The high school’s varsity softball and girl’s lacrosse teams will have new coaches for the 2024 to 2025 semester, according to an announcement from Superintendent John Antonucci and Athletic Director Nick Schlierf.
In a press release on Jan.10, Antonucci and Schlierf announced that softball instructor Jamie Duffy will be the next coach for the varsity school’s softball team while North Attleboro Youth Field Hockey Park and Recreation Director Dawn Kafel-Forge would head the varsity girl’s lacrosse program. Duffy and Kafel-Forge have a combined 43 years of coaching experience and both are North Attleborough residents.
“I’m excited to bring each of these coaches onboard for their respective programs,” Schlierf said in the statement. “Both have great ties to our community, excellent knowledge of the game, and relevant coaching experience. I’m confident that their coaching abilities will have a positive impact on our student-athletes and our athletic program.”
Duffy began coaching softball in 2000 as a volunteer assistant at her alma mater, University of Rhode Island. After graduating in 2002, she continued her career in the Ocean State serving as the head junior varsity coach at Franklin High School and the assistant varsity coach at the Wheeler School in Providence. She is currently serving as the head coach of Rox Softball’s 16U showcase level team and trains athletes up to 18 years of age at the Brand New Ballgame/Energy Athletics complex in Wrentham.
Duffy could not be reached for comment on her new role
Kafel-Forge also got her start in lacrosse in 2000, serving as the varsity assistant coach and junior varsity coach at Mansfield High School. In 2008, she was promoted to the position of head varsity coach and served in the role for two years. During her time at Mansfield High School, the lacrosse team became Hockomock League Champions in 2001, won second place in the Hockomock League and Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletics Association (MIAA) Division 2 South Semi-Finalists in 2008, became Hockomock League Champions and MIAA Division 2 South Quarterfinalists in 2009 and entered the quarterfinals of the MIAA Division 1 South in 2010.
In 2018, Kafel-Forge joined the North Attleborough girls youth lacrosse program, Big Red Lacrosse. In her role, she has helped coach classic and select programs for girls wanting to learn how to play the sport professionally. In 2020, Kafel-Forge became the director of the program.
“Jamie and Dawn both have deep ties to the North Attleborough community through their respective involvement in youth sports, and we look forward to bringing that familiarity to our athletic program,” Antonucci said. “We are very happy to have them lead our teams.”
