ORONO, Maine — Lee Jatkevicius arrived at the University of Maine in 2005 hoping to continue his baseball career.
The Wilbraham, Mass., native has achieved tremendous success with the Black Bears — although not in the role he had envisioned.
Now a senior, Jatkevicius (pronounced juh-KAY-vich) has never played a game for UMaine, yet No. 19 runs out to his position in the first-base coaches box every inning.
This spring, for the second straight season, Jatkevicius is serving as a student assistant coach for UMaine head coach Steve Trimper. After starting out as a team manager, Jatkevicius has become an invaluable contributor for the Bears.
“He wanted to stay involved in baseball,” Trimper said. “It takes a special person to coach and be dedicated, to take constructive criticism, to make sure that you learn and that you’re always educating and make yourself better.”
Jatkevicius first came to Maine as a teenager to work on a lobster boat near Bass Harbor. He attended UMaine hoping to play baseball and tried out as a freshman, but did not make the squad.
Trimper said Jatkevicius was waiting the next morning outside Mahaney Clubhouse.
“I went to Trimp to see what I had to improve on and he pretty much said, ‘hit the weight room,’” said Jatkevicius, who wanted to help out the team in any way possible.
Trimper offered him a spot as a manager.
“I said ‘yes,’ which meant I got to be around the team,” Jatkevicius said. “It sort of turned from being a player more into throwing BP [batting practice], coaching-type stuff, working with outfielders hitting fly balls.”
Jatkevicius kept alive the dream of playing for the Bears. The next fall, he tried out again and was cut.
“I’ve always played baseball, all through high school, then tried out here and wasn’t strong enough of a hitter,” he said.
This time, Trimper appointed Jatkevicius as a student assistant coach. With the new title came added responsibilities — and rewards.
Jatkevicius traveled with the team on road trips in addition to performing myriad duties. He began to realize how much he enjoyed his new role.
“Through that year, I had kind of decided coaching was something I wanted to do,” he said.
During the America East tournament in Farmingdale, N.Y., the coaches met and suggested he take the “leap.”
“We told him, if you really want to go on and coach, you need to draw a little bit of a line and start acting like you’re one step ahead and start treating yourself like a coach,” said assistant Aaron Izaryk.
Jatkevicius said Izaryk provided guidance about the dynamic, as he was a graduate assistant at UMaine on a team that included some close friends and former teammates.
Jatkevicius gained yet more responsibility last spring when Trimper made him the first base coach. That meant he had a direct impact on the game working with baserunners.
“When a hitter gets down there, just got a hit, they’re pumped up, ready to go,” Jatkevicius said. “I’ve got to bring them back down to earth, let them know the situation.”
He also uses a stopwatch to time pitchers’ deliveries to home plate and tries to steal the catchers’ signs when possible.
Jatkevicius takes an active role working with the outfielders on fly balls and other drills during practices and games.
“He helps the outfielders every day,” said senior classmate Kevin McAvoy of Brewer. “He hits fly balls, tries to keep us in line. We look at him just like we look at the coaches, we give him a certain amount of respect, but we also [kid around with] him off the field,” he said with a laugh.
Trimper has the utmost confidence in Jatkevicius as a role model for the players.
“He’s a very knowledgeable baseball person at this level,” Trimper said. “I’m very comfortable with him working with players and teaching.”
This year, Jatkevicius is earning work-study money for his contributions. When he’s not on the field, Jatkevicius works in the baseball office performing numerous tasks.
“He’s such a valuable cog because he frees up not only my time by [assistant coach] Jared [Holowaty] and Izzy’s [Izaryk’s] time to do other things,” Trimper said.
Jatkevicius recently suffered a broken index finger on his left hand when hit by a line drive while throwing batting practice. After having it X-rayed, he was back at practice.
“It may have actually improved my fungo hitting and … I’m throwing a nasty cutter,” he joked.
Jatkevicius said it has been a pleasure working with Trimper and his staff.
“I’ve gained a lot of baseball knowledge,” Jatkevicius said. “Coach Trimper has taught me quite a bit, and coach Holowaty, coach Aaron [Izaryk]. It’s been a good experience.”
Jatkevicius, who is majoring in psychology, completes his studies next fall, but will return for a fifth season. He hopes to pursue a master’s degree in sports psychology.
“I plan on going to grad school, continuing coaching through there and trying to work my way up the ladder,” he said.
“Lee will be a successful teacher, a successful coach … because he’s got an unbelievable work ethic,” Trimper said.
“That’s why he’s so valuable to me. I have a lot of trust and a lot of faith in him because he will go at it 100 percent.”
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