The Coach

Deb Bettencourt has been coaching others since she could no longer play. That was at the age of nineteen, so it has been about fifteen years she has been coaching.

She has coached girls and boys for both competitive and recreational leagues. “At some point or another I have worked with girls and women of all ages but primarily I coach the 5-7 year olds and the 14 and ups.” Most of her work has been with the Slaterettes in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, a league which she has helped expand and change. She created a league in which adults could play and helped to put the Slaterettes name out in the eye of the public.

She also had the honor of coaching a boys’ team for the United States Scholar Athlete Games in 2003 in Kingston, RI. “As far as how receptive the guys were to having two women coaching them, it wasn’t as bad as I had anticipated. The other male coaches were a tougher sell. But we quickly won them over too.”

She also has coached at some instructional camps that include Amateur Athletic Union Girls-N-Sports in Orlando, FL and Girls Scouts of RI/Pawtucket Red Sox Baseball Clinic in Pawtucket, RI. When asked which one she liked better, Deb said “Disney’s got to be better!”

She loves it and would not give it up for anything. This is the story of her as a coach.