PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A peregrine falcon swoops in at some 200 mph, clenches its claws and pulverizes its prey.

 

That's the intimidating mascot Berkshire Community College alum Craig Cusson chose for the basketball team in the 1960s when the college formed its first sports program. The school's founding President Thomas O'Connell picked blue and green as the school's colors. 

 

For years the school had a sports program with a multitude of offerings but, in 2001, the soccer team was the last team left to play the final sports game for the school. After a 12-year hiatus, sports have returned to the college and coupled with the revitalization of the program, the school unveiled a new logo, a black falcon flying above the words.

 

"It is just the beginning of a new era at BCC," said President Ellen Kennedy at an unveiling of the new logo on Wednesday.

 

Director of Recreational Services Lauren Pellegrino was walking through the gym one day in 2013 when she saw a group of basketball players on the school's court. And they were good. The group played regularly and when Pellegrino asked if they want to play against other schools, the hoopsters weren't going to turn the opportunity down. The club started that September.

 

Concurrently, Pellegrino worked with cross-country runners and around the same time as the basketball team, the school started running in meets — and has had a runner in the top five at every one.

 

In 2014, BCC joined the Southern New England Club Basketball League and participated in the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association, playing teams from a number of New England colleges. This season, under the direction of new coach Andy Mickle, the basketball team will play in the tournament as well as games against Simon's Rock, Marist, Holy Cross, and Goodwin College.

 

"It's really panned out to be my favorite part of being a student at BCC," said Matthew Miller, a basketball player. "It really makes it easier to come out here and give it your all when you have people in the stands cheering you on."

 

In fall 2014, the soccer program restarted. And this year, wrestling — led by new coach Michael Wynn — indoor track, and weightlifting, under coach Eric Nystrom, have been added to the sports offerings.

 

Lew Markham, former basketball coach, remembers raising the money for the first team. Though the group fell short of the needed cost, O'Connell kicked in the rest. The programs evolved from intramural into varsity programs. But, the cost of education rose to a point at which many of the students had to work and couldn't participate, Markham said.

 

"The demise started and we were falling off because the numbers weren't there," Markham said.

 

Eventually, the programs died. 

 

"You are giving these students here an opportunity to pursue passions they've had their entire lives," Markham said of the resurgence of sports.

 

The way sports first came to college is a lot like the way sports are returning — by students taking the initiative to come together and start the programs. All of the clubs were first created by the students and coaches were brought on later.

 

Mayor Daniel Bianchi said it is difficult for students to graduate high school and leave behind playing competitive sports. He praised the return saying sports programs are a big part of the educational experience.

 

"This is really going to round out your education," Bianchi said.

 

BCC alum Erin Murphy designed the updated logo to go with the resurgence. The peregrine falcon isn't just one of the most fierce predators on Earth but also the fastest, according to Tom Tyning, a professor of environmental science at the college.

 

"This is a fabulous logo. It is a fabulous bird to use," Tyning said.

 

The bird is found globally and could be found in the Berkshires in the 1920s. However, pesticides and hunting killed the falcons in the area off. Eventually the birds were being protected, raised in captivity, and re-released into the wild.

 

"New falcons are back but they didn't come back to the Berkshires," Tyning said.

 

"Until June."

 

Tyning said the first peregrine falcon's nest was found in the county for the first time in 90 years this spring. The timing matches up to when BCC will have dozens of its own falcons traveling to other schools to compete.

 

"Every time you wear this logo, you are representing the whole community," said state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier.