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Berkshire Retiring after 26 Years in Athletic
Department at Oglethorpe University
Atlanta – Oglethorpe University Athletic Director Jack
Berkshire is retiring after 26 years of service to Stormy Petrel
Athletics. As director, Berkshire supervised the growth of the
program from five sports in the late1970s to the 14 sports
Oglethorpe has today. Berkshire also served as men’s basketball
coach for 22 years, recording 315 wins and 257 losses, while earning
Coach of the Year honors.
During his 26 years at Oglethorpe, Berkshire oversaw numerous
improvements in athletic facilities, including the construction of
the Steve Schmidt Sport & Recreation Center. He also organized the
Stormy Petrel Club to support the athletic department. As basketball
coach, Berkshire’s 1981 team won the Georgia Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference championship and finished the season ranked
number one in District 25 of the National Association of
Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). His 1994 team won the Southern
Collegiate Athletic Conference championship (NCAA).
Berkshire coached because he wanted to have a positive effect on
the lives of young people. “Coaching gave me the opportunity to
teach and work with a group of young men who were reaching for a
common goal,” said Berkshire. “I enjoyed dealing with the different
personalities.”
Berkshire was inducted into the Oglethorpe Athletic Hall of Fame
in 1986. The Atlanta Tip-Off Club presented him their Outstanding
Contribution to Basketball Award in 1998. His college coaching
career began at his alma mater, Mississippi State University, where
he was assistant men’s basketball coach for eight years. After
Mississippi State, he moved to Athens where he served as associate
men’s basketball coach for three years for the University of
Georgia, before coming to Oglethorpe in 1975.
“I have enjoyed working with outstanding people and outstanding
athletes,” said Berkshire. “It was a pleasure coaching the type of
student-athlete that Oglethorpe attracts.”
Berkshire will officially retire this June.
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