Coach turns Blackhawk into frequent AAA contender
(Photo: Sophomore Brendan McKay (7-1, 0.52 ERA) will start the Class AAA title game tonight for Blackhawk. Matt Freed/Post-Gazette.)
"When Bob Amalia agreed to become Blackhawk High School's baseball coach in 2000, he wasn't sure he was making the right decision. Heck, he wasn't sure he was in the right sport.
Although Amalia had been coaching Blackhawk's American Legion baseball team for 12 seasons, he considered himself more of a "basketball guy." He was a former Blackhawk basketball player, a co-captain for the Cougars before going on to play at Penn State Beaver. On top of that, he spent 15 seasons as a Blackhawk assistant basketball coach under legendary John Miller.
Amalia had thought maybe someday he'd be Blackhawk's basketball coach, but Blackhawk threw a curveball at Amalia when the school offered him the varsity baseball job 12 years ago.
"Even after I took the baseball job, I wondered if I should just continue what I was already doing," Amalia said. "I wasn't sure."
These days, Amalia is totally sure he made the right decision -- and Blackhawk sure is fortunate".
baseball