The PCA Blog - New England

Ten Top Quality Coaches in New England

02.26.2016

PCA-New England congratulates the 10 New England youth and high school sports coaches named as PCA-New England Double-Goal Coach® Award winners for 2016, including three who also were among the 50 national winners of PCA's Double-Goal Coach Award Presented by TeamSnap.

All embody PCA’s ideal: coaches who strive to win while also pursuing the even more important goal of teaching life lessons through sports. All were nominated by a player, parent, or fellow coach; were supported by additional testimonial comments; and impressed the awards committee with their devotion to developing Better Athletes, Better People.

The national winners -- John Carroll, Scott Markovich and Justin McKay -- rose to the top from among the 2,400 coaches nominated nationwide and appear first in our series of profiles below.

National Award Winners

John Carroll Northfield Mount Hermon, Gill MA – Basketball
Coach Carroll has earned praise for developing excellence, in academics first, and then athletics, in his players. While prioritizing academics, Coach Carroll’s teams are consistently ranked among the top in the nation. His student-athletes go on to the nation’s most outstanding academic institutions. Coach Carroll earned PCA national honors for his commitment to helping his players become winners, regardless of the scoreboard.

Scott Markovich, Guilford, CT Youth Programs – Football, Basketball, Baseball
Coach Markovich was supported by 18 testimonials from players, their parents, and community members.  Enthusiastic and effective, Coach Markovich is acclaimed as a true PCA coach who never removes a player after a mistake, who never elevates winning over more important life lessons, and is beloved for his smile and praise of players’ effort.  Coach Markovich earned PCA national honors as an exemplary PCA youth sports coach.

Justin McKay, Algonquin High School, Northborough MA – Football
Coach McKay is credited with turning around a football program and developing a proud, PCA-style team.  Coach McKay and his “BELIEVE” campaign was supported by 13 testimonials, many from his appreciative players.  Coach McKay earned PCA national honors for his commitment to helping his players believe in themselves and their ability to be winners on and off the field.

Chapter Award Winners

Kate Casey, Abington High School, Abington MA – Soccer
Coach Casey is more than the Abington high school soccer coach, she is her players’ most valuable role model.  Coach Casey stresses the importance of hard work and uses soccer to teach life lessons.  To help her team reach their single goal, a playoff berth, she encouraged each player tape a motivational quote and symbol on their shin guards to help them focus on working as a team to accomplish that common goal.

Kelsey Deegan, Beacon Falls, CT Youth Sports – Basketball
Coach Deegan is an exceptional youth coach.  Parents appreciate her grace during and after big losses.  Coach Deegan earns praise for her attention to the individual development of each player.  And, most importantly, Coach Deegan consistently demonstrates her commitment to making her young players laugh and love the game.

Keith Ford, Randolph High School, Randolph MA – Football
Coach Ford teaches his players to give their “maximum effort, always compete,” while creating an atmosphere where it is safe to fail.  For example, when a player struggled Coach Ford did not take him out of the game, told to pull his head up and do the best he can – and the player went on to make some key plays that same game.  Parents credit Coach Ford with changing Randolph football, citing Coach Ford’s institution of a team-wide summer reading program with helping some of his players make honor roll.

Kayla Grover, Pentucket Regional High School, Newbury MA - Soccer
Coach Grover is a positive, reassuring mentor.  Coach Grover earns high praise for her ability to connect with each of her players individually, and, most importantly respectfully.

Kelsey Hammond-Beaton, Sandwich High School, Sandwich MA – Field Hockey and Lacrosse

Coach Hammond-Beaton is successful on the scoreboard, and by every other measure.  In 18 years coaching field hockey, and 17 years coaching lacrosse her teams are successful because she coaches them to put in the hard work, and she uses encouragement, not shame, fear, or intimidation, to help her players succeed.  Players and their parents submitted 16 testimonials praising her commitment to making players the best they can be on and off the field.

Rachel Lassey, Dartmouth High School, South Dartmouth MA – Volleyball
Coach Lassey is described as a PCA coach through and through by the 15 players and their parents who supported her with 15 testimonials.  Coach Lassey’s mantra: “The player you are is not defined by the mistakes you make, but what you do the play immediately following” shows her as an exemplary PCA Double-Goal Coach.

Taharri Turner, Lilla G. Frederick Pilot MS, Boston Public Schools and America Scores, Boston -- Basketball and Soccer
Coach Turner is both a high school basketball coach in the Boston public schools, and a soccer coach for America Scores, a nonprofit which serves some 1200 youth in Boston with afterschool soccer, poetry, literacy, and financial literacy education.  Coach Turner received high praise as a powerful, positive role model, who coaches respect, academics, health, and planning for the future, and who does it all jovially.