Watkinson’s new volunteer assistant coach for girls varsity basketball, Coach Chris Baisden has been a girls basketball advocate, involved with girls youth basketball for several years. He has previously coached park & rec and AAU basketball, and he assisted in the development of several Division 1 players, most notably his daughter Kristalyn. He obtained his USAB youth basketball coaching license and is currently a member of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).
Job: Assistant Coach
Assistant Coach
Anna Alferi
In her fourth year at Watkinson, Anna Alferi serves as both the assistant coach for girls’ Varsity basketball and the head coach for the girls middle school team. She grew up in West Hartford, Connecticut, and was a three sport athlete playing soccer, basketball, and softball. Coach Alferi played on the 2009 Bacon Academy High School girls’ basketball state championship team, and was co-captain of the 2011 Hall High School basketball team. She attended the University of Tampa, graduating in three years, and immediately began as a high school English teacher at Plant High school in Tampa, Florida. At Plant High school she was the assistant girls’ Varsity basketball coach for two seasons. Returning to Connecticut, she taught and coached at Grace Academy. At Watkinson she has coached a range of activities and sports including soccer, basketball, fitness, and outdoor games.
Liz Perkins
Coach Perkins loves being involved in numerous aspects of the Watkinson community as an Upper School visual art teacher, a volleyball coach, and a tennis coach. She grew up in New Haven, where she competed in volleyball, swimming, and water polo, in addition to playing tennis. While earning her BFA at Washington University in St. Louis, she was an All-Conference goalie on the women’s club water polo team. Liz enjoys sharing her passion for competitive team sports with her students, and fostering team unity.
Lisa Roberts
A West Hartford native and Loomis Chaffee School graduate, Lisa Roberts attended St. Joseph University and then UConn for graduate school. At Watkinson, she teaches English and is in our Learning Skills Program. An assistant to both cross country and track, Coach Roberts is also an avid tennis player and has been a runner for the past 20 years, completing 20 half marathons and one full. Coach Roberts is mom to a Nick (grade 10) and Caroline (grade 8) who both attend Watkinson.
Thomas Kothe
Coach Kothe is beginning his third year as an English teacher at Watkinson and his second year as the Boys assistant varsity basketball coach. A resident of West Hartford, Thomas grew up in rural Maine, where he played basketball and lacrosse competitively. Since graduating from Bates College (B.A.) and The Ohio State University (M.A.)., he’s taught English and coached at three independent schools in New England. Though his competitive hoops career has come to an end, he continues to make solid if unspectacular contributions to the all-faculty morning hoops league.
Lee Anne Thompson
Assistant coach for girls varsity soccer.
Ryan Reese
Coach Reese grew up playing football, basketball and baseball in central Nebraska, participating in all three for Grand Island Senior High. He began coaching at a young age for youth teams in his hometown, and continued to play competitively at different levels while at Middlebury College in Vermont. He coached the 2006 Vergennes girls soccer team to a state title in 2006 while student teaching before moving to Washington, D.C. There, while working at The Field School, he coached soccer, basketball and baseball at the varsity level, winning a combined five PVAC championships and coaching three PVAC Players of the Year. He currently is an assistant coach for the boys soccer team here at Watkinson and previously served as the head coach for our boys varsity basketball squad. Watkinson’s Head of the Upper School, Coach Reese plays in adult soccer and basketball leagues, is an avid runner and triathlete and is always down for some competition.