Dick Dupuis: Celebration of a Coaching Legend

By Phil Devlin

(June 7, 2025) — It was a night to remember. More than 250 former track athletes, colleagues, friends and family gathered in a crowded Haddam-Killingworth High School Field House on June 6, 2025 to celebrate the remarkable fifty-year career of HKHS track and field and cross-country coach Dick Dupuis, and to learn that this, his fiftieth year, would be his last as a coach.

Coach Dupuis has coached an estimated 2,000+ athletes. Some of them traveled great distances to honor their former coach. Peter Fink, formerly of Killingworth, for example, flew in from Charlotte, North Carolina, to be there. Pete was simply outstanding both in the pole vault and in the long jump in high school; in fact, he became an All-American pole vaulter in high school and was quick to praise the coach for his patience in developing him both as an athlete and as a human being— a sentiment often repeated during the night’s festivities.

Fellow track and field and cross-country coach Matt Diglio was the principal driving force behind the celebration. Matt has been coaching with Dick for twenty-five years and was effusive in his praise for Coach Dupuis. He said he felt “honored” to have worked with him.

Michael Rosado (HKHS Class of 1981) ran both cross-country and track for Coach Dupuis and traveled from Mansfield to honor his former coach. A former Eagle Scout, Rosado was joined by former teammates Mark Rabuffo and Ron Kleinschmidt to talk about the early days of HKHS Track and Field. They thanked the coach for a “chance to grow” and for the “camaraderie” that they experienced in high school. Mark Rabuffo described him as a “big inspiration” in his life.

Former colleague and outstanding math teacher Barbara O’Leary was there as well. Barb helped coach distance running with Dick for about ten years. She said that Coach Dupuis was “knowledgeable of every aspect of track and field” and that he taught her a lot. She felt fortunate to work with him.

Popular HKHS Athletic Director, Lynne Flint, was there as well and expressed both her gratitude and good fortune in knowing and working with Coach Dupuis. She called him “my mentor” and said, “For decades Coach Dupuis has been the driving force behind the Haddam-Killingworth running programs. He has built more than just winning teams. He has built a legacy of integrity, resilience and community.” Lynne went on to say, “We thank you for the time, the wisdom, the laughs, the sweat, and the heart you’ve poured into every season. I know we are celebrating Coach’s fifty years of coaching, but for those of you who do not know, this past 2024-2025 season was also his last.”

Matt Diglio then introduced Coach Dupuis, who received a thunderous standing ovation from the large crowd in attendance.

Coach thanked all his former athletes, his wife, Carol, aka “Mrs. Coach,” (photo above), and his fellow coaches, acknowledging that many of his assistant coaches were former athletes that he had coached, a tradition that he particularly enjoyed.

He was presented with a large blue and gold banner by Lynne Flint and Matt Diglio (photo above). This banner will now hang in the HKHS Fieldhouse.

Before the crowd dispersed for the evening, former HKHS athletes were asked to pose for a photo with their coach. More than 140 of those athletes filled the bleachers and posed with their beloved coach. (photo above). It was a sight to see.