{"id":169147,"date":"2025-05-16T09:27:44","date_gmt":"2025-05-16T13:27:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/?p=169147"},"modified":"2025-05-16T14:39:14","modified_gmt":"2025-05-16T18:39:14","slug":"fishin-singin-campin-13-joyful-bobcat-sportraits-from-the-spring-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/2025\/05\/16\/fishin-singin-campin-13-joyful-bobcat-sportraits-from-the-spring-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Fishin’, singin’, campin’ \u2014 13 joyful Bobcat sportraits from the spring season"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Open-water fishing doesn\u2019t begin until April 1 in Maine, but that didn\u2019t stop four Bobcat lacrosse seniors from angling for a fishing-inspired sportrait last winter that pays tribute to one of their favorite ways to spend time together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before their seasons start, Bates student-athletes step in front of the camera on media day for standard head-and-shoulder portraits. When that\u2019s done, they have time to create playful, metaphor-rich images that showcase their team spirit, personal interests, and Bates friendships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This spring, we saw recreations, imitations, and invocations of famous paintings, rock \u2019n\u2019 roll, Maine pride, juggling, and more. Here are 13 of our favorite spring sportraits \u2014 each one casting a line between sport and self.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Connected Cats<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The friendship between sophomores Sienna Pietrasiewicz \u201927 of Norton, Mass., and Isabella Albro \u201927 of New York City extends far beyond the softball diamond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are always connected, even when we are not on campus together,\u201d Pietrasiewicz says. \u201cBella\u2019s the first person I text or call when anything happens in my life \u2014 good or bad.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"two
Isabella Albro ’27 (left) of New York City and Sienna Pietrasiewicz ’27 of Norton, Mass. (Brewster Burns for Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Whether in cleats or cozied up at home as Bates roommates, the two spend hours chatting, laughing, and leaning on each other through the highs and lows of the season \u2014 and of life. \u201cI know she\u2019ll always have my back,\u201d Pietrasiewicz says. \u201cAnd I\u2019ll always have hers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Oar Values<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Merrill Doherty \u201826 of Hanover, N.H., and Olivia Smith \u201926 of Lafayette, Ind., channeled the solemn faces and upright posture of the figures in Grant Wood\u2019s iconic American Gothic <\/em>\u2014 but with an oar instead of a pitchfork, and with a wink toward the grit that typifies Bates rowers.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Two
Merrill Doherty \u201826 (left) of Hanover, N.H., and Olivia Smith \u201926 of Lafayette, Ind. (Brewster Burns for Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

A lifelong Hoosier, Smith says she was drawn to the painting\u2019s Midwestern themes of hard work and community \u2014 values that echo on the team and in her friendship with Doherty. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur interpretation is a tribute to the values that unite our different backgrounds,\u201d she says. \u201cOn the team we say that there are many routes up a mountain. They all include community and good old-fashioned hard work \u2014 but with an oar rather than a pitchfork.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two first met as first-year walk-ons, complete rowing novices. They bonded through early-morning practices, a dizzying glossary of rowing terms, and the steep learning curve of a new sport. What began on the water has become a deep friendship built on shared growth, trust, and a sense of humor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their assistant coach, Catie Flynn, helped bring the final vision together. But the chemistry? That\u2019s all theirs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

