From 2009 to 2012, the Varsity Baseball team at AHS had 43 consecutive league wins. “No other team in our league has come close to that mark,” said the man who undoubtedly played a huge part in the team’s success. That man is Coach Nicholas Lemas.

If you don’t already know him, he is one of our Physical Education teachers and the head Varsity Baseball coach at AHS. We have been fortunate enough to have had Coach Lemas for 14 seasons. However, because of the coronavirus lockdown, this year’s spring sports were unable to continue. For him and his team, that means no baseball. In honor of the students, staff, and seniors, whose seasons have been cut short, I talked to Coach Lemas about how he got here and about this unprecedented situation. 

Nicholas Lemas grew up in Northern California near Oakland. He attended Bishop O’Dowd High School where he, a natural athlete, played football and baseball. After high school, he went to Cal St. Hayward (now called Cal St. East Bay) for two years. Then, he went to the University of La Verne (ULV) where he played baseball for all 4 years of college. He stayed on to get his teaching credential and masters degree. Upon graduating, he spent one year coaching at San Dimas High School, and one year coaching at ULV. He spent another two years at Duarte High School before he came to teach and coach at Arcadia. Currently, he lives in Clermont with his wife, Ali, and two boys, Jaxon and Dean.

While coaching at AHS, the baseball team has won 4 league championships with the last couple of years being extremely successful. In 2018 to 2019, they ranked at both the state and national level. The 2019 team holds the best record at 25-2. The 2018 team holds the record for most consecutive wins at 23. His 2010 and 2011 teams went undefeated in league play. Prior to the season’s closure, his team was 3-0 in league and 5-2 overall.

When I asked Coach Lemas about the season being cut short, he said what all of us are feeling on some level, “It stinks. We were all really looking forward to this season.” He talked about being invited to the National Classic tournament in Fullerton which is one of the top tournaments in the country, and how moving up to Division 1 had offered them the opportunity to compete against the best of the best. He feels the most sympathy, however, for the seniors: “To lose their senior season has got to be devastating.” 

On a hopeful note, Coach Lemas said that this is time that can be used by athletes to work on their skills. He offered, “Don’t take things for granted,” and said that he hopes we “all learn to appreciate things that much more,” including “the time we have with our teammates and the games we get to play.” Although he doesn’t know when baseball will resume, Coach Lemas hopes it will start up again soon with a newfound “passion and enthusiasm.”

To the AHS community, Coach Lemas had a message to carry us through these challenging times: “I know every family has been affected somehow. I hope we can rely on one another to get through all of this and appreciate the time we have with family right now.” Stay strong Apaches!  

Photo Courtesy of @ArcadiaUnified on TWITTER.COM