Athletics has been an essential part of Baruch’s renaissance over the past 15 years, with the opening of the Athletics and Recreation Complex (the ARC) in the Newman Vertical Campus building in 2001 spurring on student participation and varsity team successes. But before those first-class facilities were available or even planned, hardworking, legendary coaches created an enthusiastic environment for student sports that far exceeded the College’s limited resources.
Helen Belden, an athletics administrator and instructor in the Department of Physical and Health Education from 1963 to 1997, is one such instrumental figure in Baruch athletics history. In fact, Belden—most often remembered for her role as archery coach—can recall the athletics program before there even was a senior college at 17 Lex. “Before 1968, students at the Baruch School of Business and Public Administration [as it was then known] could only participate within the City College of New York Athletic Program; the limited facilities of the 23rd Street campus provided only a few recreational opportunities, including an intramural sports program,” she says.
With full senior status for the College in 1968 came Baruch’s eligibility for NCAA Division III membership, along with the creation of an athletics division and opportunities for a varsity program all its own. Also affected for the better by Baruch’s change in status was the Department of Physical and Health Education’s curriculum, which expanded its elective courses to meet contemporary needs and interests. Scuba diving, backpacking, karate, and archery were among the new co-ed courses offered!
Of those innovative offerings, Belden taught the archery course. The sport was not new to her: she was trained in archery—along with tennis, volleyball, swimming, basketball, and badminton—at Hunter College, where she earned her BA in 1954 and her MA in 1956. She continued her training in archery in the early 1960s as a member of the Nassau Bowmen, a co-ed private archery club shooting Olympic Style in accordance with International Archery Federation rules.
Shortly after archery’s inclusion in the curriculum, student interest grew the sport to club status, and Belden volunteered to be its faculty advisor. Archery’s star continued to rise with the passage of Title IX in the 1970s: “Varsity sports became more open to women students,” explains Belden. “The archery club, which was co-ed, grew and met the NCAA eligibility requirements for varsity status.” Upon her recommendation, Baruch’s Athletic Committee conferred varsity status on archery and funded the team.
During that era, Baruch College became a force to be reckoned with on the city’s NCAA archery scene, and Belden held an important place in that world as New York State collegiate director of archery. Her mission: to promote archery at the college level. “I scheduled archery competition among Brooklyn College, Barnard College, Queensborough Community College, and East Stroudsburg College,” she explains. “Also included in the schedule were the respected Atlantic City Classic Tournament and the New York State Collegiate Championship Shoot, a 5-Gold Sanctioned Shoot, which Baruch hosted and which included some out-of-state colleges. The latter is often used as a qualifying shoot for participating in the Nationals,” she adds.
Because of a combination of budget constraints and star bowmen graduating, archery lost its varsity status in the 1980s—although it remains a popular student club activity today.
Appointed senior women’s athletic administrator in 1988, Belden provided direction for student-athletes and was responsible for all aspects of Baruch’s NCAA women’s varsity teams. She retired in 1997 and was honored 10 years later as a member of Baruch’s Athletic Hall of Fame. “Without the commitment and contributions of early coaches like Helen Belden, the current athletics program at Baruch would not be nearly as successful, enjoying yearly gains in prestige regionally and nationally,” says Ray Rankis, current athletic director at Baruch and a former colleague of Helen’s.
—Diane Harrigan
A Note on Helen Today: The Jamaica, Queens, resident is currently training for the Long Island Senior Games and plans to compete in the triathlon, 5K run, 50- and 100-yard freestyle swim, and 50- and 100-yard breaststroke swim. Last summer, in the same competition, Belden took home five 1st-place medals. Her training includes running five days a week and light bodybuilding and swimming year-round.
Related Article
Club Profile: The Archery Club (from Baruch College Magazine Spring/Summer 2002)