Whitley Neumeister, Special to ECGulls.com

BEVERLY, Mass. – Seniors Nick Berno (St. Albans, Vt.) and Michael Casciano (Somers, Conn.) from the Endicott baseball team are sheer proof that perseverance is the key to success. NCAA Division III student-athletes like Berno and Casciano have a student-athlete experience unlike each of the other two collegiate sport divisions.

Vermont native Berno, a sport management major, and Connecticut born Casciano, an education major, are examples of two Division III student-athletes who decided to play at Endicott, simply motivated by their drive to continue playing competitive baseball at the collegiate level.

Balancing a busy practice, class, and work schedule can be difficult, however being able to do so results in the kind of person who is drawn to the close-knit community culture at Endicott.

Berno and Casciano both said the older student-athletes helped them gain a sense of respect and community at Endicott, ultimately resulting in the guys' own ability to do the same with new, younger underclassmen trying out for the team.

The contrast is subtle but key to being a successful teammate, peer, and professional adult after college graduation. This is what some may identify as, "The Endicott Difference." A true sense of community is derived from student-athletes supporting each other on and off the field.

Berno and Casciano like-mindedly acknowledged that their adversities have made them successful players on the team, as both started with the program as freshmen. While Berno earned his initial playing time as a pinch runner, in contrast, not making the spring break trip roster ignited Casciano's desire to work even harder during the preseason, eventually earning himself a roster spot later in the spring.

"I pinched hit here and there, and there was a pivotal moment in my baseball career where there was this one play in the field that I feel like my coach began having confidence in me from that point on. From then on, I tried really hard working in practice situations and he started getting more and more confident in me. At the end of my sophomore season I was thinking I have two years under my belt, let's get better this summer. So then fall came around and I had a pretty good fall during my junior year...and eventually earned a starting spot in the first game," remarked Casciano.

Similarly, Berno saw value in hard work during fall tryouts of freshman year, when he swiftly learned he would go from small-town Vermont High School stud to just another college kid hoping to earn a roster spot with the Gulls' baseball program.

"Walking on from a small Vermont school I would say that I was kind of the 'stud' over there (laughing) I mean I don't want to brag too much but a small fish coming into a big pond at Endicott where everyone was basically just as good as me, I kind of had a confidence issue coming in, but I wanted to really prove myself and show that I was just as good as the other guys and the recruits coming in. That was the first few days of tryouts, and I ended up making the team but didn't end up making it on the spring break trip," said Berno.

Now a senior, Berno recalled his initial drive to prove himself was the first step in a process of self-development that eventually left him with an experience that he now shares with younger players. Berno stands by his progression from freshman to senior year as an Endicott student-athlete, to be just one of many personal benefits he will use in his future with a sport management degree.

Being on any sort of team has a significant impact on the players' attitudes towards each other ultimately contributing to their bond overall as a group. The guys shared some of their favorite memories of team bonding including raking leaves for elderly folks in Beverly, playing laser tag, and their favorite, the kickoff of the baseball season: a spring break trip to Florida.

"One of my favorite memories as a team was when we went out into the Beverly community and raked leaves for local elderly folks. Just being able to help out the community definitely made all of us feel good. Towards the end of the day, I remember a few of us jumping into the big piles of leaves and just tackling each other and laughing and messing around. That was fun," said Casciano.

Casciano named his main strength as a student-athlete was communicating well with his teammates as well as including his new, younger teammates. Casciano's connection between teaching younger teammates goes hand in hand with his interest in being a school teacher after his graduation from Endicott.

Meanwhile, Berno reflected on Casciano's comment about team leadership, and inclusiveness between the older and younger teammates. Both seniors agree that the team has great leadership; leaders are set by standard, rather than being officially named a team captain.

"We don't really have captains [minus Hunter Boyce)," said Berno. "Our team has obvious leaders who are key to our success and bond together."

Building personal confidence, partnered with encouraging confidence between one teammate and another, seems to be the trend with the Gulls' baseball program. Both seniors paralleled this idea as their ability to support younger teammates and their growth because Berno and Casciano both were encouraged by their coaches and older teammates at the time.

"When I came in my freshman year I was confident in my abilities in high school but [coming] to college everyone was going to be good. I wouldn't say I wasn't confident in my abilities, I was just nervous being a freshman and so I underperformed. Come springtime I played [better] and was able to go on the Florida trip. This trial and error period of time definitely boosted my confidence as I saw my extra hard work pay off, resulting in my earning a spot on the roster in the spring," recalled Casciano.

Now, as seniors, the guys have learned from their mistakes. In the moments of pre-game critiquing, their coaches' feedback seemed nagging, however, according to Berno and Casciano it was agreed that their shortcomings nurtured their strengths, and their coaches' critiques will benefit them in baseball, and in their professional futures alike.

Berno said his experiences in baseball have helped him develop a strong sense of self-awareness, that will give him the upper hand when he enters a career in sport management. Having a strong work ethic on the field and in practices has not only earned Berno a starting spot, but also has additionally contributed to his leadership qualities.

Starting out as a pinch runner, Berno scuffled with being an emotional player, often getting down on himself easily when he struck out at bat. His self-awareness of strengths and weaknesses have helped him become someone that his teammates rely on for clear communication and positivity throughout practice and contests. As a result, Berno learned from his mistakes in order to improve his overall play.

Over time, both Berno and Casciano have evolved in many ways athletically and personally from their experiences as Endicott baseball student-athletes. Their persistence even when they didn't make the spring break trip and their ability to accept feedback to eventually earn a roster spot, among other times of growth throughout their careers, are all life lessons that will help Casciano in his education career, and Berno with fellow future employees in the sport management field.

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(Photo Credit - David Le '10)