Athletics

Nordic Program

Gould Nordic Program

List of 1 items.

  • Get on the Right Track

    Bethel and the surrounding Western Mountains of Maine are a haven for Nordic skiers, and Gould Academy has a long, rich history of developing Nordic skiers by focusing on the long-term goals of the student-athlete through technique work and year-round training.
On-campus Gould boasts a 40-kilometer trail system at Pine Hill, our race venue, with access to an additional 500 kilometers of some of the best skiing in the east just an hour away! Direct access to groomed terrain is quite literally on our doorsteps, and our students and coaches make the most of it with practices five days a week.
Year-round training is tailored to the individual. Other endurance sports opportunities in the offseason include cross-country running, road cycling, or mountain biking, which can be supplemented with other physical conditioning like roller skiing and strength training at our Farnsworth Field House weight room, with the help of a coach/athletic trainer’s expertise.

Nordic skiers compete within NEPSAC, with regional competitions against other boarding and high schools, and have access to national-level events.

List of 1 items.

  • Head Nordic Coach

BEN KAMILEWICZ ’95

A double major in English and history at Williams College, Ben Kamilewicz taught and coached at Hebron Academy and at Burke Mountain Academy before joining the military and skiing for the National Guard Biathlon Team and USBA (Europa Cup). He was deployed to Iraq in 2005-2006. He received the Army Commendation Medal with Valor; Army Commendation Medal; Army Good Conduct Medal; National Defense Service Medal, Iraq; Campaign Medal; Global War on Terrorism Medal; Army Service Ribbon; Overseas Service Ribbon; Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M Device; and a Combat Infantryman Badge.

He went on to earn a master’s in education and returned to Gould for three years to teach both English and history. He went on to teach at Caribou High School and to work for Maine Winter Sports as a youth biathlon coach. For the past few years, he has worked for L.L.Bean and Wayfair. 

He and his wife Sarah have skied and raced all over the world, from Lillehammer, Norway, and Toblach, Italy, to Portillo, Chile, and Bariloche in Argentina—but they always have loved the mountains of western Maine. He is excited to be back and can’t wait to share the outdoor lifestyle and adventures with their son, Tim, and with Gould students.
39 Church Street P.O. Box 860 Bethel, Maine 04217  |  Phone: 207-824-7777
Independent High School for Boys and Girls | Grades 9-12, Postgraduate and Winter Term for Grades 7-8 | Boarding School in the Mountains of Maine

Gould Academy guides students to be creative, courageous and resilient and to lead lives of fulfillment and purpose.