“We'd either be skating on the eighth hole or playing tackle football on the third hole,” recalled Gaine.

It was an idyllic childhood, in the 1950s, when it seemed the worst boys could do was scrape a knee or strike out in a pickup baseball game.

Walter “Butch” Hriniak, who became a legendary athlete at Natick High, was part of the group, tow-headed with a crewcut, and just plain better than any kid in town.

“Every day at Brown School, behind Butch's house, his father would throw us batting practice,” said Gaine. After a while, the kids had their fill, but not Hriniak. “He'd bat all day. We had to shag the balls he hit.”

Hriniak made it to the big leagues, briefly, with the Braves, and spent decades as a hitting coach with the Red Sox and White Sox. Gaine wound up spending his entire adult life in athletics too, but far from the shine of the big leagues.

On June 30, the 68-year-old Gaine will retire after 33 years as a mover and shaker with the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association, the last 16 as deputy executive director.

In one of his last official acts, he was scheduled to be at Fitton Field, on the Holy Cross campus, Saturday to present championship plaques at the Division 1, 2, and 3 state baseball finals.

“I’ve always looked forward’’ to making the presentations, said Gaine. “This may be my last time on the field, but my ace in the hole is that I will still be involved with the association.”

On July 9, in Nashville, he will be honored for his groundbreaking career by the National Federation of State High School Associations.

The MIAA was incorporated in 1979, in conjunction with high school administrators and athletic directors, to govern sports activities and oversee tournaments. But Gaine's vision was to develop the student-athletes beyond the playing fields. He wanted them to become well-rounded citizens. He wanted them protected, informed, and involved. Toward those goals, Gaine over the years tied in the MIAA with more than 65 organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League, Massachusetts Medical Society, Governor's Alliance Against Drugs, and the Study of Sport in Society at Northeastern University.

For Gaine, it wasn't just a matter of “Play Ball!’’ It was about the students' awareness of the demons and temptations in society, playing by the rules, and giving back to the community. “One of the things I'm most proud of was, in 1985, we started helping kids make good choices. The myth was out there that kids in athletics were off the streets.’’ In other words, out of harm's way.

But being an athlete couldn't screen every kid from school, family, and social problems. “Our board decided we wanted to take that leap,” he said. “We had never broadened our mission.’’

His focus was not just the student-athletes, but the coaches too, and specifically sportsmanship.

“The biggest problems were with ice hockey and soccer,” said Gaine. “We did workshops and set rules. In soccer, X number of yellow or red cards and a team couldn't get into the tournament. We turned it around in those sports,’’ although hockey incidents sometime pop up.

Every teacher-coach has to attend the workshops. “No one can become a coach unless they go through the program,’’ said Gaine. “They have an obligation to teach life lessons. They're the ones who have the kids under their charge.’’

The MIAA presents sportsmanship awards during the state final in every sport, and also at Fenway Park, TD Garden, and Gillette Stadium.

“In the middle and late ’80s hockey had a lot of problems,” said Arlington Catholic athletic director Dan Shine. “There was lack of discipline on the ice. Coaches as well. There were fights. There was actually talk about suspending the sport.”

Gaine changed that culture.

“He brought people together, coaches, principals, administrators, to bring the sport in line. I think the game is in a better place because of Bill Gaine,” said Shine, also the varsity boys’ hockey coach at the high school since 1978.

“Years ago we had some brawls we had to attend to,’’ said Gaine.

“Over a five-year period we put tremendous focus on hockey and soccer and addressed the unacceptable behavior. It had to change. It's led to a total new expectation. We hardly have to call a school in now.’’

Dick Neal, executive director of the MIAA, said “everything that represents the programs and achievements in this association has Bill's imprint on it.’’

Neal now lives in Franklin, but grew up with Gaine in Natick. They became friends and baseball teammates at Marian High in Framingham, Neal a centerfielder, Gaine a catcher.

Games aside, Gaine's goal has always been to make better citizens out of the student-athletes. “One thing you have to understand, kids are unpredictable,’’ he said. “But they will respond to expectations. I've seen the results.”

Neal, who has been with the MIAA since its inception in 1978, said “for the last 25 years Bill has willed our student services program [sportsmanship, leadership, etc.] to become a national model. He's a people person. Gregarious. Focused. He knows where the bull's-eye is, and never takes his eye off it.”

Under Gaine's watch, inner city programs have improved. “We have some tremendous coaches who have labored with obstacles and have overcome tremendous obstacles with the kids,” said Gaine.

He extends his concerns to parents who may become over-zealous about their child's chances of getting a college scholarship or even making the pros.

“They have delusions about high school sports,” said Gaine, “but 7½ million kids play high school sports in this country and only 5 percent will play in college. Less than 1 percent will sign a professional contract.” In this state, 225,000 high school students participate in athletics.

With spring sports coming to a close, June is a busy month for Gaine. “I'm out every night, usually from one venue to another. I've always enjoyed it.’’ Place Gaine at any tourney game and he's likely to be on a first-name basis with the coaches, the athletic directors, the school principals. “I've known some of them for 25 years.”With the spring sports ’ season coming to a close, June is a busy month for Gaine.

“I'm out every night, usually from one venue to another. I've always enjoyed it.’’ Place Gaine at any tourney game and he's likely to be on a first-name basis with the coaches, the athletic directors, the school principals. “I've known some of them for 25 years.”

With spring sports coming to a close, June is a busy month for Gaine.

“I'm out every night, usually from one venue to another. I've always enjoyed it.’’ Place Gaine at any tourney game and he's likely to be on a first-name basis with the coaches, the athletic directors, the school principals. “I've known some of them for 25 years.”

When he joined the association in 1979, the MIAA was a five-employee outfit working out of a cramped space on Tremont Street.

“The MIAA said we could build something significant. I took a leap. I don't think Dick or I knew what we were getting into. Obviously, it was a great move.”

Gaine met his wife, Maria, at Marian High. An exchange student from Chile, she stayed with the Gaines in Natick. They have two children, Billy, a catcher on the Ashland High baseball team that won the Division 3 state title in 2000, and Paola, captain of Ashland's state championship softball team that year. Their dad had the unusual, emotional duty of presenting their teams with championship plaques.

Gaine isn't completely walking away from the MIAA.

“I'm going to work part time,’’ he said, starting Aug. 1. “I didn't want to leave. I'm committed to promoting education and athletics.’’ It's meant a lot to me.”

Besides, he knows the adrenaline will take over when a new school year comes around. “Always new kids, new coaches,” said Gaine. And who better to show them the right way?

Lenny Megliola can be reached at at lennymegs@aol.com.