St. John's University Athletics
St. John's Softball Senior Spotlight: Matt Klampert
5/19/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 19, 2014
QUEENS, N.Y. - Red Storm Sports had the opportunity to sit down and talk with senior manager Matt Klampert who has dedicated the last two years of his collegiate career to helping out the St. John's softball team.
Since becoming the team's manager in 2012, Klampert has dedicated countless hours to both the team and the staff to make sure that everything is ready to go both on game day and logistically, day in and day out. From planning meals and equipment distribution on the road to setting up for practice, Klampert has been an important backbone to make sure that the coaching staff can focus on the team and its practice plan and is now on his way to pursuing a career as a softball coach.
Catching Up With Matt Klampert
Q: What has been your favorite part about being a manager for the St. John's softball team for the past two years?
A: My favorite part of being with the softball team was getting to learn about the game from the coaching staff and the players. They have helped me as much as I have helped them over the past two years. It was an amazing experience and I am really glad I had the opportunity to be for the team as long as I was.
Q: What has been your most memorable moment on the softball diamond during your time at St. John's?
A: My most memorable moment would have to be watching this team pour everything it had into the BIG EAST Tournament run. It was great to see them all work together for a common goal they all had set in the beginning of the year.
Q: Over the past two seasons, what has been your favorite field to go to and why?
A: My favorite field to go to was at ECU because it was the first really nice stadium that we went to during my first season with the team. When we got to the field I walked into the stands and had to go through the tunnel, so I had that surreal feeling like when you go into a major league baseball stadium for the first time as a kid.
Q: Off the field, what has been your most memorable moment at St. John's?
A: My most memorable moment off the field was being bale to create the lifelong friendship with my roommates. I have known these guys since my freshman year and had a great four years with them that I will never forget.
Q: What are you going to miss most about being a member of the St. John's softball team?
A: I am going to miss being with the team through their ups and downs and seeing them all come together and was as a team. They became a family to me, so to step away from that is a little heartbreaking.
Q: What is the biggest thing you took out of being a member of the St. John's softball staff?
A: The biggest thing I took from being a member of the softball team is that you are only as good as the people around you. Without the great people I got to work with over the past two years, I would not have been able to enjoy what I did.
Q: What piece of advice would you give to an incoming freshman looking to play softball or even become a manager at St. John's?
A: I would say to enjoy the time you have with your teammates and the staff. It goes by very quickly and will be over before you know it. Take advantage of every opportunity to make yourself better as an athlete and a person in your time with the team.
Q: What are your plans come graduation in May?
A: After graduation I will be returning to the Hudson Valley Renegades for my second year as an intern. I will also be pursuing a career in coaching softball after my internship is completed.
Q: If you didn't become a manager, what do you think you would be doing instead?
A: If I never became a manager, I would probably have gotten a part-time job somewhere around campus just to keep myself busy.
Q: What is one piece of advice you want to share with the team?
A: One final piece of advice I would tell the team is to stay hungry. Never be satisfied with something if there is more to achieve. Being so close to the championship should make this team want it that much more next season.
This marks the final edition of the St. John's softball senior spotlight for 2014. Make sure to check out all four editions from earlier this season:
For all the latest news on the St. John's softball team, log on to RedStormSports.com and follow the team (@StJohnsSoftball) on Twitter. You can join the conversation with #SJUSB. If you would like to be added to the St. John's softball mailing list, send an email to stjcommunications@stjohns.edu with the subject line "Softball Mailing List".