BURLINGAME, Calif. — Encircled by 30 or so teenage girls in the end zone of a high school practice field, Pam Baker provides the game plan for the day, breaks down the huddle and sends her charges to position-specific training stations.
From there, the Northern California former businesswoman and mother of two roams the field. She keeps a watchful eye on the instruction and action on this third day of her flag football clinic at Burlingame High School, just outside of San Francisco. Baker ensures that her coaches are adequately supported, and remains alert for any issues with athletes that may require one-on-one attention.
Yet she later declares about herself: “I’m no coach.”
You’d never know by watching and listening to her operate. And those closest to the 55-year-old Baker insist her denial couldn’t be further from the truth.
Four years ago, Baker never envisioned venturing into this world. She enjoyed a successful career in the healthcare marketing industry, and the closest she came to athletics involved sitting in the stands while her husband, Doug, coached their twin daughters.
Then tragedy rocked Baker’s world: In 2020, Doug died of pancreatic cancer at age 52. Wanting to find a way to honor Doug’s legacy, Pam left her marketing job in pursuit of a new…
