March 10th, 2022
Kevin Hinchey wants his former players to know that they are appreciated.
Hinchey, the owner of the 2021 PCGBL champion Saugerties Stallions, is currently on a trip across the country handing out 56 championship rings to all members of the 2021 squad. This includes players, coaching staff, broadcasters, front office staff, and anyone involved in the team’s first title since joining the league in 2015.
Hinchey got the rings three weeks ago and has embarked on the trip, most recently stopping in multiple places in Florida to hand out rings, including Tyler Kelder (Florida Atlantic), a five-year member of the Stallions as a player and current coach, in Boca Raton. He also visited head coach Rich Dubee in Clearwater. Right now, Hinchey and his wife are in Georgia handing them out to a few players from the 2021 squad.
After the stops in Georgia, they are heading out to California, Arizona, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Indiana. They’ll follow that trip by visiting local schools in the New York area that are driving distance.
“It’s really unbelievable. The rings are very beautiful, they’re large, they’re heavy, they’re just really nice,” Hinchey said. “They’re beautiful, they’re heartfelt.”
Hinchey partnered with a local championship ring company to make the rings, which includes the name and position for each personalized ring, as well as the final scores of the two wins in the championship round against the Amsterdam Mohawks.
The purpose of this is to make sure that the players feel appreciated for their efforts in making the championship happen.
“We love these guys. We care about them, they’re a part of our community, they’re family,” Hinchey said.
In addition, Hinchey noted that the Saugerties program tries to do something different each year for the players that makes them feel like they are a part of a culture. Last year, the team employed a chef from a culinary institute to cook for the team for all of the home games, as well as traveling with them on the road.
This is something that Hinchey believes that could work in trying to get new players to the Stallions and the league.
“I think the league is getting more attention, it’s more competitive. I think it’s going to continue to grow. The word is out,” Hinchey said. “The reaction we’ve been getting from the head coaches… I think it’s real, I do.”
All in all, on top of the top-tier amenities that the Stallions give to their players, they also improve them on the field. A part of that is Dubee, who spent over 40 years in Major League Baseball before coming to Saugerties to be the head coach.
“The coaching staff that we put around them, we send them back better than when they came, so why would big schools not send them to our league? They go back better, they get taken care of,” Hinchey said. “We want them to know that when they come to the Saugerties team, they’re going to get taken care of.”