Athletic Center

Mattie DeDoes is a baseball player.  And he’s a good one.

After an outstanding summer with the Toledo Hawks Collegiate Baseball program, he looks to help lead his Oberlin College team to a new level in the coming years.

A scintillating high school career saw Mattie take his Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard high school team to two Detroit Catholic League championships and, as a senior captain, to the Michigan High School Athletic Association state finals.

At Oberlin as a freshman, he made his mark during his freshman year as both a top-flight pitcher and as a slick-fielding infielder with a quick bat.

…as for the “Old Man” — still “In The Game”

A former athlete himself, Steve remains active in sports as an announcer, as a coach, and as a writer.

His distinctive and theatrical styles finds their way into play-by-play broadcast, public address, and print, working extensively these days for the athletic department at Concordia University in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

As a coach, Steve restarted his involvements when he began coaching Mattie’s youth baseball and basketball teams; however, his passion both for teaching and for the games themselves has led to ongoing roles with both Common Bond Basketball and the Michigan Sports Academy, in addition to a stint with University of Michigan Basketball.

Sports and Music Continue to “Play Out”

 

Both DeDoes’ see so much value in the relationship between music and athletics.  As Mattie’s achievements and goals continue to play out, he recognizes the linkages that occur for him in musical and athletic development.  His successes in both areas have been accelerated due to benefits derived from each.  For Steve, a lifetime of athletic and musical pursuits continues to overlap, and he utilizes concepts culled from each as he mentors athletes and young musicians.