KRISTEN
WHAT’S IT TO YA?
July 8, 2026
Kristen Bettencourt is a football coach whose journey has taken her from Ajax, Ontario, to the international stage. Her playing career spans varsity soccer, League 1, and a special opportunity to play for the Guyana national team. Today, she brings that experience to her role as assistant coach of the Ontario Tech women’s soccer team, where she is helping to guide and develop a top program for the next generation.
We caught up with Kristen the night Canada finished playing their first game of the 2026 World Cup to talk about her passion for coaching, the impact of the NSL, and how growing up cheering for Brazil shaped her love for the game.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What are some of your earliest football memories from growing up?
I remember playing Timbits soccer at a local club in Pickering, and I would be the only one running around chasing the ball back and forth while I watched others pick up dandelions on the field. From that point, I started playing house league and got recruited by OPDL, which was Rep back in the day. I was 11 at that time, so I started a little bit later and then I joined a team in Pickering. I was on the B team, and then I moved up to the A team, and I kind of moved myself around Durham before going off to University to play, which was exciting. I played at Brock University and then did my postgrad at Seneca College for a 5th year.
Was football something that you wanted to play or did your parents influence you?
No, honestly, it came from me. My parents are Guyanese and they just put me in any sport because they knew I liked to be athletic. From there, I just liked soccer, and it ended up being my passion. It was something I constantly wanted to get better at. I was always in my backyard working with my stepdad, doing keep-ups with him and kicking the ball back and forth. Little technical stuff in our backyard.
We caught up with Kristen the night Canada finished playing their first game of the 2026 World Cup to talk about her passion for coaching, the impact of the NSL, and how growing up cheering for Brazil shaped her love for the game.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What are some of your earliest football memories from growing up?
I remember playing Timbits soccer at a local club in Pickering, and I would be the only one running around chasing the ball back and forth while I watched others pick up dandelions on the field. From that point, I started playing house league and got recruited by OPDL, which was Rep back in the day. I was 11 at that time, so I started a little bit later and then I joined a team in Pickering. I was on the B team, and then I moved up to the A team, and I kind of moved myself around Durham before going off to University to play, which was exciting. I played at Brock University and then did my postgrad at Seneca College for a 5th year.
Was football something that you wanted to play or did your parents influence you?
No, honestly, it came from me. My parents are Guyanese and they just put me in any sport because they knew I liked to be athletic. From there, I just liked soccer, and it ended up being my passion. It was something I constantly wanted to get better at. I was always in my backyard working with my stepdad, doing keep-ups with him and kicking the ball back and forth. Little technical stuff in our backyard.
How did you end up supporting Brazil?
We followed Brazil because, unfortunately, the Guyanese men’s team hasn’t made it to the World Cup. So, we support our neighbours Brazil, and obviously, going back, we were big fans of R9. Kaka was one of my favourite players, and that’s someone I’m kind of trying to mimic in my style of play. I think it was just his simplicity and his effectiveness on the field. I think he did the simple things very well, and I think that’s how I was as a player, and that’s who I looked up to and learned from. I don’t have the most flare—you’re not gonna see me doing scissors 20 times on a field—but I’m a six. I like to do the dirty work and get the job done and do the simple things really well.
When did coaching start for you?
My transition into coaching has been all over the place. I’ve always had a passion for the sport. Whenever coaches would ask questions, I was always one of the first to answer—whether I was right or wrong. I loved understanding the different aspects and the different tactics of the game. I also love kids, and I’ve always coached youth growing up. I coached U8s and U6s from 16 to 18, and then when I graduated, my head coach at Seneca College reached out to me to come coach. I said ‘I don't know if I want to coach. That’s not for me.’ And he’s like, ‘no, come try it’. So I went and I tried it, and then a switch flipped and I loved it. He was the one who kind of encouraged me and pushed me.
It was crazy because that year they won nationals as well, so it was crazy to see a program that I played at, then to see it as a coach from a different aspect. He was definitely one of my biggest mentors and was one of the coaches that had the biggest impact on me as a player as well. He supported me in different aspects both on the field and off the field. From there, I went into OPDL coaching, and then from there, I think I just always wanted to stay involved in the game. Then the opportunity came to do it full time at Ontario Tech, and full circle moment playing in U SPORTS, OUA, and now I get to give back and provide the girls with an experience on how to go through all that process. So it’s really easy for me to connect with them and relate to them. I’ve been through it, the highs and lows. I know the questions, and I think it’s a good thing to have, especially for someone who’s been through everything.
