Kevin Feltis (center) coaches a varsity home game during Lincoln Academy’s 2022-2023 winter season. (Photo courtesy Lincoln Academy)
Lincoln Academy girls basketball coach Kevin Feltis has stepped down from his role after being a fixture in the LA sports community and an inspiration to many.
Feltis has been coaching basketball for over 20 years. He started his coaching career when he was a substitute teacher at Bristol Consolidated School, where he was later asked to coach softball and basketball. Since then, he has coached girls varsity basketball for Lincoln Academy for the past 11 years.
In an interview, Feltis shared highlights of his coaching career, the challenges he’s faced, the important qualities of a successful basketball coach, and how he has adapted to changes in the game.
In his years as the varsity girls basketball coach, Feltis’ most significant highlight was coaching his daughter, Kaitlyn Feltis.
“I always treated her like she was just another player, sometimes probably a little harder on her than I needed to be,” he said.
Father and daughter both coached beside each other this past season.
Feltis also acknowledged that every year has its proud moments, not just because of winning, but also because of the opportunity to work with new families and kids. Despite a couple of injuries that possibly jeopardized the team from playing for the state championship, they made it to the Southern Maine final back-to-back years.
Feltis has had to deal with various challenges over the years, including difficult parents who sometimes questioned his coaching decisions. However, the good outweighed the bad.
“I’ve been very fortunate to have had many great kids and many, many great parents that I’ve dealt with, grandparents (included),” he said.
His emphasis on getting the kids to believe in what they’re doing has played a crucial role in his team’s success.
When asked about the essential qualities of a successful basketball coach, Feltis emphasized that the most important thing is for the kids to want to play and believe in what they’re being taught.
“I always talk to different people in the community about giving kids the tools, and once they have the toolbox, it’s up to them to use the tools,” he said.
Over the years, the game of basketball has evolved, but Feltis feels the game hasn’t changed much. His coaching style is tailored to suit the team’s strengths, focusing on what they have for parts. If a team is big, height-wise, Feltis plays inside-out, and if they’re quick, he will have the kids “run and gun.”
As a coach, he adapts to changes in the people playing the game, not necessarily changes in the game.
Feltis’ 11 years of coaching at Lincoln Academy have been successful, not only because of the wins but also because of the positive impact he’s had on the kids, parents, and grandparents he’s had the opportunity to work with.
When others think of Feltis, he wants them to remember, “the tall guy,” walking the sidelines, expecting the best out of his kids, loving his kids, (and) caring for his kids.
“I have given it my all. I have given a lot of time away from my family and I’ve also given the school what I think the school deserves. I love this place. It’s where I went to high school,” he said. “It’s me. It’s part of me and it always will be. So, I don’t have a lot on that end of it. I just hope that everyone knows that I’ll miss it.”
(Maggie Thompson is freshman at Lincoln Academy who plays on the varsity basketball team. This article appears as part of a content-sharing agreement with The Eagle’s Talon, LA’s student newspaper.)
