After six seasons as an assistant, Craig Barstow is stepping into the spotlight as the new head coach of the Berkshire baseball team, bringing continuity, experience, and a deep understanding of the program to the role.
Barstow replaces Brian Hiscox, who stepped down after the 2025 season to focus on his responsibilities as the school’s athletic director.
“It’s really exciting,” said Barstow, a 2006 graduate of Berkshire High School. “Actually, it’s something I’ve looked forward to for a while.”
Barstow spent nine years living in New Jersey before returning to Geauga County. Upon moving back, he contacted Hiscox about joining the coaching staff and began working as an assistant during the 2020 season.
“(Coaching) wasn’t something I strived for originally, but it was kind of something I saw over time that maybe I’d want to do. I know I got into coaching strictly on the basis that I just loved the game of baseball, and I just wanted to get back into it,” he said. “I realized I missed the game.”
During Barstow’s time as an assistant, the Badgers won a Chagrin Valley Conference title and a district championship.
His deep familiarity with the school, the program, and its players positions him well to make a smooth transition into the head coaching role.
“I hope it helps a lot, that’s one of the goals,” Barstow said. “I know this year we had a little bit of a down year, but it was more or less that we were young. The year before we won a share of the CVC title. We graduated a lot of good athletes, and there maybe have been some players that were kind of playing up or maybe playing part time, and it may have been a hindrance in the moment, but I actually think it’s going to be a good thing in the long run. All the experience they got this year, and I know next year, we’re returning six starters and seven people that played significant innings for us, so that’s something I look at as a positive.”
As head coach, Barstow plans to blend what he learned from his predecessors with his own vision for the program.
“I just want to lay a strong foundation,” he said. “I want to build a culture and get players to buy in more than anything. I want to be consistent and compete for conference titles. Before this year, we have won at least one tournament game in the last four or five years heading into this past season. Unfortunately, we didn’t win one this year, but I want to (restart) that tradition.”
For Barstow, the most rewarding part of coaching is seeing the long-term growth of his players—both on and off the field.
“It’s an honor and a treat to mentor young student-athletes,” he said. “It’s funny, you start this process and they’re 14- or 15-year-old boys, and by the time they leave you, they’re becoming young men. Now that I’ve been doing this for six years, it’s a real treat to see them go to college, start careers, go to trade schools, and then come back and be like, ‘Hey Coach, this is where I’m at in life,’ and that’s really awesome to see.”
