The Belichick family is primarily fond of two things: Coaching and Lacrosse. Before Bill Belichick established himself as the hot-headed, Lombardi-winning coaching bigwig, his life primarily revolved around watching US Naval Academy football players—a team his father Steve coached for 33 years—play lacrosse and win national championships in the 60s. As a young boy, Bill was enamored. So when a defense position in the Annapolis High School lacrosse team came calling a few years later, Belichick didn’t think twice.

Over the decade, Bill found himself playing attack for Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, and then moving to a midfield position/backup goalie for Division 3 Wesleyan University. Even when he joined the NFL in 1975 as a special assistant for the Baltimore Colts, the future 8-time Super Bowl winner secretly worked as a high school lacrosse team’s assistant at Birmingham Detroit Country Day. The connection was perhaps so profound that even his three children followed suit from an early age: Daughter Amanda is currently a head coach for the women’s lacrosse team at the College of the Holy Cross, while sons Stephen and Brian played at Rutgers and Trinity College, respectively.

And when his grandchildren arrived, Bill made sure the tradition was passed down again: A makeshift lacrosse goal in the backyard for when the children visited. Hearteningly, the love transcended even beyond that. In 2013, the former New England Patriots HC founded The Bill Belichick Foundation. Focusing on football and lacrosse, its aim was to “provide coaching, mentorship, and financial support to individuals, communities, and organizations”. Notably, the foundation has donated to various grants and scholarships totaling over $350,000 to date. Then in 2017, Belichick also donated to build the Bill Belichick Field for aspiring lacrosse players in Uganda. If that’s not love, we don’t know what is. But for Amanda Belichick, though, her relationship with the sport is based on a different kind of love.

One that dabbles in competitive spirit, and a knack for winning. The biggest proof? It came not with a trophy or speech—but just three words. On May 24, USA Lacrosse Magazine posted a celebration-worthy update: a record 10,080 fans showed up for the NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Semifinals at Gillette Stadium. That’s the highest crowd since 2002—and it happened in the rain. Amanda didn’t need to shout. She simply reshared the post with three slick, confident words: “In the rain! 😎” A subtle flex? Maybe. But more than that, it was a mic-drop moment—a proud acknowledgment of how far the sport has come.

Amanda’s reaction captured what many women in sports have been feeling: validation. Growth. Momentum. And coming from a coach who’s spent years pushing boundaries in a male-dominated sports landscape, it hit even harder. Just a day earlier, on May 23, Gillette Stadium hosted the NCAA D1 Women’s Lacrosse Semifinals, with UNC taking on Florida and Boston College facing Northwestern. Amanda’s voice, laced with pride and a wink of swagger, echoed every coach and player who’s dreamed of that kind of stage.

This isn’t new territory for Amanda. She’s been doing the groundwork for years…

After earning her history degree from Wesleyan in 2007—the same school her father once played at—she started shaping her identity in the coaching world. Stints at UMass, Ohio State, and Wesleyan gave her the grind and grit. And in 2015, she took over as head coach at Holy Cross. Nearly a decade later, Amanda’s name rings out in women’s lacrosse circles. Whether it’s her tactical mind or her ability to connect with players, she’s got the “it” factor. And in a sport still fighting for spotlight moments, Amanda is helping lead the charge.

Years earlier, when Amanda’s WPLL Command team kicked off their season at Gillette, it wasn’t lost on her that she was coaching where her father had lifted six Lombardi trophies. “Life has definitely come full circle,” she said. Standing in front of the same plaques that honored her dad’s championships, Amanda was there to prove that women could own that space too.

Lacrosse was always a Belichick family passion. Bill, ever the teacher, taught Amanda to be ambidextrous with a stick and drilled fundamentals into her from day one. When she got her first coaching offer, it was Bill who gave her the pep talk on a bike ride. And now, as an HC at Holy Cross, she’s transformed a once-forgotten program into a conference contender.

In 2024, her team tied the school record for wins (12), made it to the Patriot League semifinals for the first time in a decade, and shattered offensive records. But her work extends far beyond the sidelines. That same year, Amanda was awarded the IWLCA Service Award for her role on the Rules, Safety, and Games Administration Committee. She also earned the 2024 Patriot League Coach of the Year honor—one of the highest nods a coach can get.

And through it all, Amanda keeps showing up—for the sport, for her players, and for the broader lacrosse community. Her love for the game isn’t performative; it’s foundational. As she once put it, “My vision and creativity, and being able to dissect defenses and create plans, are what I’d consider my strengths.” Sounds familiar? Maybe just a little like her dad. But she’s not out to be a carbon copy. “My intention was never to follow his footsteps. And yet, somehow I kind of have,” Amanda admitted.

Still, Amanda’s identity as a coach isn’t just borrowed from the Belichick blueprint—it’s entirely her own. And that’s clear every time she steps onto the field.

Amanda Belichick’s thoughts on coaching

Amanda was never handed her career—she built it brick by brick. When she first got the Holy Cross job, she called it “an honor and a privilege” and said she was ready to “build on the school’s great tradition.” But she wasn’t chasing quick wins—she was focused on the process. “It’s about winning the little battles,” Amanda said, her tone matching that of someone who knows success doesn’t show up overnight. And now? The results speak louder than ever.

Asked by ESPN about her father’s best coaching advice, Amanda smiled and dropped some timeless Belichick philosophy: “Teams at all levels deal with a lot of similar issues—team work, trust, chemistry. It’s important to get to know your team and their strengths.” It wasn’t about schemes or systems—it was about people. Relationships. Earning trust. Those are the lessons Amanda has carried throughout her career.

She’s also big on building confidence. “Confidence is a big part of my coaching philosophy,” Amanda once explained. “I think building confidence in young women is so crucial to development.” That mindset isn’t just lip service—it shows in how she treats her players. Former Ohio State coach Gabby Capuzzi once said, “It was like I am a part of her family.” That’s Amanda: fiercely detail-oriented, but deeply human.

From perfecting stick work for hours at practice to making time for a Bon Jovi concert with her players, Amanda knows coaching is about more than drills and game tape. “Amanda and I went to my first Bon Jovi concert together,” Capuzzi said. “I also remember one time we had dinner with her father, then walked around Gillette Stadium. It felt like I was part of her family.”

Amanda’s coaching resume proves she’s earned every stripe. She led Wesleyan (her alma mater) from No. 49 to No. 17 in the national rankings in just one year. Unlike her brothers Steve and Brian, who coach with their dad, Amanda’s making her own coaching name. She believes legacy can be taught, but greatness is earned, and she’s proving it!