NEWINGTON—Julio Figueroa, who was recently hired as the new varsity softball coach at Newington High, isn’t worried about the pressure of replacing a coaching legend.
As Figueroa steps into the wake of Steve Markie’s departure after 24 years leading the Nor’easters, even in his first-ever stint as a varsity head coach, the new Newington coach is proud and excited at the opportunity that is spread out before him.
“I feel zero pressure just because of the fact that I’m confident in my ability,” Figueroa said. “I know how well I can coach. I also know me individually. I’m confident in my skill level. I’m confident in what I say. I’m confident in things that I teach. So, I think that’s really important coming in. I think if I was scared of that shadow, I would never be successful because it would take me a long time to settle in and that’s not me.”
Truth be told, Figueroa knows true pressure.
Pressure is being born in Puerto Rico, finding your way to Meriden, and being faced with days where you wonder where your next meal might come from.
Pressure is struggling in school, and walking away from your final day on campus, knowing you failed to do your best and wondering what you were going to do with the rest of your life.
And, pressure, real life-changing pressure, is serving for four years in the United States Army, and doing two tours of duty—one in Iraq, one in Afghanistan—and walking away with not just the hellish memories of war, but also two Purple Hearts and the straight-up blessed fact that you know you’re still alive.
Needless to say, given that past, stepping between the baselines to coach softball is as pressure-filled as an easy jog to first base after taking a full-count pitch just off the corner for ball four.
It’s a history that has defined who Figueroa has become, and it was not lost on the Newington softball search committee and athletic director Chris Meyers.
“Julio made sure to emphasize the importance of education-based athletics that is so vital in today’s world,” Meyers said. “He expressed his knowledge of softball, and passion for coaching, which is all great. But his emphasis was always on organizational skills, dealing with adversity, preparation, hard work, overcoming challenges, all these things.
“Everybody has their own life story,” Meyers added. “What he’s been able to do is show how he would use his life story to benefit the student in our program.”
After leaving the Army, Figueroa also figured out the rest of his life, as well, becoming one of the most successful bank officers in the state’s history.
And it was his friendships that led him to the softball field, and an association with the CT Titans travel program that would once again change his life.
“Softball really came to me in a very unnatural way,” Figueroa admitted. “I was trying to find myself post-military, just trying to find what I liked. My best friend is actually the president of (the CT Titans travel organization). I became a traveling softball junkie to where I literally went with them to Maryland. I just went and watched, went and learned. I just went and tried to learn everything I could.”
That led to a coaching position within the Titans program, where he met and started coaching with Marissa Morris. When Morris was hired as the varsity softball coach at Rockville in 2022, Figueroa became her assistant coach.
“Coming into coaching, I think I was a bit hesitant at first because I didn’t play softball,” he said. “I wasn’t coaching prior, but I knew that, again, being confident in my ability allows me to be successful.”
As part of Newington’s interview process, Meyers and his team had Figueroa put some members of the Nor’easters team through a mock practice.
“The feedback we got from the players was how organized it was and how much detail was given to it,” Meyers said. “Coach Figueroa did an unbelievable job through the whole process. It was fantastic. He might lack some experience at the high school level, but you can really see his attention to detail and commitment.”
Figueroa will be taking over a program that is young, but has traditionally been competitive at both the state and Central Connecticut Conference.
“It’s a competitive league that they’re in,” Figueroa admitted. “It’s a young team, they’re all sophomores with a few juniors and seniors coming back, but we’re actually going down to Florida in April for spring training and bring that back here and see where we are.”
There will be no pressure when the opening pitch is thrown, however.
Just a new coach in Newington blessed to be on this part of his life’s journey while changing the journeys of so many others along the way.
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