Volunteer Spotlight: Coach Brittany Deeter
For Coach Brittany Deeter, soccer has always been about finding a place to belong. Today, she coaches three Coastal FC Outdoor Recreational teams: U6 Blue Sharks, U11 Battling Bulldogs, and U15 Girls Rec Team. Beyond running drills on the pitch, Brittany serves as a steady, encouraging presence for her players and a strong advocate for women in coaching.
Her soccer story began a bit later than most. A shy, bookish 11-year-old, Brittany was encouraged to try the sport by a young gym teacher who saw potential in her when she couldn't see it in herself. “Her belief in me, and her seeing something in me that I couldn't yet see in myself, changed the course of my life,” Brittany shares. “Recreational soccer gave me a place to belong and helped me through some challenging teen years. Even when everything else was falling apart, I always felt at peace and in control when chasing down a striker and helping my team.”
Getting Started with Coastal FC
Brittany’s coaching journey with Coastal FC started in 2022 when friend and volunteer coach, Megan MacEwan, asked her to help coach U6 girls. Although she initially wondered whether she had enough experience to help on the pitch, she quickly fell in love with the sense of community and the feeling of building kids up through sport.
Since then, coaching has become a true family affair. In 2025, her younger son signed up with Coastal and immediately assumed his mom would be on the sidelines, telling her that in his eyes, "Moms coach soccer." Brittany recruited her neighbour, Leila Audet, to co-coach, and the two built a great friendship on the field while supporting the boys. This year, she completed the trifecta by taking on her eldest daughter’s U15 rec team alongside assistant coaches Jas Roopra and Randy Garcha.
“It’s been a hugely rewarding experience to work with these girls and create a positive culture of fun, friendship, and teamwork,” she says. “Teenage years can be hard, and having the opportunity to show up for them every week as they work and laugh together is a highlight of my weeks!”
Coaching with Purpose & Encouraging Women to Lead
For Brittany, the real reward of volunteering comes down to simple, quiet moments with the players. “The subtle adjustment in posture in a child after you praise them, even just for their effort, is almost addicting,” she shares. “They stand taller, crack a small smile, and you know that you made an impact. Often challenges in life feel unrelenting, and the opportunity to build up a child in our community is a tangible way to make the world a little bit brighter.”
Brittany is particularly passionate about seeing more women step onto the sidelines, especially as players get older and female coach representation drops off.
“I wish I could reach out to every woman or girl who played soccer herself, but isn't sure she knows enough about the game to be a good coach, and talk to them one-on-one to say, 'you can do it!'” Brittany says. “There are not enough women coaching, and as the age groups get higher, it reduces further every year. Our kids need us to be brave and show them that women have what it takes to lead on the field and in life.”
She notes that having women on the pitch is essential for building a lasting culture for female athletes. “Sometimes it seems like girls' sports was just grafted on to what works for boys in terms of training and coaching approach, but the research shows that girls think differently, value different things, and respond differently to feedback. Having more women on the field will help us build a culture that can keep girls in sports longer.”
To build her skills and confidence, Brittany participated in the national TELUS SheCan Coach program, organized by Coastal FC staff, Jess Hamilton and Andrea Perrotta, which let her earn coaching certifications in an all-female environment. She also credits technical leaders David Hicks, Jess Hamilton, and Jane Graham, along with Shelley Chin, for providing essential support to coaches running multiple teams.“If anyone wants to chat about getting involved, please reach out!”
Life Outside the Game
With three teams on her plate this season, Brittany jokes that any other hobbies have temporarily fallen by the wayside, though she loves walking in the community whenever she gets the chance.
Her soccer loyalty goes back to her mother’s London roots, making her a lifelong Arsenal fan from birth, and like so many Canadian players, she draws constant inspiration from Christine Sinclair. Ultimately, her favourite thing about soccer remains how accessible it is for everyone. “There are positions that suit all kinds of bodies, skill sets, and strengths, and often just hustling and wanting the ball count for more than individual skill!”
Thank you, Coach Brittany, for your time, leadership, and dedication to our players and the Coastal FC community!
If you are a woman or girl interested in coaching, please check out Coastal FC’s Women and Girls Engagement Initiative for opportunities to get involved.
