Joey Giaimo's Leadership Valued in Class, on Baseball Diamond

When Joe Giaimo played for Watchung Hills Regional, he delivered for the school's football and baseball teams. The lessons he learned in and out of athletic games in high school and at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn., helped him develop some ideas on leadership—which he used at the college in some creative ways. 

"He...taught a class as an undergraduate student on 'Leadership' that he himself developed and the university granted him permission to teach," his father, Dennis Giaimo, who is currently stationed in Afghanistan, said.

Those who remember Giaimo's playing at Watchung Hills won't be too surprised to learn he's also exhibited leadership outside of the classroom—in his final year with the Wesleyan Cardinals baseball team, he acheived a .612 slugging percentage and was named to the New England Small College Athletic Conference All-NESCAC First Team. He led the conference in hits (57), doubles (16), and runs batted in (51).

Giaimo was one of only three players to return from last year's First Team.

Giaimo accomplished this playing as a grad student, elligible thanks to an extension becuase of an injury that prevented him from playing in 2009.

He completes his collegiate career fifth on Wesleyan's all-time hits list with 172, and a career batting average of .355.