BATES - The Bobcat

B at e s T h e

B o b c a t

Inspiring facts about our athletics program, plus conversations with players, coaches, and alumni.

B at e s C o l l e g e Lewiston, Maine

There will be winning.

Records will be broken, teammates will pile on top of each other, trophies will be held up in front of cheering crowds.

But when it’s all over, what stays with you isn’t just the record or the win column. What you carry for a lifetime is the passion, the work ethic, the willingness to test your limits, the experience of believing, if only for a moment, that there are no limits.

That’s called being a Bobcat. That’s called a Bates education.

Never Stop

A f t e r w i n n i n g t h e N C A A t i t l e , w h at c o m e s n e x t ?

What were the NCAA championships like?

“The week before the meet, I’d stay awake for hours every night, thinking about what would happen. When I finally arrived and practiced at the facility, my anxiety leveled off. I was still incredibly nervous and slightly intimidated, but I realized that a lot of my competitors were just as nervous as I was.”

Where do you go after winning the title?

“You just want to get better. It’s great to perform at such a high level, but that’s not a stopping point. The day I got back from the meet, I went back to the weight room to lift. My goal is to eclipse the 60-foot barrier in the shot.”

Throwing seems like a solitary sport. Is there much team spirit?

“This sounds like a cliché, but I owe my success to my teammates.

Chris Murtagh, Ethan Waldman—their leadership made me the athlete I am. They’re my motivation. When we’re successful, we’re successful together.”

David Pless, sophomore, Atlanta, Georgia, philosophy, shot put, 2011 NCAA Division III Champion

Pat Cosquer ’97, coach, men’s and women’s squash Cheri-Ann Parris, sophomore, St. Philip, Barbados, biology, squash

All Together Now T h e i n s p i r at i o n b e h i n d Bat e s ’ r e d - h o t s q u a s h t e a m s

What inspires you?

Pat: “My players. I’m thinking of one guy who’s had complications with his legs and ankles his entire life and has to fight through real pain to play. He’s the first guy at practice and the last to leave, every day, without fail. He joined the team as a walk-on; this year he’s our captain. Or Cheri-Ann. Her determination has transformed the women’s squash program. These are courageous, strong-willed people. They’re here for a reason.”

Cheri-Ann: “I want to be an example for kids; I want to inspire them, help them achieve as much as they can. The best way to do that is to achieve as much as I can.”

Talk about a challenge you’ve faced and how you overcame it.

Cheri-Ann: “The Under-19 final of the 2009 Caribbean Junior Championships. This was my last junior tournament, and I was playing the finals in my home country. I was terribly tense in the first two games, which caused me to lose both. By the third game, I focused on each point rather than the outcome of the match. That shift of focus improved my composure, and I won 3-2.”

Pat: “It’s a challenge to maintain a team outlook with such a diverse group of players. There’s no room for self-doubt on a squash team. So we work on developing a culture of trust and respect. We’re here for each other.”

Noah Lynd  (not pictured) , senior, Meriden, New Hampshire, physics, baseball (first base and pitcher)

The Winner’s Circle

A r e c o r d s e a s o n, a n d a t e a m o n t h e v e rg e o f s o m e t h i ng b i g

How did you adjust to your new coach?

“Right from the start, Coach Leonard had us focusing on the right things: hard work and discipline. He insists that we block out what the other team is doing or saying and focus on our own best game.”

How is baseball like life?

“You always work for success, but you have to know how to respond to failure. The biggest challenge in baseball is to be mentally tough.

It’s easy to feel sorry for yourself when things don’t go your way, but that’s the wrong reaction. The biggest skill I have as a result of baseball is my ability to react positively to a negative result.”

What’s been your proudest moment at Bates?

“Being a member of this team. This year we got the most wins in the history of the baseball program—that’s a huge achievement. We trust each other, on and off the field, and that led to a lot of fun, and a lot of wins. I expect that next year’s team will set the next record.”

Common Ground

L e s s o n s i n b u i l d i n g o n e o f t h e c o u n t ry ’ s l e g e n da ry s k i p r o g r a m s

What does it take to be a great Nordic skier?

“Dedication, determination, confidence. And a good sense of humor.”

How do you build a successful program?

“It takes a balance of talent and character. You look for great student athletes who can manage their academics and training seamlessly.

You look for people who are committed to getting better, every day, every race. And you want to build a common ground for all your skiers to improve and grow, as skiers and as people. Some of our skiers go on to be Olympic athletes; some don’t. But every member of our program should have a role in our success.”

What distinguishes Bates skiers?

“I think they’re humble. They do exceptional things all the time, but if you didn’t ask, you’d never know. I think that’s a common trait across athletics here at Bates.”

