Being Lasallian

The End of an Era

or forty years Louis Eckerl III has been the athletic director at The Hall. During this time much has changed, but the culture of winning has remained the same. When he fi rst took over the role, sports scores were reported to The Baltimore Sun to be read by the greater community the next morning. Fast forward 14,600 days and scores are reported via real-time to outlets such as Twitter and the school’s livestream.

In 1982, Eckerl inherited an athletics program that offered 10 sports and 18 teams. Eckerl could be seen mowing the playing fi elds as well as lining them. The department has since grown to 17 sports and 40 teams. There no longer is grass to cut or fi elds to line as both stadiums and the 16,000 square foot practice fi elds are artifi cial surfaces with the lines sown into them.

During his tenure, Calvert Hall has won 300+ conference championships. He was involved in the construction of Paul Russo Angelo Stadium, Crispino Stadium, the multipurpose practice fi elds, and the Athletic Performance Center. In 2009, Crispino Stadium was recognized as the National High School Baseball Coaches Association Region 2 Field of the Year in 2009 and 2019 and the National Field of the Year in 2009.

In January 2020, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the median number of years an employee stayed in their role was 4.1 years. When asked why Eckerl chose to grow in his role at Calvert Hall he shared his secret to happiness, “fi nding a job that you love and you will never work a day in your life.” Although he looks forward to spending more time with his wife and grandkids, he will miss his colleagues and the students. He went on to state, “I am forever grateful for the opportunity given to me by Br. René Sterner, FSC, and Lou Heidrick, AFSC. I am thankful for the ‘fi ve all-stars’ who helped shape my career – Bill Karpovich, Joe Binder, Reds Hucht, Mark Amatucci, and Augie Miceli. Lastly, I want to thank my wife, Carol, for putting up with me as well as her understanding nature of the amount of time I spent at Calvert Hall.”

Outside of his role as an athletic director, Eckerl is well known as Calvert Hall’s varsity baseball coach. He has been involved with the program since 1982, taking the reigns as head coach in 2002. During his time as head coach, he has won 8 MIAA Championships and been named Coach of the Year by The Baltimore Sun (2005, 2007, 2019), the Maryland State Association of Baseball Coaches Private School (2005, 2007, 2019), the Old Timers Baseball Association of Maryland (2006, 2008), American Baseball Coaches Association Region 2 (2008), and National High School Baseball Coaches Association Region 2 (2005). His team has been ranked #1 by The Baltimore Sun six times and in the top 10 by USA Today twice nationally and fi ve times regionally. In 2016, he was inducted into the Maryland State Association of Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame. He has coached 185 student-athletes who have gone on to play in the collegiate ranks, and 17 who have played professionally. On May 4, 2021, Eckerl earned his 500th career victory and fi nished his career at the all-time winningest coach at Calvert Hall will 475 wins. He concluded his 23rd year as a head coach with a .759 winning percentage (524-166).

Director of school & college counseling and assistant varsity baseball coach, Brooks Kerr ’87 added, “Lou’s commitment to Calvert Hall is undeniable. Simply, no one gives more of himself to the school and to the students. He has done so much behind the scenes to assist students from helping to fi nd tuition assistance to fi nding clothes for a student whose family’s home burned down in a fi re. He truly cares about the students and Calvert Hall. He should be thought of as one of the legends of Calvert Hall with Binder, Karpovich, Amatucci, Hucht, and Miceli.”

Then vs. Now

Being LasallianA reflection by Peer Minister Charlie Smith ’24

Service is an integral element to the structure and purpose of the Peer Ministry Program and, on a broader scale, our Lasallian Tradition. The five core principles of our LaSallian tradition include the concern for the poor and social justice, quality education, faith in the presence of God, respect for all persons, and an inclusive community. Application of these principles brings our school community together as a Brotherhood, as well as standing together with those on the margins of our society.

This year, Peer Ministry had the opportunity to serve at First Fruits Farm. They provide fresh crops to those in need. For three sophomore retreats, we visited and served those who are less fortunate. All the while, diving deeper into our faith. This was meaningful because of the indirect sacrifice and unseen impact these students were making. It was a great opportunity for our program. We were asked to work as a team, give up our evening to do something we didn’t yet know the impact of that would better the world around us.

As an involved member of Peer Ministry, I have had many opportunities to serve in different ways. I have been a part of multiple service days, including First Fruits Farm. This past February, I had the amazing experience of visiting Camden, New Jersey, on one of our Immersion Trips. Ten of my fellow peer ministers and I were able to engage with the marginalized and impoverished population of Camden. The relationships I was able to build, as we served in middle schools, food shelters, and churches, was inspiring. The immersion trip allowed me to experience the direct impact service provides. I not only came to understand what I hadn’t from previous experiences, but it also enhanced what I did know. In the eyes of our program, I formed relationships with those I served alongside, and through my service experiences, I was able to become a better volunteer, and peer minister.

WHAT LEGACY WILL YOU LEAVE TO EMPOWER FUTURE GENERATIONS TO BE CHANGEMAKERS?

Consider creating a planned gift. Thoughtfully structured planned gifts are uniquely powerful in sustaining and growing Calvert Hall’s ability to serve those in need, while often affording exceptional fi nancial and tax benefi ts to our planned giving donors.

Contact Tom Malstrom ’84, Major Gift & Planned Giving Offi cer, for more information. MalstromT@calverthall.com 410.821.2347