Emily Betz

Bio

When Emily Betz joined Indian Hill in 2026 as the Braves' Head Field Hockey Coach, she brought with her a successful Division I playing career, nearly a decade of coaching experience, and a passion for helping young women develop the confidence to challenge themselves both on and off the field.

For Coach Betz, field hockey is more than competition. It is an environment where student-athletes can learn to take risks, respond to failure, trust their teammates, and discover what they are capable of accomplishing.

Her goal is to build a program where athletes compete without fear, continually pursue improvement, and understand the importance of giving their very best to the people around them.

From Pennsylvania to Division I Field Hockey

A native of Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, Coach Betz attended The Agnes Irwin School, where she was a three-sport varsity athlete in field hockey, volleyball, and lacrosse.

As a senior, she was named the field hockey team's Most Valuable Player and received the school's prestigious White Blazer Award, recognizing her as the most outstanding three-sport varsity athlete in her graduating class.

Betz continued her field hockey career at Davidson College, competing at the NCAA Division I level for all four years.

After earning a consistent starting role as a sophomore, she became an important part of Davidson's attack throughout the remainder of her career. During her senior season, Betz served as team captain, earned All-Conference honors, and led the team in goals.

She graduated from Davidson with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a minor in French.

Building Successful Programs

Coach Betz began her coaching career in 2017 before taking over the varsity field hockey program at The Summit Country Day School.

Her time at Summit was defined by player development, competitive growth, and the creation of a team culture centered on trust and accountability.

In 2019, she led Summit to its first playoff appearance in more than a decade, marking an important milestone in the program's resurgence.

The program continued making history under her leadership. During the 2021 season, Summit defeated Ursuline Academy twice in the same season for the first time in program history and earned its first victory over Saint Ursula Academy in more than a decade.

Her success earned her recognition as the Southwest Ohio Field Hockey League Coach of the Year three times—in 2019, 2020, and 2025.

Coach Betz also helped prepare student-athletes for opportunities beyond high school, with four players continuing their field hockey careers at the collegiate level, including two NCAA Division I athletes and two NCAA Division III athletes.

Why She Coaches

At the center of Coach Betz's philosophy is one word: confidence.

"I became a coach because I wanted to teach high school athletes to be confident in themselves. Confidence doesn't appear overnight. It's cultivated through intentional coaching, repetition, encouragement, and a willingness to let players fail safely before they find success."

Whether an athlete is attempting a reverse chip, mastering a sweep, or a goalkeeper is diving to make a save, Coach Betz wants her players to have the freedom to challenge themselves.

"I work to create an environment where players feel safe to try, stumble, reset, and then achieve the success they have worked so hard for."

For Coach Betz, those moments of growth are some of the most rewarding parts of coaching.

Coaching Philosophy

Coach Betz believes education-based athletics are about helping student-athletes find balance while recognizing that the lessons learned through sports can strengthen every other area of their lives.

"Our student-athletes work hard to give attention to each of their priorities inside and outside of the classroom. Athletics is just one part of the high school experience, but the skills they learn on the field—leadership, accountability, and responsibility—translate directly into the classroom and beyond."

Her coaching philosophy is centered around three core values:

Accountability – Take responsibility for your preparation, effort, decisions, and commitment to your teammates.

Grit – Develop the resilience to continue competing, learning, and improving when things become difficult.

Teamwork – Understand that individual success is strengthened when everyone is committed to making the people around them better.

These values shape the culture Coach Betz wants to establish throughout the Indian Hill Field Hockey program.

Playing Without Regrets

When her athletes eventually leave the program, Coach Betz hopes they remember what it feels like to completely invest themselves in something meaningful.

"I hope they remember the feeling of what it's like to give 110% of yourself to the game and your teammates so that when you walk off the field, you have no regrets."

That mindset influences how she defines success.

"Success is giving your full effort every time you step onto the field, committing to getting better each day, and making your teammates better because you were there."

For Coach Betz, winning is important, but the habits that create sustained success—effort, preparation, resilience, and selflessness—matter even more.

Growing the Game

Coach Betz is excited about the continued growth of field hockey throughout Cincinnati and believes Indian Hill student-athletes have an opportunity to help shape the future of the sport in the region.

"Field hockey is growing fast in our region, and our players all play a role in adding to the legacy of Cincinnati field hockey."

She is also a strong supporter of multi-sport participation.

Many Indian Hill field hockey players also compete in sports such as lacrosse, track and field, and softball. Coach Betz believes those experiences help athletes develop additional speed, competitiveness, athleticism, and resilience that ultimately make them stronger field hockey players.

Why Indian Hill?

For Coach Betz, one of Indian Hill's greatest strengths is the community surrounding its students.

"The community of Indian Hill cannot be beat. Players, parents, and classmates support each other in a variety of activities both on and off the field."

That sense of connection creates an environment where student-athletes are encouraged to pursue multiple interests while knowing their school and community are behind them.

As she begins the next chapter of Indian Hill Field Hockey, Coach Betz is excited to build upon the program's foundation, establish new traditions, and help the next generation of Braves become confident competitors and leaders.

Beyond Field Hockey

Away from the field, Coach Betz enjoys hiking, painting, singing, and swimming.

Quick Hits

• Hometown: Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

• High School: The Agnes Irwin School

• College: Davidson College

• Degree: Bachelor of Science in Psychology

• Minor: French

• Favorite Team: Cincinnati Bengals

• Favorite Athlete Growing Up: Mia Hamm

• Favorite Book: Demon Copperhead

• Favorite Movie: Miracle

• Favorite Pregame Meal: Jimmy John's

• Favorite Vacation Destination: Lake Garda, Italy

• Favorite Quote: "You're not living unless you're willing to do some dying along the way." — Dylan Gossett

Rapid Fire

• Morning or Night? Night

• Beach or Mountains? Beach

• Dogs or Cats? Dogs

• Coffee or Tea? Coffee

• Sweet or Salty? Salty

• Nike or Adidas? Nike

• Summer or Winter? Summer

• Disney or Universal? Disney

• Golf or Pickleball? Pickleball

• Win a Championship or Coach an All-American? Win a Championship