Life's twists and turns took Brianna Strecker in an unexpected career direction.

During her senior year at Bridgewater State University, Strecker intended to purse a career in criminal justice until some sound advice from a mentor led her down another path to where the Waterford High School graduate is today.

Mike Donovan, an associate head men's basketball coach at Bridgewater, saw the potential in Strecker as a future coach, noticed her leadership skills as a catcher on the school's softball team and made a recommendation.

"He said that I'd be doing coaching a disservice if I didn't go into the coaching field and that I'd be great in that," Strecker said. "I majored in criminal justice, so I didn't even really think of that until I was about to graduate. I realized that I really just didn't want to get away from the game in any way, shape or form and I loved being around it."

The enthusiastic Strecker is in her second season as an assistant coach on Cheryl Milligan's staff at Tufts, a Division III softball powerhouse in Medford, Mass. that is chasing its fourth straight NCAA championship. The Jumbos opened regional play Friday with a 2-0 shutout of Becker College.

The coaching profession is a perfect fit for Strecker, who loves the sport, relished the opportunity to be a positive influence and comes from an extended family of coaches, including father Mike who's a football assistant under his brother John at Waterford.

It took some perspective for Strecker, who won a state championship playing for recently retired coach Liz Sutman in 2009, to figure it all out.

"When you're playing in high school, you don't realize how influential the coach's role is to you at the time," Strecker said. "I didn't realize how much Liz Sutman motivated me and really helped me learn how much I love the game until I had gone to Bridgewater. My first year, the coaching experience was just not the same."

"It was then I realized coaching was so important."

After an outstanding playing career at Bridgewater during which she earned Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference player of the year honors in 2013, she entered the coaching ranks. Her first job was at her alma mater.

During that season, Bridgewater played Tufts in the NCAA super regionals, losing two straight games.

When Tufts went on to win the national championship, Strecker sent a congratulatory note to Milligan. She already had enormous respect for Tufts, having faced the Jumbos several times as a player.

"Definitely, one of my favorite games every year was to play against Tufts," Strecker said. "They always had such a competitive program."

Milligan mentioned that there was an opening on her staff. Strecker jumped at the opportunity.

In her first year, Tufts went 51-0 and won a record third straight national title.

"It was an amazing season," Strecker said.

Strecker enjoys every aspect of coaching, from the daily preparation, to making connections with players, to hitting the recruiting trail. She still draws on what she learned from playing under Sutman, especially when it comes to being a motivator and a supportive presence.

"A passion for the game," said Strecker on what she takes from Sutman. "Just bringing 100 percent every day. Attitude, enthusiasm, excitement. The experience of being just happy and grateful to be there, I think she exuded that every single day. She was just always knew how to motivated for us.

"It was the little things that could easily be taken for granted. You knew she was in the locker room every day before game day making sure there was a new decoration or new (motivational) phrase put up, just something to get us going and make us believe in ourselves. I think that was the biggest thing. ... If she wanted you to do something, she made you believe that you could do it every single time."

Strecker, 24, couldn't be happier. She's working with an elite program and a terrific staff at a school that stresses a high standard in athletics and academics.

"They strive to grow every day," said Strecker, who's also spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach for the Wentworth Institute of Technology women's basketball team. "They're always looking to get better. It's something that I admire about this school.

"... I think every day is an awesome experience."

She hopes one day to be a head coach, bt that can wait for now.

Looking back, she feels good about the career path that she followed.

"I didn't realize it was something that I was going to love so much," Strecker said. "I didn't know I was going to fall in love with the career path as much as I have in the last three years. I'm excited about learning more and growing."

"... I'm just so excited to see where it continues to take me."

g.keefe@theday.com