Richard Cote has served as the Team's Head Coach since 1998 and has been involved with the management of the team since the early 1990's. As an icon in the Berkshire County sailing community, Coach Cote managed the local YMCA's boathouse for many years before founding Berkshire Community Sailing in 2003. A lifelong athlete, Coach Cote was a varsity skier and ski-jumper at Keene State University , and began sailing seriously after college. He competes regularly in Lightning and Flying Scot class regattas and is the Dean of the National Aquatics School. As coach of the Williams College program, Cote attends practice daily and accompanies the team to regattas on the weekends; he has helped the team grow its reputation throughout New England and foster its legacy of sailing success.
Will Laidlaw joined the team's coaching staff in the Spring of 2004. Hailing from the local community, Will brings a broad range of racing experience to the team. For most of his life, Will has raced one design boats, winning several regattas, including multiple NOOD events. Recently, he has been racing his J-24 across New England. Before joining Coach Cote's program, Will was a sail maker for Doyle Sails in Chicago, and thus brings a significant amount of expertise to our dinghy fleet. This is Will's first position as a college coach.