Coach Fitts Honored by Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, MLB

North Kingstown Volleyball Coach Joanne Fitts recently was honored by the Partnership for a Drug-Free Kids and Major League Baseball Charities for her dedication to fair, drug-free play and an overall healthy lifestyle.

The award was given to Fitts at the fifth annual Commissioner’s Play Healthy Awards at the Partnership’s annual gala at Gotham Hall in New York City on Nov. 20.

Judged by a panel of parents, coaches and sports industry professionals, Coach Fitts was selected from a competition across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Winners were chosen based on their commitment to leadership, sportsmanship and encouragement of others, on and off the playing field, a release stated.

A coach and physical education teacher for more than 30 years, Fitts currently coaches volleyball at North Kingstown High School. She has presented workshops stressing the importance of staying drug free, and in June, she was named Rhode Island’s Coach of the Year.

Joanne is battling breast cancer for the second time, however, despite her diagnosis, she continued to coach the high school boys’ volleyball team and won the state championship.

“Major League Baseball is thrilled to help recognize Coach Joanne Fitts, [who] inspires [her] teams and community,” Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig said. “We are proud to work together with the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids in order to reach young people, who are the heart of our game, and impart to them the importance of clean living, fair competition and helping others.”

Also awarded was Kelsey Barrett, a teen athlete from Gardiner, Maine.

When Barrett was 7, her father died as a result of substance abuse. As a teen, Kelsey has helped to implement a variety of service projects to keep youth healthy and active at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Gardiner. Recently, she faced a challenge when her school’s indoor track team was cut and found a way to practice and compete with a nearby school. Though running for another school was not ideal, she encouraged her teammates to participate and they made it all the way to the State Championship track and field meet. Kelsey has received both the Governor’s Service Award and Healthy Maine Communities Youth Advocate Award for her community work.

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