HERE WE GO, DAWG FANS

The first newsletter of the year gets our juices flowing because it means we’ve taken the first step on the road to 2008 NCAA and IRA championships. And what a year it’s going to be. The coaches have had a summer to bask in three national championships, the athletes and alumni have had a few months to digest the coaching changes, and everyone who will be around next April is ready to raise the stakes.

When Director of Rowing, Bob Ernst, decided to take on the women’s challenge, it raised several questions for us. Would we have done what he did last July? Would we have taken the long view and put the program first as he did? We demand character and commitment from our athletes; would we have demonstrated it ourselves as Bob did? Would we have seized the chance to guide Michael Callahan through this important next step? Would we have possessed the same courage as Bob Ernst to rearrange coaching responsibilities?

“I’m a coach,” he said when we discussed it. “I loved coaching the guys but I loved coaching the women, too.” When pressed, he said: “The important thing to remember is that Washington rowing is one program, not two. This gives me a chance to demonstrate how that works to everyone’s advantage. Michael and I are on the same page and it’s going to be great working with him in this new arrangement. And besides, I’m looking forward to the rebuilding challenge. So now it’s time to get to work.”

And how about the women’s team? There is no way to forecast the season’s outcome, but here are some predictions you can take to the bank. The conditioning stakes will be raised – big time. Every seat will be open. The attitude will be positive. Women will be doing pieces against the men once more. Erica Schwab will have a great class of freshmen and her graduates will push for seats in the varsity. The women will win lots of races.

Michael Callahan has three freshmen classes under his belt so he knows his athletes well. Still, some hot seniors graduated last spring and several men on last year’s varsity may take time off to train with the Canadian National Team for the 2008 Olympics. Last year’s JV’s will be in the mix as will last year’s freshmen. And, like every year, there will be two or three unexpected challengers who will come out of pair racing to make statements that can’t be ignored. The battle for seats is going to be fierce. And with new freshman coach, Luke McGee, on board, we could be talking dynasty. He’s a proven coach and recruiter.

Photo: Graham Unwin
 

ANNUAL APPEAL QUANDARY

Most of you received an Annual Appeal letter in the mail a few days ago. For those who didn’t, we can summarize the message by saying that our 2007-2008 men’s scholarship costs will be funded with approximately $170,000 from endowment distributions and $200,000 from your cash gifts and program reserves.

You may remember that we broke all Annual Appeal records last year by raising $161,346 between November 1 and March 31 which would make our goal of $200,000 seem sufficient, but it isn’t.

Why? Many of you direct your gifts to endowments, not to current needs – a choice we encourage and applaud. But those endowment directions reduce the dollars available for current needs and increase the need to draw down our reserves. In the last three years, those reserves have shrunk from $295,000 to $45,000. We call it the cost of national championships.

Our quandary is simple: one form of gift can work against the other in the short run. We’ve made terrific progress moving the burden of scholarship expense from cash gifts to endowment distributions by building the endowments, but we continue to have an urgent need to stop the drain on our reserves.

Someone joked that we ought to ask everyone to contribute twice as much this year in order to satisfy both the endowment and cash needs, but you know - and we know - that’s unreasonable for many of you. But not all. Consider it.

Do your contributions make a difference? You have only to look at last year’s undefeated season for proof that they do. We won at the Head of the Charles, won the Windermere Cup, won the Cal duel, won three National Championships, and won in Moscow. Most of that, if not all, would not have happened without your gifts.

We’ve improved our communications with you in order to re-connect you to the program. We will continue to improve our events and increase their number. We are installing a new system to reach more of our rowing family, perhaps doubling the number we reach today, and that should help us spread the burden of current costs. But that’s next year. Right now the program needs your help. With you in the Husky boat, we know with absolute certainty that we will overcome this current funding challenge.

Photo: Sean Mulligan

HUSKY CREW DONATION FORM

Name _____________________________________________________ Class ________

Address ___________________________________________________ Apt ________

City __________________________________________ State _______ Zip _________

Email Address _________________________________ Phone ___________________

This year I want to support Husky Crew in the following ways:

Current Budget Gifts

Contingency Reserves $_________________

Men’s Scholarships $_________________

Endowment Gifts

Stewards Scholarship Endowment $_________________

Osterhaug Endowment (Women’s Scholarships) $_________________

Other Endowment:_______________________ $_________________

Total Gift Enclosed $_________________

Enclosed is my check for $__________ made payable to Husky Crew.

or …

Credit card type___________ Credit card number________________________________

Signature _______________________________ Card expiration date _______________

______ Call me, Bob. I want to discuss an endowed gift, a bequest, or an equipment gift.

Select and print this donation form and send it with your donation to Bob Ernst, the University of Washington, P.O. Box 354070, Seattle, WA 98195.

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HUSKY TAILGATE

A wildly successful Husky Crew Tailgate Party was held on September 15th before the Ohio State football game. Credit Andrew Dempsey ’97 for the idea and the execution. Hundreds of Husky fans stopped by before the game and gobbled up pulled pork sandwiches and soft drinks in record time. Appearances by Michael Callahan,Erica Schwab, and Luke McGee led to rowing dominated conversation before the football game. The donation jar made it a revenue positive event for the Stewards. Thanks to everyone for stopping by and a huge thank you to Andrew for arranging the event. You can be sure that he and his crew will be back next fall.

