Matt Corsi has been coaching high school baseball long enough to understand what Mike Grasso has meant to the Bethlehem Catholic and local baseball community.

That’s why taking over the program is such an honor for the 1999 Becahi graduate, as Corsi was approved last week to succeed Grasso after 36 seasons leading the program and 45 years in total coaching at the school.

“I have to build off the foundation he laid here,” said Corsi of following Grasso’s footsteps. “I knew I wanted to be a head coach after about 10-12 years of coaching high school baseball, but this was always one of my dream jobs. To now be the head coach is just the best feeling in the world.”

Corsi is a veteran assistant himself, as next spring would give him 20 years of experience in the dugout. He started as a JV assistant at Becahi before nine years at Central Catholic as a varsity assistant, followed by four years at Allen. He then returned to Becahi in 2018 to assist Grasso and hopes he can leave his footprint on the program moving forward.

Becahi athletic director Chris Domyan was happy to have Corsi take over the program.

“We’re very pleased that Matt is our new baseball coach,” Domyan said. “As a Becahi alum and protégé of coach Grasso, he is poised to take the program to new heights.”

Corsi’s first action as head coach should take place in August when the East Penn Conference and Colonial League will join together for a summer tournament, culminating at DeSales. The Hawks were slated to play Liberty, Freedom and Catasauqua in pool play, but the official schedule won’t be released until this week.

While Corsi admits it was bittersweet to have Grasso’s final season canceled because of the coronavirus, he hopes he’ll still be a presence moving forward.

“I want him around as much as he wants to,” said Corsi. “He’s been such an important figure in my life and to this program. I hope we can find a way to properly honor this summer.”