Nico Falcioni has enjoyed baseball from the first time he hit a ball off a tee, very much so for its tendency to reward the patient and mentally fortified athlete, and it was a better approach when he stepped in the batter’s box that parlayed the way to his success at North Branford.

The T-Birds’ Class of 2023 graduate started playing baseball with t-ball at the age of 4 and never looked back. After spending his youth baseball career doubling as catcher and first baseman, Nico continued to play and platoon at those positions throughout his underclassmen career, plus the outfield before returning to first base this past spring as a senior—ultimately helping lead North Branford to the Shoreline Conference Tournament final. He additionally batted close to .440 this spring, was named Second Team All-Shoreline, and garnered both the team’s Desire and Dedication Award and the No ‘I’ in Team Award from the Southern Connecticut Diamond Club.

“My dad always coached me in baseball when I was young; he was my source of motivation and taught me the right way to play the game. It was the first sport I played growing up, and I love the pace of it and the mental aspect of it. I liked it because I was a thorough thinker,” says Nico. “My teammates in high school motivated me, too. I have played with so many of them since Little League. The chemistry with them was just amazing; we had no ripples or arguments. They motivated me to improve and stick with the game.”

In the lead up to his send-off season, Nico knew he had to take additional steps to have the best campaign of his career. His paternal influence struck again and helped him bat away bad tendencies at the dish and stay in an optimistic and persistent mind frame, while keeping that sound mentality throughout his various treks through numerous field assignments.

“I made changes from my junior year to my senior season, especially from an offensive standpoint,” says Nico. “I went up to the plate with a new approach, rather than falling into bad habits. The credit for all of that goes to my dad. I never cared about the position I was playing; I just wanted to do whatever to help the team win. At first base, it is rewarding when you are coming off the field after a good scoop for an out and receiving cheers and thank yous. It is really special seeing people be so grateful for me doing my job. No part of playing first or any position is demanding when you are having that much fun.”

In reflecting on his flights as a T-Bird long after his final descent, Nico could not think of a better baseball program and pedigree to be around. Not only did North Branford consistently produce a winning product, the T-Birds did it while having only the utmost admiration and support of the town and community.

“Undeniably, the culture with North Branford baseball is one of the best,” says Nico. “The coaches, fans, and teammates were great with encouraging me to be the best version of myself. We consistently had great attendance at games, and the culture really is unmatched. I was proud to wear the purple and white.”

North Branford skipper Billy Mitchell notes that Nico ranked toward the top of the league in terms of his efforts both in the field and at the dish, while being a soothing vocal presence in frenetic times.

“For three years, Nico was the ultimate team player. He became the best defensive first baseman in the Shoreline Conference in my opinion,” says Mitchell. “I would also put him as one of the top 3 hitters in the league; he was a ferocious hitter and did a great job. He was a calming voice on the team, as well as a very rational and intelligent kid.”

Now beginning the next phase of his life at Bentley University and penning the opening chapter of his journey towards earning a finance degree, Nico is already rich with a wealth of knowledge when it comes to prioritizing the immediate importance of an education.

“My parents have always said that academics come first,” Nico says. “Going forward, I am going to focus on my studies. I will not be doing any varsity sports, but I will possibly do club sports or intramurals.”

In applying what he has learned from the diamond while at North Branford, Nico reflects that he discovered the value of sticking it out through thick and thin when it comes to the end game. He also notes that when it comes to personal performance, one must simply look within themselves and block out any outside noise and interference.

“The first thing I learned is that you have to keep showing up, whether it is practice, the classroom, or workouts,” says Nico. “I believe in that so much, because even when it isn’t going your way, it will eventually play out the way you want. You also have to play for yourself and play to satisfy yourself.”