From Yankee Stadium to Mueller: Leadership Lessons with Luis “Squeegee” Castillo

Today, ICT Launchpad welcomed Luis “Squeegee” Castillo to our Mueller Elementary leadership session for a conversation about education, teamwork, character, dependable relationships, and resilience.

Squeegee shared stories from his years around the New York Yankees, including helping David Cone stay loose during the rain delay in Cone’s 1999 perfect game. He also reflected on lessons he learned from being around Derek Jeter and the Yankees: prepare with purpose, do the work consistently, value your team, and become someone others can count on.

The students connected those stories to everyday leadership: take education seriously, work with others, build relationships with people you can lean on, and be the kind of person others can lean on too.

Then the lesson moved from conversation to competition. Every participant got one swing while Squeegee delivered one pitch. The students who hit the ball the farthest earned Pinstripe Mania New York Yankees memorabilia figures.

The baseball activity led to one of the day’s most important lessons: even the best hitters do not get a hit every time. A strong batting average still includes plenty of missed opportunities. Success is not perfection. You practice, learn, adjust, get back up, and keep taking your swings until you hit your mark.

Thank you to Luis “Squeegee” Castillo for investing his time and experience in our students, and thank you to Ms. Beth for her continued support in making sessions like this possible.

This is what ICT Launchpad is about: connecting young people with real people, real experiences, and practical lessons they can carry forward.