SAUGUS — The Saugus boys basketball program suffered a devastating loss earlier this month when revered head coach Mark Bertrand died in a tragic accident. Now, as the Sachems prepare to open their shortened season, the school has announced the appointment of Joe Bertrand and William Cahill as interim co-head coaches for the year. Joe Bertrand, former 1,000-point scorer at Saugus, is one of Mark’s three sons.
“It is with heavy hearts that we make this announcement, however we are anxious to move forward and continue to provide our boys basketball program with the positive, engaging and energetic experience that our former coach and friend, Mark Bertrand, would have wanted for his players,” Saugus Athletic Director Terri Pillsbury said in a statement. “Mark was a tremendous coach and a valued member of our Saugus community at large and his presence and positive influence will be missed by all who knew him.”
Both Cahill and Joe Bertrand are familiar faces to Saugus athletes, as they have each served as volunteer varsity assistant coaches for the boys basketball program in recent seasons.
Joe Bertrand is a Saugus alum and a graduate of Norwich University, where he was a standout player and captain in both programs. In addition to his Saugus program experience, Joe Bertrand also served as a varsity assistant and AAU coach in Vermont prior to returning to Massachusetts.
“The road ahead has already been paved by my father,” said Joe Bertrand. “Coach Cahill and I are going to do our best to carry on what he started. We want to give our players a chance to have a positive experience this season.”
Cahill, who is a retired police officer, also brings with him extensive previous experience as a head coach at both Gloucester and Manchester-Essex.
“The combination of veteran coaching experience and youthful, enthusiastic approach that these two coaches will bring together will help to guide our athletes through what we know will be a challenging season for many reasons,” Pillsbury said.
Saugus had previously decided to delay the start of its winter season until after the holiday break, with the first day of tryouts and practices scheduled for January 8.
