By Jimmy Allinder
Some choose to travel through life taking detours rather than confronting challenges that often dot the road.
Then there’s Nick Loffredo, who is about to enter his senior year at Saint Joseph High School of Metuchen. Born with an unquenchable drive to succeed and the intelligence to make it happen, Loffredo is one of the parochial institution’s most accomplished student-athletes.
His sport is baseball, and the second baseman was one of the Falcons’ top offensive players this past spring. He batted .368 with 32 hits, six doubles, 15 runs and 13 RBIs. In the field, Loffredo was charged with only two miscues.
Mike Murray, who just completed his first year as St. Joe’s baseball coach, knows how special Loffredo is.
“When I took the job in December, Nick was one of the first players to reach out and ask me what he could do to help me get the program ready for the season,” Murray said. “From the start, he’s been a guy who not only wanted to succeed as an individual but help our program be the best it can be.”
Despite his impressive statistics and proven leadership ability, it’s what Loffredo has accomplished off the field that truly distinguishes him. He has achieved a 4.5 grade-point average (A+) in the classroom. When he says he is a devout member of the Spanish Club and Spanish National Honor Society, Loffredo means it. He speaks the language fluently and received some practice this summer when the Loffredo family vacationed in Spain.
Although he does not play varsity football, he captains a team in the Intramural Flag Football League — the largest participatory activity at St. Joe’s. Outside of school, Loffredo is an active member of the Edison and Metuchen Little League Buddy Ball programs, which help disabled children enjoy the experience of playing baseball.
“It’s one of my favorite activities,” Loffredo said. “To [give] special needs child an opportunity to experience America’s pastime is a priceless experience.”
A native of Metuchen, Loffredo, along with his father, Thomas, is an assistant teacher in the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) program at the borough’s Saint Francis Cathedral. He also volunteers as an assistant in the FUCE 5K race held annually in Metuchen.
The volunteer activity Loffredo is most proud of, however, is an account he initiated with the GoFundMe program last November for Anthony Abate, a 2-year-old who was diagnosed with a rare but aggressive form of brain cancer.
“Anthony is one of my friend’s cousins, so I knew the family before he was born,” Loffredo said. “When I heard about his affliction, I just had to do something, so I started the account to offset the costs for the multiple surgeries Anthony endured. In four months, the charity raised $17,395 and helped pay for most of the procedures.”
What has made Loffredo especially thankful is Abate’s prognosis.
“He has gone through three rounds of chemotherapy, and we learned the tumors in his body have shrunk significantly and his chances of surviving have increased,” Loffredo said. “The fight is definitely not over, so I’m focused on raising more money. As a result, more awareness for the condition (called ATRT) has been raised. This experience helping Anthony eclipses all my charitable endeavors.”
It’s little wonder Loffredo’s athletic, academic and extracurricular résumé makes him a prime candidate to attend one of the top universities in the country. He is being recruited by such schools as the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, Villanova University, New York University and Fordham University.
He is a member of an extremely close-knit family, which includes his father and mother, Diane, and sister, Marionna. They are also his biggest fans.
“My dad especially has been irreplaceable and extremely dedicated throughout my career,” he said. “He’s been nothing but positive, whether I’m up or down, and has put me in a position to succeed.
“Coach Murray has also had a huge impact on me. He’s helped me become a better fielder and navigate through the recruiting journey. I’m extremely excited to play another year with him.”
Loffredo’s best memory involves baseball.
“I went to what I thought was a family breakfast, but it turned out to be a charitable event where Derek Jeter and Mark Cuban (owner of the Dallas Mavericks) joined the group,” he said. “Derek was always my idol and to spend a few hours in conversation with him was priceless.”