DiBenedetti steps down as Warrior baseball coach

Mark DiBenedetti, who had been Fallbrook High School’s head baseball coach for three years and was also the Warriors’ pitching coach for two seasons, has stepped down.

“Just moving on,” DiBenedetti said.

“I’m just going to dedicate myself to my full-time job,” DiBenedetti said. “I’ll be coaching, too, but I’ll be doing more individual training.”

DiBenedetti has a full-time sales job for Hot-Can, a self-heating can. “It’s just requiring more of my time,” he said.

“I had to resign from coaching to support my family and take care of my family,” DiBenedetti said. “I’m sorry to leave, very sad to leave, but I’ve got to take care of my family.”

DiBenedetti will still provide private coaching and training, and he will continue to coach the California Collegiate League team called the Tigers.

DiBenedetti had been Fallbrook’s pitching coach in 2009 and 2010 before taking the head coaching position. “There’s a big learning curve in high school baseball,” he said.

“In the beginning I barely gave myself a passing grade,” DiBenedetti said. “In the end I might have gotten maybe up to a B.”

DiBenedetti had a three-year record of 33-53, including a 13-32 mark in league play. “I think I improved a lot as a coach,” he said. “In the end I think I did a decent job.”

In both 2011 and 2012 Fallbrook had overall records of 12-16 and Avocado East League records of 6-9. This year the Warriors moved to the Avocado West League, and a combination of a young Fallbrook team and tougher league competition left Fallbrook with a 1-14 league record and a 9-21 overall mark – which equates to the Warriors’ first pre-league winning season. “My last year was my most enjoyable,” DiBenedetti said.

DiBenedetti noted that he enjoyed working with the parents as well as with his Fallbrook players. “I’m really grateful to the parents who put in a lot of hard work,” he said.