V I E W   F R O M   T H E   H I L L T O P

November 20, 2013

Never Row Redux




Another successful rowing celebration weekend took place on November 8-10 at Georgetown, this time to celebrate the 50th anniversary of men's lightweight crew. The weekend attracted over 300 alums, parents, friends, and current rowers. . . .






Mike Driscoll B'08, relentless weekend organizer
Another successful rowing celebration weekend took place on November 8-10 at Georgetown, this time to celebrate the 50th anniversary of men's lightweight crew. The weekend attracted over 300 alums, parents, friends, and current rowers. Congrats and thanks to the lightweights and to the weekend organizers. A special shout-out goes to Mike Driscoll B'08 and his team of weekend co-chairs. A wonderful array of weekend photos can be found here.


Tom Walker C'66, PHD'70, M'72, R'77 with gift oar above
Two special presentations took place during the weekend. At the Saturday lunch, Tom Walker C'66, PHD'70, M'72, R'77 returned an original Georgetown oar he inherited from his great uncle Sydney Mudd, class of 1906, who rowed with our early Hoya boats at the IRA in Poughkeepsie at the beginning of the 20th century. Here is a link to Hoya alum and Congressman Mudd.



Coaches Sam Stitt and Tony Johnson accept blade from Al DiFiore F'61, L'64
  Al DiFiore F'61, L'64, first lightweight coach on the Hilltop, presented to varsity LW coach Sam Stitt and to director of rowing, Tony Johnson, a commemorative oar blade that he had received from his oarsmen at the end of his tenure. Appropriate locations for displaying both of these artifacts are under review for either McDonough Gym or the new rowing training center (RTC).

Improvements to the RTC are continuing. Varsity women's coach, Miranda Paris, gave a inspiring tour of the facility during the recent celebration weekend and explained the annual replacement cycle: the need for some new training equipment (ergs and bikes) each year to replace the oldest parts of this inventory. Like our racing shells and launches, all our training equipment is funded through external gifts by alumni, parents, and friends.

We continue to strive to keep our shell and launch inventory current. Our men's lightweight squad needs funding for a new front-line racing shell. Our women's teams are seeking new front-line racing eights. Our men's heavyweight team also seeks funding for new training eights. All squads are in need of additional shared boats: fours, pairs, and launches. If you would like more information how to make a gift towards the teams' equipment needs, please contact me at mcardlep@georgetown.edu. At the same time, it is also incredibly important to support the programs' current operating budget, which funds the crews' every day expenses.  To make a gift, please visit here or click on one of the buttons at the bottom of this e-mail.
Costume was sent from the Hilltop to Pat's wake.

The one sad moment of the anniversary weekend occurred when word circulated among those attending about a horrific auto accident in New York that took place early that Saturday morning. In the fatal taxicab was Pat Sheehan C'81. Most remember Pat as Georgetown's first costumed bulldog, who set the standard for all who followed in that role. Among this returning group of rowing alums however, many recalled Pat as an enthusiastic freshman coxswain on the crew. When I traveled last week to Pat's wake and funeral, the number of former Hoya rowers in the church was striking. Please see an article in The HOYA here.



Finally, the latest issue of Rowing Magazine has a very nice eight-page feature article on Tony Johnson, our long-time men's coach and director of rowing on the Hilltop. I have attached the article here as a PDF.  

As we head into the holiday season, let me offer my thanks and appreciation to the rowing community for their continued care and support for Georgetown Crew.

Good wishes,

Pat McArdle
Sport Administrator - Men's and Women's Rowing 



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