| The quintessential question on any prospective student's mind has to be, "Why Bates?" Anybody with any relative amount of persuasive skill could easily talk your ear off about the hundreds of excellent reasons why you should come here. The truth is that everybody has their own reasons for choosing to come here. In keeping with tradition, below are posted testimonials of alumni and current students, and their answers to the question, "Why Bates?" If after reading these testimonials and you've decided to take at least a slight interest in our wonderful college, do yourself a huge favor - pick up your phone, call Coach Fresh, and schedule an overnight right away. One night here at Bates with the cross country team, and you'll never want to leave. |
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Ben Taska '11 (The Big Ticket) |
I'll say a few of the things I most enjoy about running for Bates, and about Bates as a college: I really feel like both the running team and coaches are very supportive of me and everyone, and I never feel like I am being urged to do things I don't want to do. Hazing is non-existent on this team. It has been great running for Bates compared with high school running, because there is the benefit of having people at my level that I can go run with. I really feel like I am a part of a team: team nicknames, team showers, and simply all the time spent together adds to my feeling of solidarity. As for Bates as a college, I am really enjoying it so far. It feels like its own little community, and I feel really glad to be a part of it. As for the classes, I like the feeling of freedom: I have so far not felt held down by distribution requirements, and have been trying different things, taking subjects that I like. I think that Bates is very supportive of this kind of mindset. You do not need to know for sure what your major is going to be right from the beginning. Another thing that I really like about Bates is all the really friendly people that I've met so far: I was home schooled all the way up to college, so my social life was much more limited than that of most kids coming into college. Bates has been a great way for me to broadly widen my social opportunities. Bates is a great college, and I do not have any regrets in my choice to come here. |
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Dillon Tung '09 (Sauce) |
The best thing about running for Bates is, as it should be, the team. They've been friendly, accepting, and are a pleasure to be around. Some of the alumni are characters, to be sure. I love Bates' close-knit, inclusive feel. Everyone eats in one dining hall. My classes are small, all of my professors recognize me (or at least they pretend they do), and some share interests with me and take a genuine interest in my personal life. I always feel that I can walk around campus like it's my front yard (except in the winter).
(note: Sauce is from sunny LA, California) |
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Matt Dunlap '08, two time NCAA qualifier |
Coming to Bates was an easy decision for me to make. After talking to current Bates students and Bates graduates I knew the College was a place where I would receive a great balance between education and athletics. Furthermore I knew Bates would also be a place where I would be able to juggle both running and skiing. In my years at Bates I have been given the opportunity to run on a great team and meet lots of great people, as well as having been given the opportunity to work with two great coaches in Coach Fresh and Goewey. |
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Matt Biggart '06 |
| I chose bates becuase I felt most at home here. Other schools required a certain reputation or image to fit in with the crowd. During my tours and visits to Bates, everyone was much more accepting and friendly. After spending three years here, I've found that Batesies judge not on image but on character and personality. While Bates has an incredible academic program, a diverse atmosphere, and an excellent track program, its people are the school's most valuable resource. Running at Bates was a great fit because it allowed me to balance my pursuit of academic and athletic achievement. Our coaches are committed to helping the team achieve athletic success but emphasize that we put our academics first. Once I started running here, I found the team was friendly and accepting. The only fitting way to describe the team is as a family. I've made lifelong friendships here and I'll cherish the experiences here for the rest of my life. |
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Facilities
- Cross Country
- Indoor Track
- Outdoor Track
Pineland Farms
Pineland Farms in New Gloucester, Maine, is where Bates holds its home cross country course. Pineland is a beautiful campus, where most recently the 2007 State of Maine Championship was held. As a team, we often travel to Pineland once or twice a week to do both long runs and workouts. Assistant Coach Todd Goewey also works at the Collaborative School, which is located at Pineland. The drive to Pineland is a pleasant 25 - 30 minute travel.
Walter Slovenski Indoor Track
 
The Merrill Gymnasium is home to Bates' Walter Slovenski Indoor Track. Newly renovated in the summer of 2008, Bates College is home to one of the absolutely fastest tracks in the northeast. The new track is covered with a "Super Mondo X" surface, the latest and greatest in track surfaces. The track is six lanes wide. The track also has a state of the art throwing circle, enlarged so athletes can practice the 35-weight throw, the shot put, and even the discus indoors. The new facility is state of the art and is sure to be the envy of rival schools.
Russell Street Track
Combined with Pineland Farms and the Walter Slovenski Indoor Track, the Russell Street Track makes Bates College home to the best cross country and track and field facilities in New England. The Russell Street Track is an 8-lane Super Mondo X surfaced track, complete with a coverable steeplechase water hazard, long jump and triple jump pits, a state of the art throwing circle and cage, and a pole vault runway. The wide turns make the track one of the fastest in the region.
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In addition to having a great team, great coaches, great traditions, and great facilities, Bates College is just a great place. Academically we are consistently ranked one of the best liberal arts colleges in America. There are countless other statistics that could be thrown out about Bates, but they do not do it justice. Our beautiful campus located in Lewiston, Maine, speaks for itself. If you've never been to Bates College, but think you might be interested, then please come visit us. Please feel free to send an e-mail to Coach Fereshetian, afereshe@bates.edu, and let him know about your interest. The team loves to have recruits come visit, and we'd love to have you.
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