When Antonio Conte '25 didn't make the freshman baseball team, it could have been a setback. Instead, it became the spark for something unexpected—and uniquely his. Now a senior at Delbarton and a dual-spring sport athlete in rugby and track & field, Conte has turned that early disappointment into a foundation for athletic success and leadership. This fall, he'll head to Bates College to study economics—but not before finishing his senior spring season, defined by grit, strength, and record-breaking moments.

An Unconventional Start

Conte didn't pick up rugby or shot put until high school—and neither was part of the original plan.

"I first started playing rugby my sophomore year after Coach Donnelly recruited me," he says. "I originally joined winter track to run sprints and get faster for rugby, but then I started throwing instead. It just clicked."

It was only this spring that Conte began juggling both sports competitively. "Coach Rose and my teammates convinced me to throw in the spring with the goal of breaking the three-man relay record. I talked to Coach Majano, and we worked out a schedule so I could do both."

Two Sports, Two Different Rewards

For Conte, rugby and shot put offer entirely different kinds of fulfillment—and both are important.

"In rugby, I love using my strength to fight through contact," he says. "It's that physicality and knowing I did everything I could to help the team that makes it special."

"Shot put is different. It's about the training. When you see weeks of work show up on meet day, it's all worth it."

Balancing the Individual and the Team

While rugby is fast, physical, and team-driven, shot put is technical, methodical, and individual—but Conte sees an overlap in both sports.

"Whether it's a game or a meet, if you don't perform well, you still feel like you've let your teammates down," he says. "The mindset matters in both."

His spring schedule is a juggling act—rugby practices and film sessions balanced with time in the shot circle. Sometimes, he even uses his last free block to squeeze in throws with Coach Rose before rugby starts.

Highs, Hurts, and Record-Setting Moments

This spring, Conte helped set a new Delbarton three-man shot put relay record alongside his teammates—which has been his biggest track accomplishment to date. On the rugby field, beating CBA for the first time in three years was a defining win this season.

But it hasn't all been smooth. "I got hurt in the first rugby game this year," he says. "Since then, I've been in the trainers' office every day. Mr. B and Mr. Nasse are probably sick of me at this point!"

Gratitude and Growth

For all his personal success, Conte is quick to credit those around him. "My biggest influences are definitely my coaches," he says. "Without them, I wouldn't have had the chance to even make this season possible. They've shaped my work ethic in a huge way."

And as his time at Delbarton winds down, he reflects on how the experience has shaped him.

"Delbarton taught me how to use my strengths to push others—and to let them push me," he says. "Without the coaches and teammates I've had, I wouldn't be the person I am today."