PRINCETON, N.J. - USRowing is pleased to announce that referee Lloyd McDonald has been named the 2012 USRowing Julian Wolf Award recipient.
Chosen by the five past Julian Wolf winners, the award honors one rowing official in the United States that stood apart in making contributions to the sport in the past year. Selection is based upon outstanding performance, dedication, heroic acts and/or outstanding contributions to officiating.
McDonald will be honored on December 1 at an awards reception held in conjunction with the 2012 USRowing Annual Convention scheduled for Nov. 29-Dec. 2 in Oklahoma City, Okla.
McDonald, a USRowing referee and the southwest region representative on the USRowing Referee Committee, was nominated for his efforts as chief referee at this summer's USRowing Club National Championships, the largest national championship ever run.
"I was surprised, humbled and flattered to be selected for the 2012 Julian Wolf Award," McDonald said. "Our sport has provided me with opportunities I never dreamed possible. Interacting with our wonderful athletes, USRowing, our member clubs and my fellow referees seems to me to be reward enough. I would like to thank Elaine Roden for nominating me, and the referees who joined her."
In her nomination letter, Roden, also a USRowing referee, recounted how, in an effort to satisfy "an unprecedented demand for junior entries," USRowing expanded the Club National Championships regatta schedule, increased the number and size of the junior events and added more than 140 entries overall.
"This increase allowed all the junior athletes to enter, but added eight to ten hours of racing to the final regatta schedule," Roden wrote in the letter. "At this late date, rescheduling, reassigning duties and responsibilities required careful and sensitive administrative skills. Lloyd is to be commended for his professional and methodical planning.
"Lloyd's ability to analyze and manage the increased requirements of the regatta was not only outstanding, but the response from the referee corps was extremely positive as they followed his guidance and leadership. From the outset, Lloyd's goals were to give each athlete a championship experience and at the same time, offer meaningful assignments and training opportunities to the jury."
McDonald, she wrote, "led his team by example. He was always the first to arrive at the venue and last to leave. He handled issues in a calm, professional manner. His leadership, management style, and exceptional communication skills with athletes, coaches, referees and volunteers were the keystones for the success of the regatta."
The award is named in honor of Julian Wolf, the founder and coach of the University of Southern California crew team, member and chairman of the United States Olympic Rowing Committee from 1971 to 1988, manager of the 1984 men's Olympic team and founder and director of the USRowing Referee College. Wolf was inducted into the USRowing Hall of Fame in 1989.
USRowing recognizes individuals and organizations for their contributions and achievements in the sport in 14 categories.
Seven of the awards will be presented at the Golden Oars Dinner on November 14 including the USRowing Medal of Honor, awarded to Stan Pocock; Male Athlete of the Year, awarded to Glenn Ochal; Female Athlete of the Year, awarded to Oksana Masters; Jack Franklin Lifetime Achievement Award, awarded to Kate Godwin; Jack Kelly Award, awarded to Mike Knopp; Anita DeFrantz Award for Advancing Diversity in Rowing, awarded to RowLA; and the Isabel Bohn Award for Achievement in Adaptive Rowing, awarded to Oksana Masters and Rob Jones.
Seven additional USRowing Awards will be given December 1 at the 2012 USRowing Annual Convention in Oklahoma City, Okla. They include the John J. Carlin Service Award; Clayton W. Chapman Award; Joan Zandbergen "Mama Z" Award; Julian Wolf Award, awarded to Lloyd McDonald; Man of the Year Award; Ernestine Bayer Award (formerly Woman of the Year); and the Club of the Year Award.
Seven Fan's Choice Awards also will be presented at the Golden Oars Awards Dinner. They include the National Team Rower of the Year; Junior Rower of the Year; Masters Rower of the Year, Collegiate Rower of the Year; Junior Coach of the Year; Masters Coach of the Year; and Collegiate Coach of the Year. All seven winners will be announced Oct. 24.