Ephs Football Lands 14-Year Coaching Vet

Williams Sports Info09:21AM / Monday, August 02, 2010Print Story | Email Story

Kyle Smesko

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Experience is always a plus. Faceless, but important pretty much sums up the offensive line in football. The five guys up front on a football team that have little to no chance to accrue a stat in a game, but are indispensable to the success of a team scoring. It's a humbling place to play. Perhaps appreciated only by the rest of the offensive unit, coaches and family members, this group’s success can only be truly noted by those who know just how the game of football is played.

Experience is always a plus. For his first hire at Williams College, Eph head football coach Aaron Kelton has landed 14-year coaching veteran Kyle Smesko to work as the Ephs offensive line coach. The past seven years Smesko has coached the offensive line at two Division III institutions.

Most recently Smesko coached the offensive line at Thiel College for three years. Prior to coaching Thiel’s offensive line, he was the o-line coach for four years at Franklin & Marshall College.

Smesko was a four-year letterman at running back at Allegheny, was a team captain and was named all-conference on Gator teams that were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the country, while compiling an impressive record of 38-5. He has seen good offensive line play up front and he has coached the o-line. Experience is always a plus.

“Kyle is a talented coach who is going to bring a lot of passion and drive to the offensive line unit,” said Kelton. “He’s been at some great schools and he really wants to be at Williams, and we want folks who want to be here.”

Smesko also lettered for three years in track and field at Allegheny and he was a teammate of previous Eph football assistant Andy McKenzie.

Smesko’s last seven years of collegiate coaching found him coaching the offensive line at both Thiel and Franklin & Marshall and additionally at both institutions he was responsible for recruiting the state of Ohio.

Right out of college Smesko joined the Allegheny coaching staff and was the offensive coordinator for the JV team, running backs coach, and wide receivers coach for a year before moving on to Yale.

In his five years at Yale, Smesko coached the tight ends for his first three years and then the wide receivers for two years, while being responsible for the Elis special teams and serving as the prime recruiter in eight states.

Also at Yale Smesko served under current Wesleyan assistant and former Amherst head coach Jack Siedlecki, and with former Eph standout player Rob Neviaser. That duo along with McKenzie and his contacts with prior Eph coaches Mike Whalen and Dan DiCenzo at the Yale camps peaked Smesko’s interest in the job at Williams. I knew of Williams College from my days working at Yale,” notes Smesko. “Because of Rob, coach Whalen and coach DiCenzo who worked the Yale camp I learned about Williams. I also knew that it was a very good school academically.”

Smesko is the second football/track and field graduate of Allegheny to join the Eph athletic department in recent years, joining the Ephs head coach of men’s and women’s track and field, Fletcher Brooks (AC ‘93).

Smesko graduated from Allegheny in 1997 with a B.A. in economics, including a concentration in environmental geology.

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St. Stan's Students Spread Holiday Cheer at Williamstown Commons

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
12:50PM / Sunday, December 21, 2025

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Students from St. Stanislaus Kostka School in Adams brought the holiday spirit to Williamstown Commons on Thursday, delivering handmade Christmas cards and leading residents in a community caroling session.

"It honestly means the world to us because it means the world to them," said nursing home Administrator Alex Fox on Thursday morning. "This made their days. This could have even made their weeks. It could have made their Christmas, seeing the children and interacting with the community."

Teacher Kate Mendonca said this is the first year her class has visited the facility, noting that the initiative was driven entirely by the students.

"This came from the kids. They said they wanted to create something and give back," Mendonca said. "We want our students involved in the community instead of just reading from a religion book."

Preparation for the event began in early December, with students crafting bells to accompany their singing. The handmade cards were completed last week.

"It's important for them to know that it's not just about them during Christmas," Mendonca said. "It's about everyone, for sure. I hope that they know they really helped a lot of people today and hopefully it brought joy to the residents here."

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