After nearly 30 years and 775 career wins, Coach Gene Kasprzyk is ready for retirement. The long-time coach led the Pirates to 3 state championships in 1988, 1989, and 2002. Coach Kasprzyk and the Sinton Pirates ended the 2014 season with a 19-13 record, taking his team all the way to the regional semifinals before falling to El Campo, the regional champion out of region IV.
We had a chance to ask the legendary coach some questions about his career at Sinton.
1. What are some of the most memorable moments you had while at Sinton?
There are many so it is hard to single one out. The first state championship will always be special, an amazing group of young people.
I think hearing from his Dad that Mike Adams had gotten the call to the Big Leagues was pretty exciting for me, our first and only Big Leaguer so far. Seeing him pitch in the World Series was pretty neat.
The memories go more to the people than the accomplishments. We have been so fortunate to have such great kids and parents that support them.
It was really cool when Adrian Alaniz was selected to the UIL All Century team. (I think he was on the 2nd team…got beat out by some guy called Nolan Ryan and another called Roger Clemens.)
Some of my fondest memories are the players that excelled only at the high school level, too many to list. They were never going to play college or pro baseball and had no misconceptions about that. Those kids came and worked hard every day for their school, their community, their families, and their teammates. Those are the guys that make this job so special.
I am also proud to say we once had an immensely talented first base person that just happened to be a young lady. The way she attacked her practices earned the respect of every male teammate. This was before softball existed at SHS. What an honor it was to have coached her. She is in public education today and I am so proud of her.
2. Talk about the program and how you let and it and how you feel it is moving forward?
It was always my goal to establish a program that was able to compete year in and year out at the highest level. I think with the help of the community, school administration, and the parents in Sinton we were able to do that. It is a baseball town going back to the Plymouth Oilers and the folks in Sinton take their baseball very seriously. What they also do is leave you to your business and let you coach their kids, always expecting excellence both on and off the field. There are a lot of places with parents hovering around the dugout trying to coach their kid during the game or who come to practices to check up on the progress of their son. We have very little of that at Sinton.
The new regime has some very talented young people in place and others along the way. They will expect excellence as will the community and baseball will thrive in Sinton as it did before I got there under former Coach Atzenhoffer.
3. Any plans for retirement?
My immediate plans are to continue my work with the Corpus Christi Hooks as a broadcaster, travel more to tick off a long bucket list, read a bunch of books I have never gotten around to, and watch my girls grow into young adults. I’m guessing my wife is compiling a list of things to get done that always seemed to get put on hold!
4. Closing Thoughts
I never set out to be known as a baseball coach. I am equally proud of my years in the classroom at Three Rivers and Sinton High Schools. Baseball has always been a big part of my life thanks to my mom and her roots. Her uncle pitched in the 1935 World Series for the Cubs. My mother was always a huge baseball fan and I remember many trips to Houston to see the Colt 45’s and then the Astros. I have made so many lifelong friends in the baseball world I am truly fortunate. I hope I have given a small portion back to the game that has given me so much.
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