At a young age, she knew coaching was in her future.

Andrea Bertini, head women’s basketball coach for Westfield State, got her start competing in a basketball league in her hometown of Salem, Mass. It was there that not only her love of the game would begin, but her distaste for bad officiating.

“I started playing in the Saturday Morning Cartoon League in Salem at five years old and loved it,” Bertini said. “I used to get so frustrated because the man who ran the league, Mr. Morris, made sure every kid scored every season so there would be phantom fouls to put some kids to the foul line. Drove me nuts, I guess, terrible officiating bothered me at five. I should have seen the coaching thing coming sooner.”

Growing up, basketball wasn’t the only sport Bertini played. Softball and tennis were two sports she enjoyed, but it was her passion for basketball that drove her. Having a team in the nearby Boston Celtics to look up to plus a grandfather that coached made a great impact on the future collegiate student-athlete.

“I started tennis in high school and if I had put time into it would have been my best sport, but I was passionate about basketball,” Bertini said. “The Celtics were a great team in my youth, and all I wanted to do was play for the Celtics as a kid. My grandfather also coached semi-pro basketball so sports and basketball was big time for him. I remember in the summers watching sports with him and playing basketball all day every day. It was the only sport I fell in love with the moment I took my first shot.”

Bertini stepped onto Westfield State’s campus in 1993 and helped the Owls to their most successful four-year stint in school history. During her four years on the team, the Owls posted an 88-27 record with four straight 20-win seasons, captured two MASCAC championships and participated in NCAA tournaments in 1995 and 1996. They also were the ECAC tournament runner-up in 1993 and a semifinalist in 1994.

Marking her name in the Westfield State record books, Bertini holds the record for three-pointers made, (287) and attempted (769); season attempts (373); made (9) and attempted (23) in a game; and consecutive games (40) making a 3-point basket. Her sophomore year, she finished with 119 three-pointers made which also put her in the NCAA record book. Despite all of her accolades, Bertini wished that season would have been a little different.

“I look at the record and I joke with my players to break the single game records that I hold,” Bertini said. “A lot of things had to fall into place. We had significant injuries my sophomore year which is why I was able to shoot the ball so much to get the record. I would much rather have had my healthy teammates than have broken a record. I wasn’t projected to start, but we lost four key players. I went from being the 7^th or 8th player to a starter. Coach was good at knowing player’s strengths. He knew I wasn’t fast or guard anyone. He told me every time you catch it, shoot it.”

After a stint at Newbury and Colby College, her alma mater came calling. Bertini returned to Westfield State in 2005. During her 11 years as the head coach, the Owls have either won a share or outright MASCAC regular season title five times with two tournament crowns. In 2009, she led the squad to a school-best 22-5 record, their first NCAA Tournament trip since 1996 and first outright MASCAC regular season crown in 16 years.

Bertini still keeps in touch with her former teammates and coach Rick Berger despite it being 20 years since she stepped on the court as a player. When she was offered the job at Westfield State, Bertini knew her experience as a student-athlete and lessons from her coach were going to help her be successful.

“Berger was tough on us in a way that we would could always beat anyone,”. Bertini said. “He understood the value of all his athletes. He was a champion for female athletes. He made sure we got everything we needed including support. We had a lot of success, but it went beyond the wins. The thing I tried to replicate the most is recruiting good kids. I played with some great people and now I try to get some really good human beings on our team.”

Reflecting on her time as a student-athlete Bertini has a few simple words of advice to all of the current and future MASCAC student-athletes.

“Get after it,” Bertini said. “It is a competitive world. Take every opportunity to get better not just athletically but academically. Don’t just be a student in class. Reach out to your professors. Don’t just have your head in your phone. Participate in your life.”

Bertini considered many people influential in her life. From her parents who taught her a strong work ethic to her former coach who helped her believe she could do anything. Now as a coach and administrator, these are the same ideals she wants to instill in her own team.

“My biggest hope with my players and recruits is to always build relationships and have fun playing,” Bertini said. “You get four years to play in college and I hope it is a positive experience. The wins and losses are great, but building trust and relationships is way more important.”