SUMMER CELEBRATION PARTY

Phil Henry and Kyle Enger threw a great party in August at Kyle’s house to recognize Michael Callahan’s appointment as men’s varsity coach, and to honor Bob Ernst and his 2007 National Championship teams. Toby Lumpkin brought in a great pinot noir from his family’s Oregon vineyard, Lazy River Vineyards, with a special label commemorating the men and the year. Athletics Director, Todd Turner, and Executive Associate Athletics Director, Jeff Compher, and their wives were there to welcome close to 100 guests. Thanks to Kyle and Phil for sponsoring a great party.

JOE RANTZ 1914-2007

Husky great, Joe Rantz, undefeated as a Husky and seven oar on the 1936 Olympic Gold Medal eight-oared crew, died on September 10 at age 93. He joined us at the VBC Banquet last spring where he received a standing ovation. Roger Morris, the sole surviving member of the legendary '36 crew, said to the Seattle Times: "He was about as good a teammate as you could get." Indeed he was - teammate, alumnus and supporter; he will be missed. Our condolences go out to the Rantz family.

CLASS STEWARDS

Our new, automated Class Stewards program is up and running. Matt Andersen, a member of the famous ’97 varsity and an extraordinary engineer, designed the system and, together with Andrew Dempsey, donated it to the program.

What does this mean? It will jump start our effort to reach our entire family. With it, we will be able to inform everyone regularly about races, events and program news, focus our communications, boost attendance at races and events, and make it all more fun for everyone. It also means keeping the Huskies number one.

We are recruiting Class Stewards to find as many members of their class or era as they can, input the contact information, and manage the data on the secure system. If you are interested in becoming a Class Steward, call Erin O’Connell on 206 281-2973, or contact her at ocone@spu.org.

SUMMER SNAPSHOTS

Husky rowers continued to do what they do best this summer, and no one did it better than Anna Mickelson ‘02 and Mary Whipple ‘02 who won the World Championship in Munich in the U.S. women’s eight. Matt Deakin ‘02 and Sam Burns ‘05 did the same in the U.S. men’s 4+. Portia McGee, wife of our new men's freshman coach, Luke McGee, and now an official Husky, won gold in the women's 4-.

Rob Gibson ’07 joined Pete Dembicki ‘02 in the Canadian 4- to race in Henley’s Stewards’ Challenge Cup, and then at the World Championships. Several other Huskies raced at the World Championships including Martin Rogula ’06 and sophomore Roko Svast who rowed in the Croatian National Team eight. Ante Kusurin ‘06 also qualified for the Olympics in the Croatian double. Qualifying boats for the Olympics included Huskies Guiseppe Lanzone ‘05 and Brian Volpenhein in the 4-, Brett Newlin ‘05 in the eight, and Kyle Larson ‘05 in the 2-.

New men’s varsity coach, Michael Callahan, coached the men’s U.S. National Under-23 Team eight at the World Rowing Under 23 Championships in Strathclyde, Scotland. He was joined at the regatta by seven Huskies. Katelyn Snyder, cox, and Andrea Sooter brought home bronze in the women’s eight. Jesse Johnson placed fourth in the U.S. men’s eight. The defending champion Canadian eight included Will Crothers, Max Lang, Stephen Connolly, and former Husky, Chris Aylard. Theywon the “B” finals leading wire to wire.

Jesse Johnson, Katelyn Snyder, Will Crothers and Max Lang were honored by Rowing News magazine by being named to their “Best 20 Rowers 20 Years Old or Younger” list. Look for a shot of the quartet with their National Champ teammates on page 59 of the October issue.

And the Husky beat goes on. Meet several of the incoming freshman. Anthony Jacob, competed in the Canadian 2- at the Worlds, winning silver. Noah O’Connell, a member of the Brentwood Canadian Schoolboy Championship eight, rowed in the finals for the Princess Elizabeth Cup at Henley this summer and took fifth in a 4- at the Junior Worlds. Nenad Bulicic raced in the B Finals in a 2- at the Under 23 Worlds. And Ty Otto, rowing for Thomas Jefferson High School in Virginia, competed at Henley in 2006 and 2007 and was a member of the U.S. Schoolboy Championship eight in 2006 and 2007.

Off the water, Seth Berling, Casey Clingan, Seth Davies, Lacy Kemp,Matt Kopicky, John Lorton, and Ian Sawyer, completed the annual Seattle-To-Portland bicycle race this summer.

TURKEY TROT

Each year right before Thanksgiving holiday, the Husky team runs 3 mile race which is called Turkey Trot and the winner of that race takes home a turkey! Everyone who would like to participate in Turkey Trot run, please come to the Conibear Shellhouse on November 16th at 4pm! Wear running gear.

NEXT MONTH...

Look for coaching reports from Bob Ernst, Erica Schwab, Michael Callahan and Luke McGee.