Everyone wants to be on TV with three Division I ball caps sitting in front of them, while admirers and the media try to guess which lid the athlete will select.
Philip Caulfield is headed for a DI baseball program after committing to Loyola Marymount this week. But it’s only after a brief stop along with his brother Tommy at San Francisco State, followed by a transfer to Skyline College, the cold, fog-shrouded two-year school at the northwest tip of San Bruno.
“I didn’t think I’d develop enough over four years at San Francisco State,” Caulfield said. “I didn’t get a great vibe there in the fall and so I decided JC was the best route. At Skyline I developed over two years. They showed me how to become a college player and go about my business by stressing repetition and consistency.”
The result was a .375 batting average as a sophomore for Caulfield, with 23 runs batted in and 18 stolen bases. He can also play every position in the infield.
Now 5-foot-8, 155-pound Caulfield is headed for Los Angeles where he’ll team with Serra grad Sean Watkins, a pitcher/infielder for Loyola who was named a Perfect Game freshman All-American. Watkins lived not too far away from Skyline College, over the city limits line in Pacifica.
“Sean and I are good friends,” Caulfield said. “I grew up playing against him and this past winter we hit together and throw and take ground balls at Burlingame High and Skyline.”
Ah, Burlingame. Caulfield and twin brother Tommy were stars there, leading the Panthers to 18 victories their senior year. Philip hit .425 with 15 extra base hits and 24 RBI. Tommy went 8-3 on the mound with a 1.72 earned run average and 82 strikeouts in 69 innings. It all paved the way for both of them to San Francisco State and presumably four years of ball with the Gators. But it never quite worked out for the brothers in The City, so they headed just south to Skyline, one of those community colleges with a modest reputation but a penchant for churning out success stories.
Trojans’ coach Dino Nomicos helped the brothers considerably.
“He’s personable and he’s always there for you no matter what,” Caulfield said. “He has good connections and a high baseball I.Q. and I just hoped it would all translate into a good year and a Division I scholarship, which it has.”
FORMER SI TEAM DOCTOR PASSES: Longtime former St. Ignatius team doctor Joseph Berstein died June 26. He was 86.
Berstein was from Brooklyn, NY and played football at Horace Mann High in Manhattan. He and wife Helen received the President’s Award from SI in 1999. He was the Father’s Club president and SI team doctor for 25 years and also loved music, art, literature and golf.
Berstein had two holes-in-one at Lake Merced Golf Course where he was on the board of directors. He also had two cats, PB and J. Sounds like an interesting guy. Memorial donations may be sent to the Bernstein Scholarship Fund at St. Ignatius College Prep.
BELLS' COACH HONORED: Bellarmine’s Larry Rogers was named the boys’ swimming coach of the year by the National High School Coaches Association. He is the first coach from California to receive the award. He is also the winningest coach in CIF-State history with 31 consecutive CCS titles. He has been coaching the Bells since 1981 and in 1989 guided the Bells to a national title.
“I am very honored to have been selected for this award by the NHSCA,” said Rogers via release. “It is always rewarding to be recognized for any endeavor that you challenge yourself with, but in this instance the award should be given to all of the athletes who were part of the success of the swimming program.
Briefly: The Harker School is seeking a girls’ lacrosse coach … Campolindo rising senior offensive lineman Sterling Strother will be attending Yale, reports Barton Simmons of 247 Sports … Brian Sullivan is resigning as the Monta Vista athletic director.