We followed Brazil because, unfortunately, the Guyanese men’s team hasn’t made it to the World Cup. So, we support our neighbours Brazil, and obviously, going back, we were big fans of R9. Kaka was one of my favourite players, and that’s someone I’m kind of trying to mimic in my style of play. I think it was just his simplicity and his effectiveness on the field. I think he did the simple things very well, and I think that’s how I was as a player, and that’s who I looked up to and learned from. I don’t have the most flare—you’re not gonna see me doing scissors 20 times on a field—but I’m a six. I like to do the dirty work and get the job done and do the simple things really well.
When did coaching start for you?
My transition into coaching has been all over the place. I’ve always had a passion for the sport. Whenever coaches would ask questions, I was always one of the first to answer—whether I was right or wrong. I loved understanding the different aspects and the different tactics of the game. I also love kids, and I’ve always coached youth growing up. I coached U8s and U6s from 16 to 18, and then when I graduated, my head coach at Seneca College reached out to me to come coach. I said ‘I don't know if I want to coach. That’s not for me.’ And he’s like, ‘no, come try it’. So I went and I tried it, and then a switch flipped and I loved it. He was the one who kind of encouraged me and pushed me.
It was crazy because that year they won nationals as well, so it was crazy to see a program that I played at, then to see it as a coach from a different aspect. He was definitely one of my biggest mentors and was one of the coaches that had the biggest impact on me as a player as well. He supported me in different aspects both on the field and off the field. From there, I went into OPDL coaching, and then from there, I think I just always wanted to stay involved in the game. Then the opportunity came to do it full time at Ontario Tech, and full circle moment playing in U SPORTS, OUA, and now I get to give back and provide the girls with an experience on how to go through all that process. So it’s really easy for me to connect with them and relate to them. I’ve been through it, the highs and lows. I know the questions, and I think it’s a good thing to have, especially for someone who’s been through everything.
As a player you had the opportunity to represent the Guyana national team. How special was that?
Obviously, Canada is very multicultural. I feel like more people now are familiar with Guyana, but I still often get “oh, like Ghana?” I’m like, no, it’s in the Caribbean. Both my parents were born there, and I was born here. It’s a very happy culture: parties, dance, music, food, everything’s amazing. To be able to represent that at the Gold Cup was another level for me. To represent my parents and where we’re from, and knowing that they came here to have a better life. When I walked off the field, my mom got emotional and started crying. I think that was probably one of the highlights of my career, that I got to do that for them. They’ve done so much. Every session, every tournament, long drives. They still come to watch my women’s leagues nowadays, so to be able to do that for them, I think is the most rewarding and inspiring thing for me and that keeps me going.
Is there anything from your personal experience that you pull from when coaching?
There’s so many things. I mean, “coach me” and “outside me” are completely different. Obviously I will joke around here and there, but once we step on the field, it’s business. I think a lot of things I tell them is about buying into the process. We hold them accountable for everything, but I think buying into the process is a big thing in these environments, because no season is perfect, and there’s gonna be ups and downs. They’re also managing living alone, the stress of school, and the stress of performance as well. Not every day you’re gonna be a starter, so how are you managing your attitude on the field? I think the biggest thing is to coach them through those moments. I’m not gonna have a perfect season, but how can I manage my emotions so that I’m putting my team first? At the end of the day, we all have a goal in mind that we want to achieve. So it’s important that we trust the team, the culture’s process, and we hold ourselves accountable. I think that’s the biggest thing that I’ve been trying to impart to them, because I wish I had that when I was younger.
Obviously, Canada is very multicultural. I feel like more people now are familiar with Guyana, but I still often get “oh, like Ghana?” I’m like, no, it’s in the Caribbean. Both my parents were born there, and I was born here. It’s a very happy culture: parties, dance, music, food, everything’s amazing. To be able to represent that at the Gold Cup was another level for me. To represent my parents and where we’re from, and knowing that they came here to have a better life. When I walked off the field, my mom got emotional and started crying. I think that was probably one of the highlights of my career, that I got to do that for them. They’ve done so much. Every session, every tournament, long drives. They still come to watch my women’s leagues nowadays, so to be able to do that for them, I think is the most rewarding and inspiring thing for me and that keeps me going.
Is there anything from your personal experience that you pull from when coaching?
There’s so many things. I mean, “coach me” and “outside me” are completely different. Obviously I will joke around here and there, but once we step on the field, it’s business. I think a lot of things I tell them is about buying into the process. We hold them accountable for everything, but I think buying into the process is a big thing in these environments, because no season is perfect, and there’s gonna be ups and downs. They’re also managing living alone, the stress of school, and the stress of performance as well. Not every day you’re gonna be a starter, so how are you managing your attitude on the field? I think the biggest thing is to coach them through those moments. I’m not gonna have a perfect season, but how can I manage my emotions so that I’m putting my team first? At the end of the day, we all have a goal in mind that we want to achieve. So it’s important that we trust the team, the culture’s process, and we hold ourselves accountable. I think that’s the biggest thing that I’ve been trying to impart to them, because I wish I had that when I was younger.