What’s your coaching style?

“Most of the time I’m pretty laid back—but once I get on the race course, look out. You can hear me a mile away.”

Becky Woods ’89,

coach, Nordic skiing (with Sylvan Ellefson ’10, All-American)

Kevin Helm, junior, Norwell, Massachusetts, history, football (inside linebacker) and lacrosse (defense)

The Commitment

T wo sp orts, no d ow n t i m e, a l l u psi de

Lacrosse and football—that sounds like a serious commitment.

“There’s not a lot of down time. But when you make a commitment as an athlete, you’re helping yourself make a commitment as a student.

If I skip a film session before a game, I can’t play at the highest level.

If I skip a reading for a class, I can’t participate at a high level. It all works together.”

Who’s made a big impact on you as an athlete?

“Of all the coaches I’ve had in my career, Coach Harriman—in football—is the one I respect the most. It’s all about accountability on his team. He wants us to focus on the things we can control—attitude and effort—and bring them every day.”

How do you respond when you lose?

“I’ll be honest: In football, we haven’t had phenomenal success recently. But we’re resilient. If our backs are against the wall, we push harder. We expect a breakout season, and every day, every workout, every game, that’s what we play for.”

The Core

A s t e l l a r t h r o w e r r e f l e ct s o n l i f e a f t e r Bat e s

How did you get involved with throwing?

“I’d never heard of the weight throw before I came to Bates. But Bates has a long and illustrious history in the sport, and I fell in love with it—the way it combines strength and technical coordination. The coach at the time had coached 44 athletes to All-American awards.

He was a real inspiration to me. He’s still the voice in my head telling me I can do anything.”

How did you balance your time at Bates?

“I was far more productive as a student when I was an in-season athlete. I was more scheduled and focused. I would go from class to practice to dinner to the library to study. That’s a great routine, and it worked for most of the athletes I knew. You learn to plan ahead, try not to procrastinate, and prioritize. That pays off in life after Bates.”

What part of your experience as an athlete at Bates do you carry with you?

“It comes in handy each and every day. Work hard, don’t give up, believe in yourself, respect your teammates and your competitors— those ideas were drilled into me at Bates, and they’re still the core of how I live my life.”

University of Connecticut Law ’06, attorney, Lewiston, Maine, weight throw Erika Bristol ’00,

NES C A C : T h e N e w E n g l a n d S m a l l C o l l e g e At h l e t i c C o n f e r e n c e Three things to know about Bates and NESCAC: 1. We’re about balance.

NESCAC member schools are committed to robust athletics programs that exist in harmony with robust academic programs. In many cases the conference goes beyond NCAA Division III guidelines to maintain that harmony.

2. We’re about opportunity.

NESCAC schools believe that athletic teams should be representative of the entire student body. That’s why we don’t offer athletic scholarships, and we award financial aid solely on the basis of need.

3. We’re in good company.

Bates is a sustaining charter member of NESCAC. Other members include Amherst, Bowdoin, Colby, Connecticut College, Hamilton, Middlebury, Trinity, Tufts, Wesleyan, and Williams. That’s good—and exceptionally strong—company.

Va r s i t y t e a m s We field 31 intercollegiate teams, nearly all of which compete in NESCAC, arguably the most competitive conference in the NCAA’s Division III. Men

Soccer

Nordic Skiing

Alpine Skiing

Squash

Outdoor Track and Field

Baseball

Swimming and Diving

Rowing

Basketball

Tennis

Soccer

Cross Country Football Golf Indoor Track and Field Lacrosse Nordic Skiing Outdoor Track and Field Rowing

Women Alpine Skiing Basketball Cross Country Field Hockey Golf Indoor Track and Field Lacrosse

Softball Squash Swimming and Diving Tennis Volleyball

Fac i l i t i e s Alumni Gymnasium (basketball, volleyball)

Northeast, featuring a 200-meter, six-lane

Consistently rated one of the toughest home

Mondo Super-X track. Also includes squash

courts in the NCAA.

and racquetball courts, four tennis courts, a cardiovascular fitness center, and the Marcy

Bates Squash Center Completed in 2004. Five international-size courts, exercise equipment, lots of mojo.

Campus Avenue Field (field hockey) AstroTurf 12 surface, full lighting.

Davis Fitness Center In Underhill. More than 5,000 square feet of squat racks and platforms, free weights and dumbbells, and a complete fitness circuit.

Garcelon Field (football, lacrosse) Next to Commons, close to the heart of campus.

Recent upgrades include a FieldTurf surface, lights, and a new grandstand. Originally built in 1899, making it one of the most historic fields in college football.

Lafayette Street Field (softball) Enclosed dugouts, outdoor batting cage.

