Roslyn's Ethan Jeon, Seaford's Dylan Alt recipients of prestigious Capozzi Award
Ralph and Ann Capozzi with Roslyn's Ethan Jeon, one of the winners of this year's Capozzi Award, which is named after their son, Michael. Credit: Derrick Dingle
Michael Capozzi is remembered every year at the conclusion of the Nassau County varsity baseball season. Capozzi, a 13-year-old eighth grader on a class trip with the Woodland Middle School in the East Meadow School District, died in a bus crash on April 11, 1992.
The Adirondack Highway bus tragedy happened on Interstate Route 87, north of Albany, where he was one of two students that died, and forever ripped a hole in the hearts of parents Ralph and Ann Marie Capozzi. To memorialize and honor Michael’s love for baseball and all sports, the parents, with the help of the Nassau County Baseball Coaches Association, instituted a yearly scholarship that recognizes a player of character, academic excellence and athletic prowess.
This year, there were two deserving recipients of the Michael Capozzi Award. Seniors Ethan Jeon of Roslyn and Dylan Alt of Seaford were the winners of the 33rd annual award presented at the Nassau County Baseball Coaches Association banquet at the Marriott Hotel in Uniondale on Wednesday night.
“The committee gets nominations for the award every year,” said Rich Hess, who has served on the committee since its inception. “The family are proponents of recognizing outstanding student-athletes, the best of the best, in honor of their son. We’ve had honorees go on to be very successful in life. This is a most prestigious award.”
Jeon and Alt both received $1,000 scholarships.
“The Capozzi Award is not simply about athletic achievement,” Hess said. “It is a combination of leadership, sportsmanship, service and character. These players embody all these attributes.”
The Capozzi family runs a yearly golf outing to allow them to raise the funds for the scholarships. That golf outing is scheduled for Thursday, July 16 at the Blue Course at Eisenhower Park at 1:30 p.m. An awards dinner will follow at Verdi’s in Westbury.
Jeon, a 5-9 outfielder, played five years on the Roslyn varsity and earned All-League this year. The leadoff hitter had 11 stolen bases, 21 runs scored, batted .426 with 23 hits and a .523 on-base percentage. The Cornell-bound Jeon scored a 1,530 on the SAT, including a 790 in math.
“I’m very proud,” Jeon said. “It represents my academic work in the classroom and on the field.”
Jeon said he’ll study statistics at Cornell and try out for the club baseball team. The four-year starter and two-year captain was a cornerstone of the Roslyn program. He carried a 101.25 GPA, with math as his wheelhouse.
“Some athletes stand out for their talent and others for their leadership,” Roslyn coach Dan Freeman said. “A rare few also distinguish themselves through their character and Ethan excels in all three.”
Jeon volunteers for the high school summer program at the middle school and elementary level teaching math and English.
“I’m also working at a coding school teaching younger kids how to code,” he said. “I’m Korean and I’ve also been raising money to send to South Korea to help students pay for higher education.”
Ralph and Ann Capozzi with Seaford's Dylan Alt, one of the winners of this year's Capozzi Award, which is named after their son, Michael. Credit: Derrick Dingle
Alt also cares deeply for baseball and his community. He spends time in the LSW Stars Program working with athletes that have special needs. He was an All-Nassau shortstop/pitcher selection and Diamond Award finalist as a junior. He suffered a broken right elbow during the basketball season and rehabbed himself back to play in the county playoffs. He was never fully healthy for the baseball season but never missed a game or practice.
“He’s such a kid of high character and so tough and didn’t want to let his teammates or coaches know that he was in pain,” Seaford coach Mike Milano said. “He was giving us everything he had and played the entire season. We had no idea what he was going through until the end of the year. He had all his clearances — what a tough kid.”
Milano said Alt, who will play baseball at SUNY-Cortland, had a season for the ages as a junior. And he had some big-time moments as a senior. He was the only player to homer off Plainedge ace Jaxson Torres. He also pitched 5 2/3 gutty innings in a playoff win over Wantagh.
“It’s so special to be honored by a great Long Island baseball family,” said Alt, who has a 102.65 GPA. “And baseball is family. My father has always been my coach and very influential in my life.”
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
