Coach John Carlesi: Remembered by Those Who Knew Him

Following his devastating passing, The Spectator has been overwhelmed by the immense grief and love expressed by the Stuyvesant community—and beyond—for former baseball coach John Carlesi. It was only fitting to include with our coverage the words and remembrances of those whose lives he touched, from alumni to current students. Coach Carlesi’s undeniable, and at times unfathomable, impact on his athletes and beyond will continue to live on. 

“I still vividly remember meeting John Carlesi in September of 2003. I was a nervous sophomore at Stuy, trying out for the varsity baseball team during his first full year as coach. While I didn’t know it then, that would be the start of a nearly 22-year friendship. John was kind, generous, friendly, and dependable. He, of course, knew a ton about baseball, but it was the way he cared for his players as people that made him special. Whether you needed a sounding board for deciding which college to pick or an extra set of hands for moving apartments, you could count on John. His generosity of spirit transformed Stuy baseball from a simple extracurricular into a family. He will be deeply missed.” —Coach Jimmy Wendt (‘06)

“There aren’t enough words to describe the kind of person and coach that Coach Carlesi was, nor the impact that he had on both my life and the lives of countless others. But I’d like to try with a couple of stories.

My freshman year, I suffered a gruesome injury during a game. To make matters worse, we were in Cooperstown—about four hours away from NYC and from my family. Without skipping a beat, Coach took me to the hospital where he stayed with me for the next couple of hours. By the end of the night, his jacket was covered in my snot and tears, but he wasn’t fazed. He even stayed over that night with my family and me, just to make sure I was okay.

My sophomore year, COVID shut down our season right as it was getting started. We had no idea what was going to happen with baseball nor the rest of our lives for that matter. But within a week of school closing, I had a text from Coach telling me that he’d be at East River Park at 8 a.m. the next day. ‘Wear a mask; we’ll social distance; but I’ll work you out tomorrow,’ he told me. Coach didn’t need to wake up early to work out with me, at the height of a pandemic no less, but that’s who he was.

My junior year was still online. I was in the Berkshires one weekend, and Coach was at his house in Connecticut two hours away. When I mentioned to him that I was in the Berkshires, he immediately told me he’d be there tomorrow to throw me batting practice at our local field. I told him he was being insane, and that was extremely unnecessary. ‘Nonsense,’ he told me. Sure enough, the next day we worked out for two hours, and I was exhausted by the end of it.

The question I’ve always asked myself about these stories is ‘why?’ Why did Coach feel the need to go so out of his way to do such extraordinary things for not just me but everyone who knew him? And the answer, I’ve come to realize, is simply because he was a great person. Coach never had kids of his own, but we were all his kids, and there was nothing he wouldn’t do for us. My favorite part about these stories is that no matter how special they seem, every person who has known Coach has a story just like these. He was an exceptional coach and an even better human being. The world is a worse place without him in it. Be good, Coach.” —Sam Levine (‘22) 

“From trips to his beach house to watching Mets games with him, Coach Carlesi was not only a great baseball coach but also an amazing person. He always wanted us to strive to not only become better baseball players but also better teammates and people. The two years I spent with him as my coach were truly some of the best years. Stuy baseball will continue to carry on his values but will never be the same without him.” —Everett Yu-Dawidowicz (‘27)

“I have never met someone like Coach Carlesi. Coach always had a knack for getting the best out of his players and those he interacted with. Coach made sure everybody felt included—he had as big of a heart as anybody. Coach brought everybody in as if they were his own family. He was there for everybody and all his players that needed him. If you wanted to talk, he would listen attentively.

Coach was also fearless. He made sure his players embraced that underdog mentality. I will never forget the 2022 Stuyvesant Peglegs. Despite facing fierce competition throughout the season, Coach made sure we never wavered. He made sure we believed in ourselves and remembered that no task was insurmountable. These lessons he taught on the field are lessons I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

May Coach Carlesi’s legacy live on forever. Rest in peace, Coach.” —Julian Duran (‘23) 

“Thank you, Coach, for everything. From the victories on the field to learning how to golf and fish at Breezy, I learned so much and had so much fun over the past four years. Even if some nights you blew up my phone with ‘we’re playing like crap’ texts, you helped make me into the player and person I am today. May you forever play ball with the legends of this game.” —Jasper Yu-Dawidowicz (‘25)

“I still remember being a freshman at Stuy, terrified to talk to people. Coach helped me break out of that, whether I liked it or not. He made me break down the team after every practice—‘Peglegs on three’—and even made me sing ‘I Want It That Way’ by Backstreet Boys after losing a relay race. 

However, Coach cared more than any other coach about his job, and he made sure to go out of his way to support us. What stood out most about Coach was his presence as a father figure. He was the only coach I knew who truly cared about every single one of his players on and off the field. Sure, we’d get angry texts after bad games, but we knew that was because he wanted the best for us all. After all, he’d always tell us, ‘Don’t let anyone walk over you,’ and that's exactly what he taught us.

Coach was the kindest and most selfless person I’ve ever met. I can’t imagine what my high school journey would’ve been like without him. I’ll never forget the impact he had on myself and the hundreds of Stuy alumni. I hope that he’s hitting fungos with the legends, catching a ton of fish, and playing a ton of golf (but hopefully not yelling at any old ladies). I’ll miss Coach more than words can describe. He was a true Superman.” —2025 Alumnus  

“Coach John Carlesi was the longtime, beloved head coach of the Stuyvesant High School baseball team. Although I never got to play for ‘Coach,’ as he was known to his student athletes (since I graduated in ‘76), I was honored to meet him at Stuyvesant Baseball Alumni events when he became the assistant baseball coach under Head Coach Matt Hahn. 

Our relationship continued for 30+ years because, as head coach, he always brought his Stuyvesant teams down to Port St. Lucie, Florida every year for spring training. I always made it a point to meet up annually with Coach Carlesi and watch a Stuyvesant spring training game in the warm Florida sunshine.

Coach John Carlesi was a great baseball coach, teacher, educator, husband, man, and more. He was the quintessential New Yorker and I was proud to be his friend.

Prayers and thoughts for all. BlueSkies, tail winds, and following seas, Coach. RIP.” —Bill Sablesak (‘76)

“I got to know Coach not through playing baseball but watching it and hanging out, since my older brother is a Stuyvesant baseball alum. When first meeting Coach, I was been too intimidated to talk to him, and I was, but after years of knowing him, it really didn’t take long to know what kind of person he was: the kind of person to text to check up when something happened in my life; to invite you to a ball game to catch up; or even just to go watch a game. He taught me how to fish; how to line up fly balls; and how to have a fun time. And, he had quite the humor—he never failed to make anyone laugh. He was a true mentor beyond the baseball field—if selflessness could be in human form.” —John Jay Wang (‘25)