As Maine Goes<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The original Maine flag is unmistakable \u2014 the pine tree, the lone star, the simplicity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And though a statewide vote last fall failed to re-adopt the historical design, the old flag has fervent fans, including these four baseball players from Maine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"four
From left, David Swift \u201928 of Yarmouth, Kenny Carlisle \u201927 of South Portland, Nolan Hobbs ’27 of South Portland, and Gibby Sullivan \u201826 of Yarmouth. (Brewster Burns for Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s fair to say we all prefer the old Maine flag to the colonial one,\u201d says Gibby Sullivan. \u201cWe all feel pride in being from the state. There\u2019s a special bond I feel with every Mainer I meet that has gone to Bates.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s more than a shared area code binding this group. They\u2019re all from Cumberland County towns: Swift and Sullivan from Yarmouth; Carlisle and Hobbs from South Portland. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Swift and Sullivan \u201chave always been friends,\u201d says Sullivan. \u201cWe were Little League all-stars together before playing together at Yarmouth High School.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hobbs and Sullivan, meanwhile, played travel ball together since they were pre-teens. \u201cI\u2019ve known Hobbs longer than anyone else here at Bates.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Carlisle? \u201cWe met on the beach in Scarborough during my senior year of high school,\u201d Sullivan explains. \u201cI told him I was heading to Bates, and he said he\u2019d love to play there one day. Funny how it all worked out.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Battle of the Bands<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Outfielders and teammates Grace Householter \u201925 of Manhattan Beach, Calif., Sophie Garber \u201926 of Wellesley, Mass., and Maya Lee \u201927 of Wayland, Mass., brought rock \u2019n\u2019 roll energy to their spring sportrait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"three
From left, Grace Householter \u201925 of Manhattan Beach, Calif., Sophie Garber \u201926 of Wellesley, Mass., and Maya Lee \u201927 of Wayland, Mass. (Brewster Burns for Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The trio channeled shared experience as outfielders into a coordinated pose that ended with Garber sliding into the frame \u201clike a rockstar,\u201d says Householter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Garber\u2019s first year at Bates, she and Householter were paired as \u201csisters\u201d in the team\u2019s returner\u2013first-year mentorship tradition. \u201cAnd all three of us play outfield together \u2014 the best positions! \u2014 so we obviously had to take a picture together,” says Householter. “We always try to make our sportraits super fun. They\u2019re a chance to show who we are as a team: always full of energy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Friendship also hit a high note for these women’s lacrosse juniors, from left, Clare McGeever of Berlin, Conn., Amanda Edge of Washington, D.C., and Lauren Wong of Walpole, Mass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"three
Juniors Clare McGeever of Berlin, Conn., Amanda Edge of Washington, D.C., and Lauren Wong of Walpole, Mass. (Brewster Burns for Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

“Amanda loves to sing, so it just made sense for her to take on that role,” says McGeever. “We all sing a lot when we are together \u2014 we joke about forming an a cappella<\/em> group.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sportrait allows their off-the-pitch (but not off-pitch!) selves to shine. \u201cBates allows us to explore different aspects of who we are,” says Edge. “As varsity athletes, we\u2019re still able to pursue other interests, like music.\u201d McGeever and Edge have sung in the college choir; Edge takes piano lessons, and Wong plays as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Balls in Play<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

What started as a way to connect with a young child turned into an unexpected skill for Ben Miller \u201925 of Scarsdale, N.Y. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two years ago, he learned to juggle while working at a pediatric physical therapy clinic. \u201cSome of the patients needed some distraction while getting treatment, and one patient loved to juggle, so I decided to learn.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"lacrosse
Ben Miller \u201925 of Scarsdale, N.Y., learned to juggle to entertain children at a physical therapy clinic. (Brewster Burns for Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

That same lighthearted spirit showed up during some downtime during the men\u2019s lacrosse sportrait session, when Ben spotted a trio of brightly colored lacrosse balls and decided to put his skills to the test. \u201cI thought it would be a cool photo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Coast to Coast<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Lacrosse seniors Javi Werner and Cooper Lance channeled Nacho Libre<\/em> energy and perhaps a bit of East Coast\u2013West Coast. Werner is from Brookline, Mass., while Lance is from San Diego, Calif.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Javi and I have been good friends since freshman year,” says Lance. “We recently dressed up as Nacho Libre characters for Halloween, so we thought it was only fitting to continue that for our sportrait.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"two
Cooper Lance ’25 (left) of San Diego, Calif., and Javi Werner ’25 of Brookline, Mass. (Brewster Burns for Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

