REMEMBERING A R.E.A.L. MAN
This spring, the class of 2002 is invited back to the Avon Old Farms campus to mark its 15th reunion. Unfortunately, one member does not have that opportunity, but has created a legacy to be celebrated.
Frank DiCocco ’02 attended Avon Old Farms School for all four years of his high school career. A strong athlete, a dedicated scholar, and a caring friend, DiCocco excelled at Avon.
“You knew he was special,” said Kevin Driscoll, who coached DiCocco while he played varsity football at Avon. “He was always out to help others. If he saw someone sitting alone at lunch, he was the one to go over and say hello – he just had that brotherhood mentality.”
After finishing as one of seven seniors graduating cum laude, DiCocco carried his momentum forward to Boston College for his undergrad, and attended Florida State University and Winthrop University for graduate school.
Years later, DiCocco returned to Avon Old Farms to coach football with a personal mission to help build men of character, men of values, men of purpose, and men of honor – a mission that by no mistake is very similar to the mission of Avon Old Farms School.
“His family is an Avon family, and he was an Avon boy,” said Driscoll. “He is part of what makes us a great school – he was a true, great Avonian.”
In 2009, DiCocco wrote the R.E.A.L. Man character program, a character-education curriculum for students of all ages. The program has 20 lesson plans designed to help youth reach their full potential and give them a stronger foundation in dealing with right and wrong. This program has been used by athletic programs, schools and youth-development organizations nationwide.
In 2011, DiCocco founded The H.O.P.E. Foundation For a Better Tomorrow, Inc. Through his charitable work, DiCocco reached out to young people, young leaders, educators and coaches to help promote positive development opportunities and initiatives. The H.O.P.E. Foundation has two goals: to provide scholarships to underprivileged students and to share the R.E.A.L. Man program with athletes and scholars nationwide.
Sadly, Frank DiCocco died in 2013 at the age of 29 after a four-year battle with bone marrow failure.
To carry on DiCocco’s work, his parents established the Coach Frank D.B. DiCocco '02 Scholarship Fund. The DiCocco family, in recognition of the aspiration held by their son to create a better tomorrow for today's youth, expect the Coach DiCocco Scholar to have integrity, to become involved in service to his school and/or the greater community, and to be responsible and respectful of himself and others.
“Frank wanted us to continue to help young people and would be extremely happy and proud that we are giving scholarships in his memory,” said DiCocco’s mother, Kathy. “There are so many young people who need help and Frank wanted to help as many as possible, which is what we are trying to do.”
In 2014, Avon’s varsity football team dedicated its season to DiCocco. In addition, Avon Old Farms is among the many schools and athletic programs that are currently using DiCocco's R.E.A.L. Man Character Development program, which DiCocco developed with the intention of teaching young men how to develop positive character traits and be successful in life.
"Frank saw that there was a need to teach kids how to be respectful and how to be a gentleman," said Kathy, who explained that her son sent nearly 6,000 copies of his book to coaches around the country.
Lou and Kathy DiCocco continue their son's work with the H.O.P.E. Foundation. The Fourth Annual Wine Pairing Dinner to benefit the H.O.P.E. Foundation will take place at Avon Old Farms School Friday, Oct. 28, from 6:30 – 9 p.m.
Kathy hopes that this spring at their reunion Avonians who knew her son can celebrate all that he accomplished in his short life.
“I'm sure many of Frank's classmates went on to become teachers and/or coaches and I would like to ask them all to teach Frank's R.E.A.L. Man program to their students and players to share their work of one of their brothers,” said Kathy.
Anyone interested in learning more about the H.O.P.E. Foundation or the R.E.A.L. Man Program should visit www.HOPEFoundation.us and www.REALManInc.org. Tickets for the Annual Wine Pairing Dinner to benefit the H.O.P.E. Foundation are available at www.HOPEfoundation.us or can be purchased at the door.
