Oct. 27, 2011
Kevin St. Pierre '89
Position: Pitcher
Hometown: Rockville Centre, N.Y.
Current Residence: Rockville Centre, N.Y.
Current Occupation: Equity Research Analyst
Spouse: Marie (18 years)
Children: John (15), Marie (13), Brian (11)
What attracted you to attend Lafayette College?
I was attracted to the solid Engineering program and the opportunity to play Division I baseball. Then-head coach Joe Hindelang was a huge reason I chose Lafayette, as he was very interested in having me pitch there. The financial aid package at the time was the best that any college offered me. My campus recruiting visit was also very influential, getting to tour the campus and meeting Coach Hindelang and the team.
What do you miss most about Lafayette?
I miss the relatively care-free life, having classes and baseball as my only responsibilities. Once I landed a post-graduation job during my senior year, baseball pretty much became my sole focus. That spring semester was a really wonderful time in my life
Of your former teammates and coaches, who had the biggest impact on your career?
I still often hear Coach Hindelang's voice in my head ("Work fast, throw strikes, stop the running game", "Focus on the task at hand"). He was a great balance of calm, intensity, discipline and fun. I use a lot of what I learned from him not only in my career, but in my personal life.
What collegiate baseball experiences have been invaluable to your successful career?
I always say that I use what I learned on the baseball field more than what I learned in the classroom. Of course, part of that is because I no longer work in my field of study, but baseball - and particularly Lafayette baseball - taught me how to work in a team environment and eventually how to lead (as team captain in my senior year). There were a lot of significant events during my younger days, but I truly believe collegiate baseball was the single most formative experience of my youth.
Looking back, what do those seasons mean to you now?
My years with Lafayette baseball are some of the most treasured memories of my life: a source of pride, laughter and really good feelings. For some reason, I can still remember stretching on the outfield grass at William & Mary in March on a gorgeous morning during a Spring Break trip. The sun was shining, the grass was green, the sound system was playing Van Halen and I was playing baseball. To me, all was right with the world. I have plenty of great memories like that.
What was your most memorable moment playing Lafayette baseball?
There were two, and they both came against Seton Hall. My sophomore year, Coach brought me in with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, no outs and we were up by one with Mo Vaughn coming to the plate. I struck him out with a 3-2 curveball, and then got Craig Biggio to hit into a 1-2-3 double play to end the game. Then, my senior year, I pitched a nine-inning complete game win against Seton Hall with Mo Vaughn going 1-4 with another strikeout.
Is there one teammate you would love to hear from?
I've been back in touch with several through Facebook, but I lost touch with my first catcher and Fiji Big Brother, Dan Maynard. Dan should have been a pro and would have been if Billy Beane had been a GM in 1987.
What advice do you have for Lafayette student-athletes?
I love the NCAA commercials where they say there are 400,000 NCAA student-athletes and just about all of them will go pro in something other than sports.
Looking back - "connecting the dots" as Steve Jobs said - it's clear to me that my college years set the foundation for the rest of my life. Have your fun, as I did, but take the opportunities you have in class and on the field seriously. Set your priorities, and do your work. Take your body and your conditioning seriously, and get yourself in the best shape of your life. Take your classes seriously and LEARN - be a SPONGE. Yes, your grades are important, but your knowledge base is more important. Finally, try to find where your passions and the "real world" intersect, and try to make that your life's work. When you love your work, you add five days to the weekend.