BATAVIA The coaching landscape at Notre Dame High School continued to change over the winter when Athletic Director and head boys basketball coach Mike Rapone stepped down as the head varsity baseball coach after 12 successful seasons.

Though Rapone will remain on as AD and boys hoops coach, the search began for someone to guide the team on the diamond and the Fighting Irish looked no further than to keep it within the family.

Two weeks ago Mikes brother, Rick Rapone, was named as the new head coach of the program after a number of impressive years as NDs junior varsity baseball head coach.

Rick Rapone is still currently the JV boys basketball coach as well at Notre Dame, where his teams have gone 46-14 in his three seasons at the helm.

Im very excited, obviously, I love baseball and coached it my whole life at all levels, though Le Roy, Notre Dame and the (American Baseball Congress Collegiate) Wooden Bat League, said Rapone, who coached the wooden bat league from 2002-12. Im thrilled about it and Im honored to be in that tree at Notre Dame that includes Father Zietler, Bill Sutherland, Rick Mancuso and my brother Mike.

Rick Rapone, a 1973 graduate of Notre Dame, joined Notre Dame first in 2007 when he was the modified baseball coach, where he remained for seven highly successful seasons.

In 2014 he was named the head boys basketball coach at Le Roy High School, where in less than three years he completely turned the program around from being in the doldrums to on the verge of a sectional title.

As was highly publicized a few years ago, Rick Rapones tenure in Le Roy ended unceremoniously with his firing mid-season. Yet that has not stopped him.

I never saw that situation as an obstacle, he said. The circumstances played themselves out in that situation. But I knew another opportunity would come up and Im honored that it came at Notre Dame.

While at Le Roy, Rick Rapone was also the modified baseball coach, where a number of his players would go on to win multiple Section V titles with the Oatkan Knights.

According to a press release sent out by Notre Dame, the school says Rick, who has been a highly successful baseball and basketball coach, is recognized as a high-energy coach who has a proven track record of putting in the time to maximize his athletes potential.

In two seasons ad the JV baseball coach for the Fighting Irish, Rapones teams went an amazing 30-3.

However, like everyone else in the current situation of the world,

Ricks plans and his vision for the Notre Dame baseball program has been put on hold because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Its certainly been deflating, to say the least. I was named the head coach the week before practice and the boys and I were all really excited, Rick Rapone said. And the weather was unbelievable. Who could have thought that we could have that many outside practices the first week. The energy was off the charts but then the e-mail came from Mike and everything comes to a halt. Its been deflating, not just to me but to the kids too.

Rick Rapone, who is the co-owner of Service News, earned a BA in History as well as both teaching and coaching certification from Roberts Wesleyan. He has three children Chris, Joey and Sierra who all are Notre Dame graduates.

Rick Rapone was also the Le Roy 19-U Travel team baseball coach from 2000-15)

He replaces his brother Mike, whose teams posted a record of 163-92, winning sectional titles in 2008 and 2014, while advancing to the NYSPHSAA Final Four both of those years.

His teams won six Genesee Region League titles and lost in the sectional finals four times.

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Rick Rapone excited about ND baseball coaching job when the time comes - The Daily News Online