The women’s basketball team has found its new coach, and his name is Matthew Reid. Reid grew up in the small town of Cape Elizabeth, Maine.
Reid played basketball there, and that is also where he began his coaching career. Reid was 19 when he first grabbed a clipboard.
His first gig was as a middle school basketball coach, and he loved it.
“Little did I know at the time that would be a sort of jumping off point for my life,” Reid added.
Although Reid found out that he enjoyed coaching, it took him a little longer to realize that it was his true calling.
Reid went to school at the University of Southern Maine, and during his time there, he tried out for the basketball team.
Coaching a group of seventh-graders made him realize just how much he missed playing. “So, the long story short, going through and putting the extra time, getting the shots, and I was in that last kinda cohort that didn’t make the team.” The stars didn’t align for Reid during his tryout at Southern Maine.
There was a silver lining, however, and this came from an old friend who offered him a job to coach high school basketball.
Reid coached Noble High School in North Berwick, Maine, from 2017 to 2020, and he made his mark. Reid led his squad to the first winning season in 10 years, with the team only having nine wins in the previous seven years before Reid took the job.
In 2018, the team won 10 games with Reid at the helm. Coaching more and continuing to garner experience made him realize how fun coaching can be.
Reid then spent five seasons with the University of New England before eventually landing here in Newton.
Part of what has helped Reid and his teams see success has been the culture he has tried to employ in his squads. One piece of this culture is defense.
Going back to his days as a point guard at Southern Maine, Reid was always big on defense. In the game of basketball, being able to contribute on both sides of the ball can be huge for a team.
Reid prided himself on his defense as a player, and he does the same now as a coach.
Defense has been a focal point in practices so far. Some words that Reid used to describe how he wants to play were fast, confident, and aggressive.
“I do think that a consistent defense like that can keep you in any game, no matter who you’re playing,” Reid said.
Something also worth noting is Reid’s coaching style and his behavior off the court.
He’s an optimistic coach, and the team has reacted to that. The team is working hard and starting to mesh with each other on a deep level.
Reid has emphasized that he wants his team to ask him questions, and they have done that so far. “For me, a lot of my messaging to our team is that the mistakes we can live with, but most importantly, how do we respond.”
Reid believes that the course of action a person or team takes after making mistakes says a lot about them.
Another focal point for the team has been navigating through moments like these.
It’s clear that situational awareness and the ability to work through adversity are a big part of Reid’s coaching style, and it will be interesting to see how the team employs these skills throughout the season.
–Nov. 4, 2025–
