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02/14/2020 11:00 PMBasketball has always played a big part in Mark Stout’s life. Mark started his career with the East Haven Biddy Basketball town clinics when he was just six years old. He had such fond memories of his time in the program that he wanted his daughter Meadow to have the same experience.
“Meadow is eight now, but has been playing in clinics since she was four,” says Mark, who’s lived in Branford for five years with his wife Emily and their daughters Meadow and Poppy. “She did two years of clinics in East Haven before she could play in Branford in 2nd grade. I like keeping her in the gym and playing.”
With Meadow now old enough to play for Branford Junior Basketball, Mark has taken on the role as coach for her team. However, that wasn’t his first experience with coaching. Mark’s first experience came when he returned to his high school basketball team to lend a hand to his former coach.
Mark is a 2004 graduate of East Haven High School. In his senior year, Mark’s team welcomed a new coach, Ricky Narracci, who came to the Yellowjackets from Guilford. While it was Narracci’s first year as head of the program, he had a history in town as a gym teacher at the middle school.
Mark enjoyed his senior season playing for Narracci. After he graduated, Mark returned to help Narracci whenever he could.
“I’ve known Coach Narracci since I was in middle school and, as a senior, I got to play for him for one year,” says Mark, who also ran cross country and played tennis at East Haven. “We’ve been in close contact ever since. As the years went on, he’s become a close friend. He was even at my wedding.”
Narracci approached Mark several times about returning to the Yellowjackets as an assistant coach, but the timing was never right with Mark’s work schedule. Mark graduated from Southern Connecticut State University in 2011. He studied accounting and has worked in sales for the past eight years for a company called CDW. He also manages several rental properties.
Although he couldn’t commit to the high school position, Mark did have a chance to coach the middle school basketball team. He also volunteered to coach the East Haven 6th- to 8th-grade All-Star Team for several years.
This year, Mark shifted his schedule enough that he was able to finally say yes when Narracci asked him to become a member of the coaching staff for the East Haven High School boys’ basketball program. Mark is head coach of the JV team and also a varsity assistant.
“A big reason I said I’d come back and help was that four of the kids I coached on the All-Stars were now sophomores. Sticking with that group of kids is something I wanted to do,” Mark says. “It’s been great watching them grow from when I started coaching them at 10 years old, not only as basketball players, but as people.”
Mark coached Shea Carasone, Chris Bagnoli, Joe Verderame, and Tim Case with the All-Stars when they were in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. He’s now seeing them succeed at the varsity level. Mark is enjoying his time as a coach with a high school program, while building a bond with everyone on the squad.
“It’s awesome—the camaraderie with the coaches, boys on the team, and being involved in the town,” says Mark. “Watching the kids come together and seeing the growth since the beginning of December is fun to see. I love showing them how to do things and jumping into drills.”
Mark also likes working with Narracci. While the two have known each other for a long time, this is the first time that they’ve coached alongside one other.
“It’s fun to see the other side of it—the coaches’ office, behind the scenes. As a kid, you take for granted all the additional work he puts in—coming to practice with scouting reports and re-watching game film,” Mark says of Narracci. “He puts in so much extra time for the betterment of the team. As a player, you take it for granted how above and beyond he’s going, so it’s been cool to see the other side of it.”
Narracci is enjoying seeing one of his former players on the other side of the court. Narracci says that Mark brings the same energy and enthusiasm to his coaching position as he did when he played for the Yellowjackets.
“Mark’s desire for the program’s success did not end when he graduated. He has been a loyal supporter and has been involved with the program since he graduated,” Narracci says. “Whether it’s playing in our annual Alumni Game, Golf Tournament, or showing up to practice to work out with the team, he has always been part of the program in some capacity. Now as the JV coach, he is more involved on a daily basis, which is great.”
As Mark enters the home stretch of his first year coaching at East Haven, he feels grateful to Narracci for the opportunity. Mark also thanks his wife for her support. Mark is typically up at 5:15 a.m. and doesn’t get home until 9:30 p.m. on game days, but says that Emily is “holding down the fort and been a big part in me being able to help out this year.”
Mark still makes time to coach Meadow’s basketball team during the winter. He also encourages her other interests, such as soccer, gymnastics, dance, and lacrosse. In turn, Meadow is one of the biggest supporters of her dad’s basketball team.
“My daughter likes coming to the gym for practices and games,” says Mark. “She’s always in the gym cheering us on.”