With the NSL now, how much more opportunity is there for girls coming through the system?
Yeah, I think a lot of girls are being exposed to it, and they’re seeing it as such a big opportunity. You have university, now you have a pro league, and you’re even seeing a lot more girls going overseas. A lot of those opportunities are there for them. If they take the right steps, use the right resources for them. I think it’s pretty exciting to see that they have a lot more support, even from women in the game, so that’s exciting. Just to see AFC Toronto give back to the local community, I’ve seen a lot of those girls, like Nikki Small, who has her own little foundation that helps give back which is awesome. I think a lot of this stuff just goes a long way.
When I was growing up, I didn’t have half of that. I think I would have been more open back then. I don’t think it was impossible, but I think I would have definitely been more open to it. I mean, I played on my national team for Guyana at the age of 27, so if anything can happen at any time, I think the biggest thing to teach these girls nowadays is to not stress or compare themselves to everything else that’s going on. Everyone has their own timeline.
What are some memories that you have watching the World Cup? You had mentioned that you support Brazil.
Some core memories are my neighbours cheering for Italy, and we were Brazil fans. So we would always have this little feud whenever the World Cup would come on. You know, we would all get together and cheer for our home countries, and we would have that little rivalry. We would obviously get super riled up, and we had a nice backyard, so it was just nice to bring the community together. All my cousins, all my aunts, we would all get together to support Brazil. It’s that community, the closeness and that social aspect that brings us together. You’re watching high-level football—the best of the best—so it’s an exciting time.
And now that it’s here in our home country and in Toronto, being at the stadium, the energy there is electric. I think it gives you shivers in a way because you’re so used to seeing it on TV and when you see it in person, it’s indescribable. It’s hard to explain to anyone else that’s not there. It’s inspiring and feels surreal.
Yeah, I think a lot of girls are being exposed to it, and they’re seeing it as such a big opportunity. You have university, now you have a pro league, and you’re even seeing a lot more girls going overseas. A lot of those opportunities are there for them. If they take the right steps, use the right resources for them. I think it’s pretty exciting to see that they have a lot more support, even from women in the game, so that’s exciting. Just to see AFC Toronto give back to the local community, I’ve seen a lot of those girls, like Nikki Small, who has her own little foundation that helps give back which is awesome. I think a lot of this stuff just goes a long way.
When I was growing up, I didn’t have half of that. I think I would have been more open back then. I don’t think it was impossible, but I think I would have definitely been more open to it. I mean, I played on my national team for Guyana at the age of 27, so if anything can happen at any time, I think the biggest thing to teach these girls nowadays is to not stress or compare themselves to everything else that’s going on. Everyone has their own timeline.
What are some memories that you have watching the World Cup? You had mentioned that you support Brazil.
Some core memories are my neighbours cheering for Italy, and we were Brazil fans. So we would always have this little feud whenever the World Cup would come on. You know, we would all get together and cheer for our home countries, and we would have that little rivalry. We would obviously get super riled up, and we had a nice backyard, so it was just nice to bring the community together. All my cousins, all my aunts, we would all get together to support Brazil. It’s that community, the closeness and that social aspect that brings us together. You’re watching high-level football—the best of the best—so it’s an exciting time.
And now that it’s here in our home country and in Toronto, being at the stadium, the energy there is electric. I think it gives you shivers in a way because you’re so used to seeing it on TV and when you see it in person, it’s indescribable. It’s hard to explain to anyone else that’s not there. It’s inspiring and feels surreal.
Did you have any women players growing up that you looked up to?
Marta was my favourite player. She has been one of my favourite players for a while, and she’s still playing and still competing at a high level. I just love her tenacity, her grit and her creativity on the ball. She was something you did not see in the women’s game. She just brought a different flair and it was nice to see that in the women’s side of the game, and now we have a lot of people stepping up to that level as well.
What's next for your coaching?
Being a part of Ontario Tech, I’m working very closely with the head coach there and we’re looking to build a program together. She’s preparing me for those next steps when I’m ready for them. It’s gonna be exciting to see how both of us take the program to the next level.
Photos & Interview: Andre Varty
Marta was my favourite player. She has been one of my favourite players for a while, and she’s still playing and still competing at a high level. I just love her tenacity, her grit and her creativity on the ball. She was something you did not see in the women’s game. She just brought a different flair and it was nice to see that in the women’s side of the game, and now we have a lot of people stepping up to that level as well.
What's next for your coaching?
Being a part of Ontario Tech, I’m working very closely with the head coach there and we’re looking to build a program together. She’s preparing me for those next steps when I’m ready for them. It’s gonna be exciting to see how both of us take the program to the next level.
Photos & Interview: Andre Varty
