How do you define a coach? You could go with the formal definition, “One who instructs players in the fundamentals of a sport and directs team strategy”; but a real coach is one who touches the hearts of their athletes and truly makes a difference in their lives both on and off the field. That is exactly who Julie Freitas is. 

Freitas, who graduated from Pentucket in 2018, found major success in cheerleading and softball throughout her high school career. During her junior and senior year, she was captain for both. When asked about her experiences, she stated that: “The biggest takeaway of going to Pentucket was that for me high school sports is what you make of it.” Freitas has always shown her love for high school sports and Pentucket itself. Her senior year she won the superlative “most spirited”, which in itself shows a lot about who she is as a person. 

Freitas has made a major impact on several athletes’ lives on and off the field, the first being Julia Daley. Daley is a senior here at Pentucket, and is also a member of the varsity softball team. When asked about the effects Julie has had on her life as a coach and as a person, Daley stated: “She taught me that making mistakes is okay. She wants us to be able to learn from our mistakes and be able to move on from them.” 

Freitas stated about coaching her athletes: “So when I am coaching softball and cheerleading now I try to preach that [high school sports are what you make of it] to my players because looking back you want to have won games, but it is also so important to cherish the memories and friendships you make along the way.” Freitas does everything in her power to make sure that every athlete’s experience is something that they will never forget, and truly takes every single one of us under her wing.

Kaylie Dalgar, a sophomore at Pentucket, is very close with Freitas. When she was asked about the kind of person Freitas is, she simply said “One of a kind”. She doesn’t have Freitas as a coach, but Freitas is a huge part of her life and one of Dalgar’s biggest supporters. 

Freitas has not only made great impacts in athletes’ lives, but other coaches at Pentucket as well. When Coach Leary was asked about Freitas, he stated: “she’s awesome.” She is always so positive and encouraging, it’s hard to not recognize how much she truly cares about her athletes. 

Freitas’ ultimate goal as a coach is to get her athletes to understand that; “It [high school sports] is a special part of your life that you never get to experience twice.” And she has done just that.

Freitas has made a major impact in my life as well. It is crazy to think that I didn’t know her four years ago and now for me to be able to call her not only a coach but one of my best friends is insane to me. She has taught me so many life lessons that I will carry forever. She taught me how not only to be a good athlete, but a good teammate too. I could never thank her enough for the tremendous impact she has made on my life.

Freitas is truly more than a coach to many. She continues to touch the hearts of many athletes, which is something that not many coaches can say. She continues to leave her mark on Pentucket through her love of sports and that is something that will never go unnoticed.