In this month’s missive from a member of the University’s leadership team, Associate Director of Athletics and Women’s Basketball Head Coach Jamie Beaudoin ’97 reflects on the changes and challenges of COVID-19 on athletics and student-athletes at UMF this fall.
Dear Beaver Nation,
Life in Farmington certainly looks a little different than in years past. Everyone is doing their part by wearing face coverings and practicing physical distancing. The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged us all and continues to do so on a daily basis. Over the summer the staff and faculty at UMF worked tirelessly to develop policies and procedures for our students to return to the campus community by putting the health and safety of all at the forefront.
As you may have heard, UMF is not competing in athletic competition this fall. Despite this setback, our athletics department established a COVID-19 Action Team — comprised of athletic administrators, sports medicine staff, medical professionals from our student health center, and members of our facilities management department — to develop procedures so our student-athletes could “return to play.” We followed the guidelines set forth by the NCAA, our conference affiliates, the CDC, the state of Maine, and the University of Maine System.
Jamie Beaudoin, the 20-year head coach for the UMF women’s basketball team.
Creating this plan was challenging to say the least, but we are happy to report that our student-athletes are back on campus and are training hard in the sports they love. Despite not competing this semester, our athletes are thriving as they continue their academic careers while participating in modified athletic programs. We have learned new COVID-19 lingo as we follow the NCAA Guidelines for the Resocialization of Collegiate Sport. We are “practicing in pods” and implementing the “three phases of resocialization and acclimatization,” knowing most have been without any type of competition or organized practice since March.
You will see our student-athletes in their Beaver swag with face coverings, heading to Leib, Prescott, and Hippach fields, running through Flint Woods, or over at our home golf course. They are building and improving on their team culture, developing as leaders, establishing and achieving goals, making life-long friends, using sports as a catalyst to prepare them for the work environment, and life after graduation.
And, our coaching staff is engaged in what they do best: connecting with student-athletes and fostering their development all while serving as positive role models. Simultaneously, they continue to work with our Office of Admissions to adapt recruiting strategies as we look to find, connect, and develop relationships with the next class of UMF Beavers.
Through the years we have proven that we can successfully adjust to changing landscapes and are confident that the challenges of 2020 will not hold us back.
Our student-athletes continue to choose UMF for our strong academic programs, the opportunity to continue to compete in athletics, the quality of our coaching staff, and our affordability. Even with the unprecedented obstacles of 2020, we still have over 250 varsity student-athletes practicing this fall.
These individuals are leaders on campus. They are active participants in their liberal arts education and add vibrancy, pride, work ethic, diversity, and a commitment to excellence on our campus and in the broader community.
Our student-athletes often speak about the Farmington community as a staple of their college experience. Athletics exposes our students to the importance of being persistent. The pandemic will not define our student-athletes. They will continue to be passionate about UMF and Beaver Pride and will make all of Beaver Nation proud as we move into 2021.
Jamie Beaudoin ’97
Associate Director of Athletics
Women’s Basketball Head Coach
Jamie Beaudoin became the University of Maine at Farmington Women’s Basketball Head Coach in 2000 and was named Associate Athletics Director in 2010. As head coach, he captured conference championships in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007. Beaudoin was the North Atlantic Conference and State of Maine Coach of the Year in 2003 and 2007. From 2001-2007 Beaudoin also coached men’s soccer earning back-to-back conference titles (2001, 2002) for the Beavers. He was also the NAC Men’s Soccer Coach of the Year in 2003 and 2006 and was later inducted to the UMF Athletics Hall of Fame, the New England Basketball Hall of Fame, and the Orono High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
A graduate of Orono High School and then the University of Maine at Farmington with a degree in elementary education, Beaudoin was a four-year starter for the men’s basketball program under Coach Dick Meader. During his junior and senior years, he was the team’s captain and was named an NAIA Scholar Athlete each year. At the conclusion of his senior year, he was awarded the Maine Athletic Conference/Fleet Bank Scholar Athlete and the Maine College Basketball and Writers’ Association Scholar Athlete awards for his outstanding efforts in competition and in the classroom. Beaudoin also played on the highly successful men’s soccer team that had a 43-8-2 record during the three years that he competed. During both his junior and senior seasons, he was named to the National Soccer Association of America First Team All-American, was an NAIA Scholar Athlete, and received numerous awards on the regional and state level. Beaudoin later earned his Masters of Education from the University of Maine in Educational Leadership.
Learn more about athletics at UMF visit athletics.umf.maine.edu