Like mother, like son.
This relationship is a slam dunk.

Amy Betzer is a mother of two, but sometimes The Villages Charter High School assistant basketball coach feels like a mom to many more.

Coaches often serve as parental figures in the lives of their young athletes, teaching lessons on and off the court, motivating players to better themselves, and fostering family-like culture. The two roles—coach and parent—often intertwine. 

“Boys not only look at me as a coach, but also someone who is going to reach them outside of basketball, and care for them. I cherish those relationships,” says Amy, assistant VCHS basketball coach since 2018. 

The relationship she cherishes most, however, is with a man who sits beside her on the bench.  Her son Logan became an assistant coach with the basketball team two years ago. He is a strength-and-conditioning coach for both the varsity and junior varsity teams. Amy serves as academic advisor and quality control analyst.

 Their special mother-and-son bond is built on basketball. In fact, dinnertime conversations typically revolve around zone defenses, shooting fundamentals, and setting screens. 

“How in-depth our conversations get depends on how strong we feel about a topic,” Amy says. “Logan is very much as X’s and O’s guy, and I’m more into statistical analysis. He’ll see something on the basketball court that I see in the numbers. We complement each other very well.”

On the court, they are demanding and competitive, but they see basketball as more than just a game. The coaching duo tries to lead boys to not only win basketball games but also grow and mature off the court. 

“Players enjoy seeing the dynamic bond we have and how we work together,” Logan says. “They know that we are looking out for their best interests as players and students.” 

Head basketball coach Colt McDowell says having the mother-son duo on his staff is a blessing. 

“Both work tirelessly to help our basketball program be the best it can be,” he says. “They both want to see our players succeed athletically and academically, and they’ve developed their own unique relationships with the boys.”

That’s not just coach speak. Colt knows that their presence helps his basketball team become more like family.