From right to left: Kyle DiFranco, Mark DiFranco, Craig DiFranco.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo
EAST LONGMEADOW — A 20-year family baseball legacy at East Longmeadow High School has ended as head coach Craig DiFranco, his brother, Kyle DiFranco, and their father, Mark DiFranco, hang up the cleats and close out their time as Spartans baseball coaches.
The family’s connection to the program dates back to 2006, with Craig on the mound and Kyle catching behind the plate as the duo helped secure the Spartans’ first league championship in more than two decades. The team later won its first Western Massachusetts Division I title in 2007.
Craig graduated in 2007 as captain of the golf, hockey and baseball teams, earning him induction into the ELHS Athletic Hall of Fame. Kyle graduated in 2009, playing the same three sports and joining his brother with the same hall of fame title.
Craig returned to the Spartans as head coach in 2014, assembling his staff with Kyle teaching fundamentals, Andrew Bunger on pitching development and Western Massachusetts Baseball Hall of Fame member Rich Bedard as bench coach.
Mark, also a Western Massachusetts hall of famer, took over as bench coach after Bedard’s retirement. He called coaching alongside his sons one of the greatest blessings of his life.
“Baseball has always been important to our family, but sharing the dugout, practices, bus rides, victories and even the difficult moments together created memories that go far beyond the game,” Mark said. “I am so proud of Craig and Kyle.”
Kyle said coaching alongside his family was a blast and that he “wouldn’t coach any other team, I’m East Longmeadow through and through.”
“It was fun, just getting to be together every single day,” Kyle said. “I love the game. I love watching baseball, I love coaching baseball. I like working with the kids and seeing how they improve from day in and day out, especially year after year.”
He said the staff focused more on how the players grew up as people than how they played on the field, adding, “It’s all about how you act while you play and win, on and off the field.”
He added that stepping away from coaching doesn’t mean they’ll be far, and that they’d still attend games to root for the Spartans.
“Every coach has their own thing that they will do, and my thing was to always be there for the kids,” Kyle said. “Anything they needed, anything. If they had trouble in school, with a person, with anything, I’m a phone call away, if needed. I’d be there in a heartbeat for the kids … it was a great experience. I wouldn’t take one thing back from it, I enjoyed every single moment.”
Craig said that he loved being able to coach the same program he played for and that he “would never have wanted to be anywhere else.”
“The East Longmeadow baseball program has been such a big part of my life,” Craig said. “I played T-ball through sixth grade in East Longmeadow, moved on to four years in high school and was lucky enough to have 12 years as the high school coach. The fact that I got to do it surrounded by my family and friends has been a real blessing.”
He said successful coaches realize they don’t know everything and that it’s important to be surrounded by others that think differently.
“For me, that was easy since I surrounded myself with family and former coaches of mine,” Craig said. “Throughout my baseball life I had so many wonderful coaches, teammates, friends and mentors. I picked up ideas and beliefs from all of them. Most importantly as a coach, decisions should never be made for your benefit. It is always about the players on the roster and setting them up for success both on and off the field.”
Craig added he leaves the program knowing it’s in great shape, but that he will miss the camaraderie, the “agonizing preparation” in practice and seeing the hard work come together during the games.
“We have strong underclassmen and the returning team is one of the best I’ve had in my tenure; they will succeed on the diamond and off and I’m very proud of them,” Craig said. “Baseball is a great sport because no single person can win a game, and often it comes down to one or two plays that decide the result. That teamwork and the relationships built because of it is what I will never forget.”
He thanked the entire East Longmeadow baseball community for its “unwavering support throughout the years.”
“To the parents and coaches, you have made the last 12 years very enjoyable and I couldn’t have asked for a better community in which to share all the great times,” Craig said. “To my family, who are also my assistant coaches, I want to say I love you and I have had so much fun sharing the last decade with you on the diamond. Lastly, to the players both former and current, you have made it all worth it. The way you conduct yourself on the field and in your lives is what I am most proud of. It is important for the game that you are good ball players, but much more important that you are great people in life. Continue to remain classy, sportsmanlike and show everyone the respect that they deserve. Thank you East Longmeadow Baseball, I love you all.”
