Blue Wahoos' Antoine Returns To Ballpark As UWF Football Player

The awestruck children who raced to hug him on this night were naturally unaware Santa Claus played football at the University of West Florida.
Samuel Antoine, a big man and kid at heart, was enjoying the disguise as he roamed Blue Wahoos Stadium during the team's Christmas In July Night.
Hey, anything for kids. Anything for fun.
"The jacket was actually the coat for Kazoo and it fit me perfect, so I went with it," said the Argos 6-foot-4, 310-pound senior offensive tackle, laughing at the recent summer memory. "It's cool seeing the kids so happy. It's a great thing."
That's partly why Antoine, one of the Argos' most experienced offensive linemen as third-year starter, worked three months this summer as creative services and production intern for the Blue Wahoos.
His role included being Santa Claus one night, a green-clad, Area 51 Night alien on another, or juggler for the king's court on Fiesta Pensacola Night. He was part of the Argos' energetic team of production staff helping to absorb all that goes into baseball operations.
Have costume? Can do. Sam was the man.
The experience also became educational with Antoine seeing how the Blue Wahoos try to make every night at the ballpark a special experience.
"At first, I didn't think it was going to be such a big deal," he said. "But when we started seeing people's feedback on everything, I was like wow, people really pay attention to things like this. And they want their kids to have fun and they want the game to be a great experience.
"(Blue Wahoos) doing those promotional games on the field, you can see the joy on the kids' faces and how fun it is for them and that is so interesting."
A month after his internship ended, Antoine returns to Blue Wahoos Stadium this weekend in a different capacity.
He'll suit up Saturday as left tackle in the Argos' home-opening game against Virginia-Lynchburg. It will be a surreal element for Antoine after working a baseball season at the stadium.
"It is going to be really different, that's for sure," Antoine said. "Now, I will know all the ushers. I'll know all the camera people. I will know everybody who is working there. I am going to feel a lot more comfortable.
"I'll be back on the field, but just in a far different way."
That's for sure. Nothing playful about being an offensive tackle, fending off a pass rusher or grinding in a run block.
"Sam is a guy always smiling. He is always enjoying life… uh, except when he is blocking people," said UWF head coach Pete Shinnick, who was offensive lineman himself as a player. "Sam knows how to do that. He knows how to flip that intensity switch and play.
"I am thrilled to death for the potential he has. Because he's just gotten better every minute he has been here."
Antoine grew up in Weston, a suburb of Fort Lauderdale. He was a team captain his senior year at Cypress Bay High. He earned a scholarship at Glenville (W.Va.) State where he played as a redshirt freshman in 2016, starting six games.
But the lure of UWF starting a football team, enabling an opportunity to return to Florida, moved Antoine to transfer in December 2016. He's been a mainstay on the Argos offensive line, earning second-team All-Gulf South Conference honors the past two seasons.
"What I like about him is he has a very coachable spirit," said UWF offensive line coach Steve Saulnier. "He does not want to let you down. I will ask him to try some things now, because he's older and a little more mature than some of the other (linemen).
"It's things like certain foot work, certain techniques on plays and he'll give me feedback on it. He is very open to different approaches."
His football skills and ability to think fast on his feet all transferred well into his summer experience with the Blue Wahoos. Antoine was part of daily planning meetings and preparation for how the Blue Wahoos make a game more than just about baseball.
"Honestly, I wasn't a big baseball guy at first. I watched it, but now seeing the ins-and-outs of baseball was really interesting," he said. "And being in this internship made realize that, wow, I could work in this industry.
"It is more fun than it looks. On TV it's not as fun. But everything behind the lines, everything that goes on underneath the stadium, no one sees those things and I just think it's just so interesting."
During his internship, which began May 5, Antoine got to know several Blue Wahoos players, most notably infielder-outfielder Travis Blankenhorn, who was an all-state prep football player in eastern Pennsylvania.
Antoine also got to know catchers Ben Rortvedt and Brian Navaretto and first baseman Lewin Diaz, who was traded in mid-season to the Miami Marlins organization.
All of his conversations gave Antoine further appreciation for the every-day grind professional baseball players endure during a five-month season.
"It's crazy. I don't know how they do it," he said. "I realize it's more stationary at times during a game than football between pitches, at-bats, things like that.
"But at the same time, it takes a toll on your body. Especially when you think about these guys do this every day, come back, come back and do the same thing every day. They have to play at that kind of high level every single day and it's just crazy."
Antoine was big part of UWF's magical 2017 season when the Argos made NCAA football history in all divisions by going from an inaugural season in 2016 to reaching the Division II national championship game a year later.
No college football team had gone from start-up to title game in that short time. Antoine played in all 15 games that season, making 14 starts.
Away from a football field, however, Antoine offers an easy smile and welcoming personality, which meshed well with the Blue Wahoos mission statement.
"He loves people, he loves kids," Saulnier said. "That is one of his strengths. He is a big teddy bear in that way. That's why I'm not surprised he worked so well (with Blue Wahoos).
"When he crosses the lines, the switch is on. His passion for the game allows him to be the football player he needs to be when it's time."
Antoine is thankful he was able to spend a summer with the Blue Wahoos, learning the company values team owners Quint and Rishy Studer set from the franchise inception.
He got to work with team president Jonathan Griffith and vice president Donna Kirby, both of whom have been in management positions with the Blue Wahoos since the inaugural 2012 season.
"Every situation they encounter, they always have a great attitude," Antoine said. "Even if person is being rude to them, they always keep their composure. They never get angry. That is why the Blue Wahoos' customer service is so good.
"Originally, I wanted to work in football or basketball game operations. Now, after being with the Blue Wahoos, if I get the chance to be in baseball, I'm totally fine with it. I enjoyed the summer. It was fun."
WANT TO GO?
WHAT: UWF Football
WHO: Virginia-Lynchburg vs. UWF
WHEN: Saturday, 6 p.m.
WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium
TICKETS: www.goargos.com/tickets or game day at Blue Wahoos box office.
RADIO: ESPN-Pensacola, 99.1 FM
TV: Cox Sports Television (CST)YurView