Leahey Baseball Field New scoreboard, new fencing system, and one of the best-draining fields in the region.

Merrill Gymnasium (track and field, tennis) One of the premier indoor tracks in the

Plavin Dance Studios.

Rowing Boathouse Located in Greene, a few miles from Lewiston, on a lovely 10-mile stretch of the Androscoggin River. Home to our fleet of eight-, four-, and pairoared shells.

Russell Street Track and Field (soccer, outdoor track and field) An eight-lane bi-radial track with a 10-lane straightaway and a Mondo Super-X surface. The natural grass infield is home to our soccer pitch.

Tarbell Pool (swimming and diving) In Merrill. Eight lanes, 25-meter or 25-yard configurations, and an underwater window.

Underhill Arena Includes a 200-foot by 85-foot ice rink and the Davis Fitness Center.

Wallach Tennis Center Eight Plexicushion courts, full lighting, stadium seating for 500 and an observation deck for coaches.

Fact s 2,000 students

110 student clubs, open to all

46 states

160 community partnerships through the

65 countries

Harward Center

33 majors

0 fraternities and sororities

20 students in the average class

5 weeks in spring Short Term

10 to 1 student to faculty ratio

109 acres on Lewiston campus

100% of faculty hold highest degree in their field

600 acres in Bates–Morse Mountain

100% of students complete a capstone or thesis

Conservation Area

70% of students study abroad

$33,000 average financial aid package

31 NESCAC Division III teams

24,000 alumni

A cad e m i c s Our academic program is intensive, cross-disciplinary, and hands-on, from the first-year seminar to the required senior thesis. A few highlights: funded research opportunities, internships with regional and national firms, community-based learning opportunities through our Harward Center, and access to dozens of study abroad programs around the world.

Majors African American Studies American Cultural Studies Anthropology

East Asian Studies

Philosophy

Economics

Physics

English

Politics

Environmental

Psychology

Studies

Religion

Art and Visual Culture

French

Rhetoric

Biological Chemistry

Geology

Russian

Biology

German

Sociology

Chemistry

History

Spanish

Chinese

Japanese

Theater

Classical and

Mathematics

Women and

Medieval Studies Dance

Music

Gender Studies

Neuroscience

Campus life Campus life revolves around more than 100 student-run clubs and organizations, which are open to all students. Highlights: About 60 percent of our students play on an intramural team, every student is automatically a member of the Bates Outing Club, our dining hall (Commons) features local produce and a global menu, and you’ll have to ask us about the Puddle Jump.

L e w i s t o n a n d Ma i n e Lewiston is the second-largest city (pop. 40,000) in Maine. It’s on the Androscoggin River, about 40 miles north of Portland. Both Lewiston and its twin city, Auburn, are former mill towns with French Canadian roots, a vibrant Somali community, and an entrepreneurial spirit. Maine is a big, wild, self-determined, community-oriented Northeastern state. The rising sun touches Maine first, because people are busy and there’s a lot to get done.

Admission We’re interested in people who work hard, take intellectual risks, believe that education isn’t confined to a classroom, and get deeply involved in their community. We were one of the first colleges to make SAT/ACT scores optional for admission.

Financial aid Nearly half of our students receive financial aid; the average annual aid package is about $33,000.

Bates meets 100 percent of demonstrated financial need, with a financial aid budget of about $22 million.

Visiting Visiting us is easy and eye-opening. You can talk to coaches, students, professors; you can eat at Commons; you can take a tour and talk to one of our admission counselors. We’re close to Portland and two hours north of Boston. Directions and details at www.bates.edu/admission/visit/.

Office of Admission 23 Campus Ave., Lewiston, ME 04240 1.855.BATES55 (1.855.228.3755) www.bates.edu

Since 1855, Bates College has been dedicated to the emancipating potential of the liberal arts. Bates educates the whole person through creative and rigorous scholarship in a collaborative residential community. With ardor and devotion—Amore ac Studio—we engage the transformative power of our differences, cultivating intellectual discovery and informed civic action. Preparing leaders sustained by a love of learning and a commitment to responsible stewardship of the wider world, Bates is a college for coming times.

Bates values the diversity of persons, perspectives and convictions. Critical thinking, rigorous analysis and open discussion of a full range of ideas lie at the heart of the college’s mission as an institution of higher learning. The college seeks to encourage inquiry and reasoned dialogue in a climate of mutual respect.

109th Series, No. 4, August 2011 BATES (USPS 045-160) is published by Bates College at Lane Hall, Lewiston, Maine, 11 times a year. Periodicals postage paid at Lewiston, ME 04240. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to BATES, Bates College, 2 Andrews Road, Lewiston, ME 04240.