It’s Glow Time<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

These three juniors are roommates, teammates, and friends who enjoy \u201cgetting ready together\u201d for all things in life, says Zoe Schaedle of Philadelphia \u2014 whether for a night out, class, or a preseason sportrait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe came up with the idea on a whim,\u201d says Raegan White of Duxbury, Mass. \u201cI had brought makeup to the shoot, and when I pulled it out, we just thought, \u2018Let\u2019s pose with it.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"three
From left, juniors Zoe Schaedle of Philadelphia, Kailah Greenberg of Acton, Mass., and Raegan White of Duxbury, Mass. (Brewster Burns for Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

While makeup isn\u2019t part of their game-day routine, feeling positive and confident is. \u201cWe definitely believe that you play how you feel,\u201d says White, \u201cWe always<\/em> support whatever makes each other feel good before a game.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Hot Bats<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The sophomores on this year’s baseball team are \u201cbest friends,\u201d says Keagan Ryan ’27 of Salem, N.H., \u201cso we decided to try to be creative during sportraits this year.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The campfire suggests the video game Fortnite that “we have all played,\u201d explains Ryan. The bats represents the flaming logs, and the gloves are rocks.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"eight
The sophomores on the baseball team are a close group, says Keagan Ryan ’27 of Salem, N.H. (Brewster Burns for Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The scene of the sophomores surrounding a campfire captures how \u201cwe are a very close class and have all worked very hard to get where we are. We are all grateful that Bates has allowed us to create these lifelong friendships.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From left, Kenny Carlisle of South Portland, Maine, Luke Yoon of Honolulu, Hawaii, Theo Zacharia of Manhasset, N.Y., Henry Kolani of Tarrytown, N.Y., Tyler Canna of Rye, N.Y., Keagan Ryan of Salem, N.H., Nolan Hobbs of South Portland, Maine, and Henry Prince of McLean, Va. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Here Come the Sophs<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

These four sophomore softball players came together to pay homage to the Beatles\u2019 Abbey Road<\/em>, released 56 years ago this September.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"four
From left, Emily Kennedy \u201927 of East Hampton, N.Y., Isabella Albro \u201827 of New York City, Sienna Pietrasiewicz \u201927 of Norton, Mass., and Meredith Tangney \u201927 of Milton, Mass. (Brewster Burns for Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe all listen to the Beatles, and we are definitely influenced by our parents\u2019 music tastes,\u201d says Emily Kennedy of East Hampton, N.Y., who counts \u201cMartha My Dear,\u201d \u201cThere\u2019s a Place,\u201d \u201cRocky Raccoon,\u201d \u201cI Will,\u201d \u201cNorwegian Wood,\u201d and \u201cGood Night\u201d among their favorites. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the iconic album cover, Paul McCartney holds a cigarette and is famously barefoot. For these softball players, \u201cwe made sure we included the four softball essentials: an outfield glove, a ball, a bat, and an infield glove,” Kennedy says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We are super close, we support each other, and we have fun on and off the field. I don\u2019t know who I would be without them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Lacrossing the Delaware<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Emanuel Leutze\u2019s painting Washington Crossing the Delaware <\/em>presents a compelling metaphor \u2014 teamwork, leadership, shared purpose \u2014 for Bobcats looking to create an all-in sportrait. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last season brought us the first-year swimmers recreating the painting<\/a>; this spring, the juniors on the women\u2019s lacrosse team took their turn. \u201cWe feel that it represents us as a strong, powerful unit,\u201d says Clare McGeever \u201826 of Berlin, Conn. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use your mouse to grab the slider (or swipe on a phone or tablet) to reveal more or less of each image.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\"swimmers<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"lacrosse<\/figure>\n<\/two-up>\n\n\n\n

Brewster Burns for Bates College<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Cleverly, they had their Bates flag appear to flap in the wind by having a teammate, Lindy Child \u201927 of Bethesda, Md., hold the flag up, just out of the frame. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To play Washington, they turned to Raegan White \u201826 of Duxbury, Mass., taking advantage of the goalie’s helmet and gloves \u201cto make her stick out and distinguish her as our own commander-in-chief.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, it was White who shared the idea in the team\u2019s grade group chat. \u201cEveryone was on-board, literally!\u201d says McGeever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe really love each other and the team so much,\u201d she adds. \u201cWe have so much fun playing lacrosse with each other and have grown close over the years. We are entering our senior year with the same crew since our freshman year, and we wouldn’t change it for anything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Bass Bros<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

