"Our core values include an equal and inclusive environment for all of our athletes - men and women together - and emphasize tradition, community, education, and teamwork..."

Core Values

We put these words on our front page because they best define who we are.  The images viewed on this website, in our newsletter, and in actual practice, will consistently reflect them:

Equal and Inclusive

Hiram Conibear has been lauded for being an innovator and leader in the sport of rowing, but perhaps his greatest contribution at Washington was his insistence that the sport be open to both men and women.  This was achieved at no small cost.  Conibear was perennially at odds with upper campus administration over the women's program, a program that was very popular among the students at the time.  "I have worked hard for four years and built up girls’ rowing from five in the spring of ’07 to over seventy that reported for rowing last year, and for such action to be taken and at the same time a slap given me, is not right to my way of looking at things" noted Conibear in a letter to the administration in the fall of 1910, during one of the numerous instances when women's rowing was abruptly cancelled.  He continued, "My great desire is the physical upbuilding of as many students as possible and it cuts deep when such statements as Dr. Hall made in his recommendation (to cancel women's rowing) of September 17 are taken as true."(1)  Conibear fought like this each and every time.  By the spring of 1911 the women were rowing again.  And again in 1912.  And again throughout his tenure, growing in numbers each year, until his untimely death in 1917.

Gone for over fifty years, the women's team slowly re-emerged in the late 60's, becoming a full varsity sport in 1975.  The transition back to a co-ed sport was not perfect.  There were discussions regarding the men's dormitory, and equal access to the facilities, and Title IX issues, all serious concerns in the effort to re-establish the sport.  Dick Erickson was head men's coach and program director through this period, and was forced at times into a mediator's role between the men and women rowing out of the shellhouse.  In the summer of 1980 he made what can be seen today as one of the most important decisions of his tenure, selflessly appointing his highly successful men's freshman coach, Bob Ernst, into the role of Women's Varsity Coach.  Ten months later the women were celebrating their first Varsity Eight National Championship, and the tide turned.  From that point forward, Conibear's ethic was being re-instilled in the program.

In 2007, Bob Ernst re-became Head Coach of the women.  He did this after his men's team completed an undefeated, National Championship year, and he made this substantive change in many ways like his mentor, Dick Erickson, had done 25 years before: to make the program stronger, and to provide an opportunity for his talented freshman coach.  Many in the mainstream media questioned the logic of "stepping down" from that job.  "I get a little irritated at that," Ernst said.  "This isn't a step down at all.  There's a lot about our program that's different."(2)

That difference is the ethic Hiram Conibear established 100 years ago.

Tradition

Tradition is at the heart of Washington Rowing.  The goal of these web pages is to celebrate that tradition.

Community

Community is the VBC, our athletes, coaches, alums, friends, and parents.  Community lies in the bonds made in four years at Washington, lifelong bonds that bring classes together fifty or sixty years later.  And community is the University and Seattle itself, a city that from day one came out in droves to watch "the crew races", and, on each and every Opening Day, does again.

Education

Our student-athletes come to Washington for a first-class education.  There are no professional rowing leagues, no sports agents, no television cameras to compete for or seek.  We come to Washington to learn.  Part of that learning experience - in fact a significant amount - takes place in the early morning hours on Lake Washington.  That is a consistent message from our alums, and an education that remains highly valued personally.

Teamwork

Teamwork is abundantly evident while rowing, referred often as the "ultimate team sport".  At Washington, the rowing part - which we do well - is only a fraction of what it means to be a team.  Our team includes our alums, our parents, our friends.  Our team is a mix of tradition and community, an equal and inclusive group that sets goals and seeks to achieve them, together.
 

1) Read the written history of the women's program by Ellen Ernst ('83), documenting this time extensively - Washington Rowing History - Women: 1910's
2) Listen to the interview with Bob Ernst, after taking on the women's program in 2007, here - Bob Ernst: '07 Coaching Transition (mp3, 4 minutes)