For the better part of the past 30 years, a sense of family has been a huge component of the Northampton baseball program.

It truly has been a family affair.

The Sugras have been involved with the program since 1980. From 1995-2009, Mike Sugra guided the Konkrete Kids, and he had the good fortune to have sons Mick and Zach not only play for him, but they both coached under him as well.

There was a one-year window in 2010 when Mike McDaniel took over the program and then after the season he took a job in Orlando.

Mick Sugra took over the program in 2011 and he kept his brother on his coaching staff.

The elder son has implemented numerous methods from his father and has kept an old-school approach.

“We don’t throw bats and we don’t swear here,” said Mick Sugra about some of the unwritten rules that are accepted. “That’s the way that is always has been done here. There is respect, and we seek to run an efficient and effective program.

“Since I have been here, I have been fortunate to have a number of ex-players as coaches and they know what we’re about, and how we do things here.”

On Sugra’s current staff, his brother Zach, Brian Ruff, and Jarad Haupt have deep ties. Ruff coached with the eldest Sugra and coached both Sugra boys, and Haupt, who graduated with him, has a friendship spanning 30 years. They began their coaching careers at Pen Argyl under head coach John Kochmansky.

“We both learned a lot from Coach K,” reflected Haupt, who is the varsity assistant and first-base coach. “Mick and I grew up together, and my family has become part of his family. We have had many fond memories in the dugout, and the 2019 league championship is my favorite. We also have been fortunate to celebrate some major life milestones as well.

“We were in each other’s weddings in 2003, and our wives are best friends. Our kids have grown up together and my son Mason and Mick’s daughter Sydney will graduate this year.

“I feel very fortunate to be in the dugout all these years with Mick and Zach. They have been great coaches and role models and would do anything for me and my family.”

Ruff, who coaches the school’s hockey team, and is the current middle school baseball head coach, spent numerous years with the Northampton Athletic Association (NAA) and coached the Sugras there. He began coaching at the NAA, and he is still coaching 47 years later.

He knows there is a mutual bond among his peers.

“The best thing about being on the staff is that we all respect and trust each other,” said Ruff. “There is never any second-guessing about whether something should have been done differently.”

He also understands some of the challenges to coaching today.

“The biggest obstacle is to get the kids to understand that baseball is much more than hitting and fielding,” added Ruff. “There is a vast amount of mental adjustments and little parts of the game that need to be incorporated into the process of becoming a better player and team.”

Jared Hunsberger, who graduated in 2018, is in his first full season on Sugra’s staff after spending some time last year. He immediately recognized some things he never did as a player.

“You start to realize how much preparation and thought goes into all of the decisions that are being made,” said Hunsberger, who is a junior varsity assistant. “It has been a completely different experience as a coach than as a player.

“My biggest memory as a player was when we had a walk-off against Whitehall to secure the Cement Belt Challenge. As a coach, going down to Myrtle Beach before the season was something that I’ll never forget. The team bonding that we had was an incredible experience.”

Being a coach, Hunsberger has found a different perspective.

“I think the biggest adjustment is letting the kids play their own game,” he said. “I think it is really easy for coaches to micromanage. As a coach, you have to learn when to sit back and let them figure it out for themselves.”

Ian Luberti, a 2016 grad, is in his third season on the staff and second as head JV coach. He has relished all of his time in the dugout.

“It is an honor to come back and coach at my alma mater,” said Luberti, better known as “Lumpy,” in his playing days as a catcher. “It has been something that I have dreamed about since the time I played. Being a teacher and coach in the district I grew up and reside in is an amazing feeling. It is a great feeling to know you are making a positive impact on future generations of Konkrete Kids. Putting the uniform on and standing in the third-base coaching box gives me chills thinking about all the great history in the program.”

Like his former and current peers, Luberti has learned to maintain a sense of balance as a coach.

“The biggest thing has been keeping a level head and the big picture in mind,” he said. “I’ve learned it’s important to not get too excited, or too angry, and constantly try to think one step ahead.”

JV assistant Will Stackhouse, another 2016 graduate, began coaching under Sugra in 2019. Stackhouse has worked to develop in his new role.

“The biggest adjustment has been becoming a leader,” he said. “As a coach, I have to be on top of a whole team every minute of a practice and a game, always trying to set the example of how you should act and react to situations.

“The kids really look up to you as a coach whether or not you think, so you best be ready to make a decision and drive your team in the right direction.”

Like his peers, Stackhouse has appreciated Sugra’s guidance.

“My fondest memory came in 2019 when we beat Liberty at DeSales for the EPC championship,” stated Stackhouse, a third baseman in his playing days. “It’s one thing to be part of a championship for teams outside your school, but when you accomplish it for your alma mater, it is a special and unique feeling that is hard to explain.

“Mick has given me a new purpose by being a coach. For that I am very blessed and forever grateful.”