Kaczmar set to end decorated career at Walsh Jesuit
Chris Kaczmar has decided that the 2022 season will be his final one as the Walsh Jesuit High School baseball coach.
Kaczmar enters his 26th season as Walsh coach with a 587-117 record, four state championships, seven regional titles, 15 district championships and 21 sectional crowns.
Kaczmar, 52, said he is ready to step away from the dugout for several reasons, including to spend more time with his wife, Beth, their daughters, Emma and Lucy, and their sons, Stanley and Henry.
“There were a lot of factors,” Kaczmar said. “First off, I want to have a different lifestyle with my girls. I have been wanting to spend more time with them for quite some time, and it felt like for me at this point in my life that the timing was good. I always felt like it was going to be part of what I wanted to do in terms of succession to leave the cupboard full for the next coach and the timing is right for
that as well.
“There are some other goals that I want to do with my time moving forward. I would like to do things in the spring and the summer that are not baseball. I want to learn the guitar, I want to get more involved in a triathlon
and I want to watch [Henry] play baseball at the University of Michigan [in future seasons] in no particular order. So, there are a lot of factors and all of those things led me to the point where I am at peace with it being the right time for me and my family.”
Kaczmar competed in baseball, wrestling and soccer at Walsh Jesuit before graduating in 1988. He graduated from Miami University and is the president of Kaczmar Architects Incorporated in Cleveland. Kaczmar Architects is a family affair with Chris’ parents, Stan and Terry, and his sister, Katie, working for the company. Stan and Terry are the owners.
Kaczmar served as freshmen baseball coach at Walsh Jesuit in 1995 and as the junior varsity coach in 1996. He was named the varsity coach in 1997.
Kaczmar led Walsh Jesuit’s baseball team to Division II state titles in 1999, 2004, 2006 and 2008. The Warriors were also a Division II state runner-up in 2009 and 2010, and a Division I state semifinalist in 2021.
Kaczmar has coached 133 players at Walsh who have either played in college or are on the 2022 team and have made a commitment to play in college. The list of 133 includes 70 Division I college players.
Ten of Kaczmar’s former players have been drafted by MLB franchises.