Spring Sports
Baseball
Head Coach: Ray Turek
Coach Turek has been at Bethel High School as a Chemistry teacher since 1998. While at BHS, he coached under Jim Lacey for three years before taking over the varsity basketball program in 2002. He coached freshman baseball at BHS under Bill Hunt, and took over the Varsity program in 2011.
Assistant Coach: Sean Fesh
JV Coach: Greg Minor, minorg@bethel.k12.ct.us
Freshman Coach:
Softball
Head Coach: Jill O'Connell
High School: Trumbull High School
College: Western CT State University (WCSU)
Major: Financial Accounting
Grad. year: 2021
Playing experience: I started playing softball when I was just old enough to hold a bat, and played through my freshman year of college. I played for both the Trumbull and CT Seahawks travel teams from 12u-18u, and played all 4 years at Trumbull High.
Coaching experience:
2017-2019: CT Seahawks 14u
2019-2020: CT Hurricanes 16-18u
2021-current: Bethel Blast Travel 12u-14u
2021-2023: Bethel Assistant V Coach
Coaching philosophy: My goal is to create an environment where my athletes feel empowered and confident in
themselves to perform to the best of their abilities, by teaching self respect, accountability, and
ownership.
Personal: I live in Shelton with my family and 2 dogs, and I’m a huge Yankees and NY Giants fan! I also
play on my company’s co-ed slow pitch team in my spare time
Boys Track and Field
Head Coach: Yvonne Grimes
BHS Coach Indoor Track & Field and Outdoor Boy’s Track & Field: 1996 to present
Track & Field Athlete, Coach, and Master Official: 1974 to present
Binghamton University BA/MAT
Connecticut Celebration of Excellence Award for Teaching: 1991
Special Olympics Connecticut Director Unified Distance Running Team: 1991 to present
Mother of five
Girls Track and Field
Head Coach: Robert Fontaine
High School: Bristol Eastern High School
College: Central Connecticut State University
Major: BS and MS Biology
Grad. year: 1976
Additional degrees: Sacred Heart University 6th Year Educational Leadership
Playing experience :
Bristol Eastern High School
Cross Country – 4 years Captain Senior Year
Track and Field – 4 years Captain Senior Year Focus 800 meters PR 2:04
Central Connecticut State University
Cross Country – 3 years
Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field – 3 years 800 meters PR 1:58
Coaching experience :
Bethel High School
Cross Country
1984 – 1998 Record 121 wins – 39 losses
Ten All-State Athletes
Indoor Track
1979 – 1985 Head Coach
Two Conference Championships
2013 – Present Assistant Coach
Outdoor Track
1978 – 1979 Assistant Outdoor Track Coach
1980 – 1998 Head Boy’s Coach Record 180 wins – 25 losses
Seven Conference Championships (six consecutive)
Eleven All-State Athletes
2008 – 2011 Volunteer Assistant Coach
2012 – Present Assistant Coach
Coached a 7 time All – State Thrower
Coaching philosophy:
I believe that a coach should be well aware of an athlete’s capabilities. Based on this, it is our responsibility to plan and conduct workouts that will enable our athletes to reach their full potential. My goal is to develop a competitive spirit that will lead to individual as well as team success.
Personal:
Married with two children
I am entering my 50th year of running.
Additional Information:
Certified USA Track & Field (USATF) Master Track and Field Official since 1984
Officiated 20 USATF National Championships and the 1996 Olympic Games
USATF Connecticut Officials Certification Chair 1993 – 2003
President USATF Connecticut Association 2003 – present
Boys Lacrosse
Head Coach: Chris Collison
collisonc@bethel.k12.ct.us
High School: Trumbull High School
College: Union College
Major: History
Grad. Year: 2004
Additional Degree: Master of Arts in Teaching
Playing Experience:
Trumbull High School, 4 years
Union College, 4 years
Walcountain Blues Lacrosse Club, London, England, 2 years
Coaching Experience: I've coached for the better part of 15 years, including 2 years in England, 10 years for Primetime Penguins select lacrosse and 8 years as Assistant Varsity Coach for Melrose Lacrosse in Massachusetts. This is year one for me in Bethel.
Coaching/Team Awards:
Middlesex Assistant Coach of the Year, Melrose Lacrosse, 2x
Middlesex League Title, Melrose Lacrosse, 3x
Coaching Philosophy: As a coach I believe it's my responsibility to put players in the best position to succeed and to get the best out of every player on the team. A lot of my coaching philosophy revolves around building and having the right mindset. Understanding how to work hard at something to get better, respecting your opponents, refs., etc. and, most importantly, controlling what you can control. All of these skills are important not only in lacrosse, but in their lives as well.
Assistant Coach:
JV Coach:
Girls Lacrosse
Head Coach: Olivia Boman
High School: Bethel High School
College: Central Connecticut State University
Major: Technology and Engineering Education (K-12)
Graduation Year: 2020
Coaching Experience:
USA Lacrosse, Level 1 Coach
Ambition Lacrosse, Head Coach
Playing Experience:
4 years Varsity - Bethel High School
3 years WCLA - Central Connecticut State University
Coaching Philosophy:
Winners are those who put their all into every game and practice they are a part of. Behind every successful team are players and coaches who are constantly striving to be the best they can be, not only individually, but as a team.
Girls Tennis
Head Coach: Jeremy Heyel
High School: Immaculate High School
College: Western Connecticut State University
Major: BS Secondary Education/History
Grad. year: 1994
Playing experience:
I learned to play tennis when I was about 9 or 10 years old. My grandparents wanted my brother and me to learn so that we’d always have a game that we could easily pick up with a friend, and it worked! I’ve played recreationally ever since then.
Coaching experience:
I began my coaching career as a field hockey coach several years ago, working in Woodbury at the middle school and high school levels and more recently at Bethel High School. I completed my third season with the school in the fall of 2023.
My time as a tennis coach began just this year - March of 2024.
Coaching philosophy:
Coaching is more than teaching athletes the mechanics of the game and definitely more than simply playing to win. Coaching also teaches athletes how to manage life in general, from building (and maintaining) relationships, setting and exceeding personal goals, the importance of teamwork, learning from failure and savoring the victories, among many other life skills. A great coach leads by example and sets the tone for the team and the season. But more than that, a great coach helps athletes manage life outside of - and beyond - the sport. Winning, of course, is always great. But how you get there is equally as important.
Personal (if you would like to include):
Joining the BHS tennis team was an easy move not only because I love tennis, but also because I’ve known most of the BHS athletes from working in the high school in various teaching roles. In fact, I’ve known some of them since elementary school since my kids are/were Bethel students. My daughter Kelsey graduated in 2019 and my son Josh currently is a junior. My wife Kris also works at the high school.
Any other information you’d like to add:
Ultimately, I believe that an athlete’s progress and improvement stems from a basic formula:
Attitude + Effort = Ability
What an athlete puts into a sport largely determines their success. While not everyone can be the “best,” so to speak, the mindset of a positive attitude and putting forth your best effort will lead to personal improvement as well as team success. I expect this mindset from my athletes - and also of myself.
