it's for the team," said CBA pitcher Casey Vaughn.
Dotterer also said it doesn't make any sense to think about retirement yet.
The Brothers play Auburn on Saturday at noon.