These four senior friends love lacrosse and they love bass fishing. But it was a last-minute call to put the two together for a sportrait, says Colton Curtis ’25 of Charlotte, N.C. \u201cYou’d think after 4 years we’d have more ideas, but using the fishing rod as a prop was definitely a last-minute decision.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"four
From left, seniors Ben Miller of Scarsdale, N.Y., Luke Breen of Exeter, N.H., Colton Curtis of Charlotte, N.C., and Quinn Berry of Middlebury, Vt.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFishing with each other and our teammates is one of my favorite ways to relax,\u201d he adds. \u201cLiving so close to the Androscoggin River and other bass-filled lakes and ponds has definitely been one of my favorite parts about Bates.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Curtis has been fishing since he was a little kid. \u201cBeing from North Carolina, it\u2019s just one of those things that I seemed to always end up doing with my dad and friends. Quinn’s dad is also an avid fisherman, so it’s definitely something we all enjoy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The image is more accurate than you\u2019d think. \u201cI had a jig tied on with a real hook that we put into an orange, which Ben bit into,\u201d Curtis explains. \u201cIt was pretty funny trying to figure out how we could rig it up so Ben could bite into it and we could get the rod to flex but not actually hook him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Oarigin Story<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Another popular spoof for Bobcats is Michelangelo\u2019s The Creation of Adam<\/em>, which a few rowers took on this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this re-creation, Nate Oh \u201928 of New York City, plays the role of God, which makes sense since he\u2019s a cox, but there were other practical considerations. \u201cSmall guys cannot hold the big guys, so we went from there,\u201d he says \u2014 which is also how a big guy, Mason Choiniere Barr \u201828 of Longmeadow, Mass., became recumbent, as Adam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"five
Mason Choiniere Barr \u201828 (left) of Longmeadow, Mass., is recumbent as Adam. Holding Nate Oh ’28 of New York City are, from left, Diego Davalos \u201928 of El Paso, Texas, Ian Van Loo \u201925 of Seattle, and Sam Williams \u201828 of Guilford, Conn. (Brewster Burns for Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Oh showered praise on his teammates. \u201cSam Williams is an absolute unit and a great friend. He always brings a smile to the team\u2019s face.\u201d Van Loo, a captain, \u201cis a stud who leads by example and has a great presence on the team.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Choiniere Barr is \u201ca dirty bowman who will set the boat despite the immense pain he endures,\u201d says Oh. (Translation: He\u2019s a tough rower at the front who keeps the boat balanced and steady.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, Oh has a lot of face time with Davalos, who rows \u201cstroke seat,\u201d closest to the cox, setting the rhythm for the rest of the crew and literally face to face with the cox. \u201cThrough countless hours of grueling practices, we got to know each other.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Open-water fishing doesn\u2019t begin until April 1 in Maine, but that didn\u2019t…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":104,"featured_media":169188,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_hide_ai_chatbot":false,"_ai_chatbot_style":"","associated_faculty":[],"_Page_Specific_Css":"","_bates_restrict_mod":false,"_table_of_contents_display":false,"_table_of_contents_location":"","_table_of_contents_disableSticky":false,"_is_featured":false,"footnotes":"","_bates_seo_meta_description":"","_bates_seo_block_robots":false,"_bates_seo_sharing_image_id":0,"_bates_seo_sharing_image_twitter_id":0,"_bates_seo_share_title":"","_bates_seo_canonical_overwrite":"","_bates_seo_twitter_template":""},"categories":[24,130,133,11012],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-169147","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-athletics","category-collaboration","category-creativity","category-student-life"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169147","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/104"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=169147"}],"version-history":[{"count":29,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169147\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":169224,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169147\/revisions\/169224"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/169188"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=169147"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=169147"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=169147"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}