Adam Levine
Sports Editor
Sean Callahan, 33, is in his fifth season as the Rams’ head baseball coach and is a member of the Framingham State Class of 2011.
Callahan said he first became involved with baseball when he was four or five years old.
He said, “The first memory of it honestly is just my uncle taking me in the backyard - just hitting off the tee and playing catch.”
Callahan said he played from then all through college. He said injuries and surgeries stopped his career after college, which led him to becoming a baseball coach and instructor.
Callahan said he began coaching and instructing baseball during the summers while he studied at FSU. “When you’re not playing, you do a little bit of instruction and you help coach a few local teams and town teams. You start to kind of get into it just as a way to make extra money.
“When you're 19, 20, and 21 years old, you're not really thinking about going into coaching as a career,” he added.
Callahan said he began coaching 11 years ago and has coached players of all ages and levels.
He said there is a difference between youth and college coaching. “College is really where you have that change from a lot of self focus to team focus. In college, it’s truly a team game.”
Callahan said his favorite part about coaching is seeing the “progression and growth of the players.
“You build these really great relationships,” he said, adding he’s been invited to players’ weddings years later.
Callahan said, “That’s something that makes it really meaningful and memorable.”
He said he chose to coach at FSU because of “his loyalty to the school.”
Callahan said, “I had a great experience when I was a player here.
“It was coming back [to the] school that I felt love for and I knew I could help build and then add to - try to give the great experiences I had to the next group,” he added.
Callahan said his favorite memories from coaching are from his first season as the Rams’ head coach and the first game back from the COVID-19 pandemic.
During his first season as head coach, the Rams made it to the semi-finals of the MASCAC championships. “That was a really good group.
“They played competitively the whole year,” Callahan added.
He said the first game back from COVID-19 was a “nightmare,” but his players made it a positive memory.
Callahan said, “We won the first game back, which was a huge statement piece.
“It was definitely a difficult situation, but they did a terrific job, which is why it’s one of my favorite memories,” he added.
Callahan said he grew up in Waltham. He said, “Obviously growing up so close to Fenway, you look up to Red Sox guys.”
He said he is a Bruins fan and looked up to now retired professional hockey players Cam Neely and Ray Borque.
Callahan said his coaching staff help him and are “terrific.”
Callahan is supported by assistant coaches Len Ferrari and Nick Morreale and Volunteer Assistant Kevin Higgins.
He said, “You need your players number one and you need coaches number two.”
Callahan said his coaching has become “fluid” and his players joke that, “I’m more Zen this year than I’ve ever been.
“These guys know what we're doing. We run really good practices. We have very good skill development - just gotta sit back and trust the players,” Callahan added.