Introducing Coach D.

We are pleased to introduce to you our PE Teacher and Athletic Director, Bernadette Diepenbrock. “Coach D” (who is the youngest of 12 children) grew up in the Bay Area. After a successful high school multi-sport career, she went on to UC San Diego where she earned a degree in Communication and participated on the Women’s Basketball Team all four years, and graduated the “winningest” player in school history. After college, Coach D returned to the Bay Area where she taught PE and coached Girls' Varsity Basketball at Burlingame and Mills High School.

Coach D then moved to Portland Oregon where, after being a stay-at-home mom to her three children, she taught PE and coached basketball at several public elementary schools. In addition, she worked as the Pool Manager and Swim Lesson Coordinator from 2016-2019 at The Irvington Tennis Club.

Coach D returned to San Diego in 2019 and taught PE and coached the Girls Varsity Basketball Team at Gompers Preparatory Academy in SE San Diego. For the last several years, (through Covid) Coach D has been teaching and coaching small pods of elementary-aged students PE, basketball, and swim lessons and running after-school enrichment classes in the Scripps Ranch area. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her children, taking her dogs to Dog Beach in Del Mar, and playing pickleball. Coach D has also enjoyed volunteering this season as the Girls Varsity Basketball Announcer at Scripps Ranch High School. She is thrilled to be joining our SMA family!