| Erik Bertelsen grew up on the Jersey
shore and graduated from Ocean Township High School in Oakhurst,
N.J., in 1968. While at Ocean H.S. he was an "All Shore" performer
on the school's Shore Conference Championship basketball team.
While in high school he met Ted Beal '64, who became one of the
most influential individuals in his life. Ted later married Erik's
sister Karen. In large part because of his relationship with Ted,
Erik attended Bates. Erik majored in history, started for four
years on the varsity basketball team, scored over 1,000 points and
served as the team's captain as a senior. He was coached by George
Wigton, who remains a close friend. This was pre-NESCAC, and Bates
played many top ranked teams who today are in Divisions I or II.
Highlights during his time at Bates were wins over University of
Maine and University of Hartford (who at the time had the longest
winning streak in New England), and of course, wins over Colby and
Bowdoin. In his years at Bates, Erik also served on the intramural
council, as a “resident fellow,” directed athletic
program sales, and in 1971, was one of two juniors named to the
College Club of Bates. Erik graduated from Bates in 1972. Following
Bates, he served as assistant basketball coach and sports
information director at Kean College of New Jersey. While there he
helped to turn a perennially losing program into a highly
competitive team in the New Jersey State College Athletic
Conference. During summers, Erik continued to play at a high level
in the highly competitive Jersey Shore Summer League. In 1974 Erik
returned to Bates when he was hired by Milt Lindholm to work in
Admissions. While serving under Milt, Erik was named an associate
dean. In this role, Erik initiated and coordinated the college's
Alumni in Admissions program. He also continued to play basketball,
competing in the Maine semipro league. After another four very
rewarding years at Bates, Erik left to work in the admissions
office at Williams College. Two years later he was appointed as the
director of college counseling at Belmont Hill School in Belmon,
Mass. In 1990 Erik was named the Counselor of the Year in
Massachusetts by the New England Association of College Admissions
Counselors. In addition to his responsibilities as a college
counselor, Erik served for 17 years as the school's varsity
basketball coach. During his tenure there he was three times named
Coach of the Year in the 13-team independent school league and took
his team to the New England tournament on numerous occasions. A
number of his players went on to play at Bates. After giving up the
reins at Belmont Hill, Erik continued to coach at youth levels.
Following Belmont Hill, Erik served as Associate Dean of Admissions
at Colby. At Colby he was the athletics liaison and represented the
school at NESCAC deans’ meetings centered on athletics and
admissions at member schools. For the past six years, Erik has been
the assistant head for enrollment at Pomfret School in Connecticut.
As both a college admissions officer and as a college counselor,
Erik has often served as a presenter and panelist at regional and
national conferences associated with college admission and
counseling. He also was a founder of the Boston Independent College
Counselors Association. Perhaps Erik’s most rewarding
professional experience was co-founding, and for 23 years
directing, the Bates All-Sports camp which brought nearly 8,000
campers to the Bates campus. The camp encouraged campers to step
outside of their comfort zone by trying new things. Sportsmanship,
teamwork, giving one's best effort, and most important of all,
having fun while playing sports were hallmarks of this highly
successful camp. In an age of specialization, the camp went against
the grain, as it encouraged young people to participate in a
variety of sports and fostered healthy attitudes about sports and
competition. Erik is a member of the College Key and in 1984 was
named President of the Alumni Association of Bates. Erik is married
to Abigail Jones. Abby attended Mount Holyoke, where she captained
and coached the varsity rowing program. Abby founded the Bates
College All-Sports junior camp and currently serves as the director
of financial aid at Pomfret School. Abby and Erik have three
children: Christian, Andrew and Jane. For his devotion to his
college, and his decades of service and leadership, we are honored
to welcome Erik Bertelsen, Class of 1972, into the membership of
the Bates Scholar-Athlete Society. |
Bates basketball star became an effective coach and
counselor
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