When Port Richmond freshman Anthony Moccio steps onto the diamond for his high school baseball debut against CSI/McCown Tuesday, he’ll be experiencing his first-ever taste of varsity action. Meanwhile, his coach, John Sce, is preparing for his 29th opening day —another chapter in his decades-long career of shaping high school athletes.

Sce, who played collegiate baseball as a pitcher for the College of Staten Island before graduating in 1985, began his coaching career as the manager of PSAL 3A squad Midwood from 1996-2002, making the playoffs in every season but one.

He then found his way back to Staten Island on the heels of a division title-winning season with the Hornets in 2002, and has been managing the Raiders baseball crew and coaching the girls’ varsity basketball team ever since.

Ahead of their first pitch of the season Tuesday, Sce said that what’s exciting about opening day every year is “the opportunity to compete.”

“I’m thankful and grateful for each year that I get to spend on the field with the players to help them develop and grow as student-athletes and young men,” he continued.

Sce, who has received strong recognition for his dedication to coaching before, reflected on how much the world has changed since he first started, yet his core philosophies remain the same.

“Over the course of 29 years, what you develop as a coach over time is patience. You have to figure out a way to reach your players from the mid-90s up until today. What has stayed the same is the organization, details and routines for practices and games. High school players respond well to daily routines whether it is in the classroom or on the field,” he said.

He’s also had to adapt to more modern challenges, particularly when it comes to keeping his players focused in the digital age.

“What has changed is the development of social media. When I started in 1996, it didn’t exist. As a coach, you need to talk to your players about how to manage that– there are times when it can be helpful, but it can also be a distraction. I have always made it a point to discuss the topic of social media before the season starts,” he explained.

His dedication to ensuring his players remain keyed onto what really matters also carries over into their performance in classroom, as Sce also serves as a teacher and dean at Port Richmond.

He described his emphasis on ensuring his players remain dedicated to their studies as “first and foremost, because it is so very important. It is always nice to have players go on to college and continue their baseball career. It is equally important for every player to continue their education in some way, shape, or form and become productive members of society.”

“The message for my team each and every year is the following: I emphasize grades, attendance and behavior in the classroom. I want them to be the best students that they can be. When we are on the field my emphasis is on character, integrity, behavior both on the field and in the dugout, to be prepared for every practice and game and to play with great effort — all of these details are very important and are the cornerstones of the message I am trying to get across,” he continued.

The Raiders have been steadily improving in play in recent seasons, finishing 7-7 last year after going 6-10 in 2023 and 2-8 in 2021; a continued upward trajectory this season would only add to Sce’s lasting legacy with the program, leading his teams to 11 playoff appearances and four trips to the round-of-16 during his time as head coach.

But what he hopes to be most remembered for is his actions “as someone who gave each player a good high school experience by being part of the team. I want those who played for me to realize the importance of education, how important character and integrity are both on and off the field and to play the game with great preparation and effort. If I could accomplish that then I would have done my job as a teacher and a coach.”

Regardless of how the Raiders fare on the diamond this season, Sce’s contributions to the program are far from unnoticed, as he continues on his goal to ensure his players are the best they can be on and off the field.