Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School’s Cheryl Begin is celebrating a major milestone on the softball diamond this spring: Her 200th win.
Now in her 14th year as varsity softball coach, Whittier head of security Begin is riding high in the role her coaching peers and players say is similar to that of another famous Massachusetts coach.
“Cheryl is like the Bill Belichick of the Whittier softball team,” Athletic Director Kevin Bradley explains of Begin, who many of Whittier’s 14 players see as a surrogate mother. “Success is no surprise to me. It’s not just about what she does on the field, it’s about what she does off it too. A lot of the students call her mom because of her commitment and dedication and they bring that same passion to the game because they want to make mom proud.”
Begin started as Whittier’s assistant softball coach in 1996, taking the team from a 5-15 record to its current 11-2 ranking.
“I’m proud of the program, proud of the girls. I think it’s that pride that makes me work hard at this. They push me to be better,” Begin said in a statement.
The softball team wraps up their season over the Memorial Day weekend.