CENTERVILLE, Mass. - Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Commissioner Dr. Kevin T. McGinniss announced today that United States Rowing official Robert "Bob" Appleyard has been named the recipient of the 2013 George L. Shiebler Award. Appleyard will be recognized at the 2013 ECAC Honors dinner held in conjunction with the 25th Annual ECAC Convention and Trade Show that will be held September 29-October 1 at the Sea Crest Beach Hotel in North Falmouth, Mass. The Honors Dinner is on Sunday, September 29 at 6:30pm.
The George L. Shiebler Award is presented annually to an ECAC official who has demonstrated dedication to his avocational activities. This award is named after former ECAC Commissioner George Shiebler, in honor of his leadership over the many years he was associated with eastern collegiate athletics.
"This comes as a complete surprise. It is a great honor, and as the news sinks in, I am very humbled, as I think of those who have mentored me and with whom I work," Appleyard said.
Appleyard began his officiating career in 1980 as a member of the National Association of Amateur Oarsmen. Over the course of a brilliant 33-year career, he has officiated numerous scholastic, junior, club, masters, elite, intercollegiate, national and international championships. In 1993, Appleyard was awarded the Julian Wolf Award as the official who stood apart from the rest in his/her contributions to rowing. He has been the USRowing Referee Committee Regional Representative for both the Northwest and the Northeast Region, an at-large representative and a member of the USRowing Referee Committee. From 2002 through 2006, Appleyard was the Chair of the USRowing Referee Committee.
"Bob's leadership and tireless efforts to educate and improve the officiating corps in collegiate rowing make him the ideal recipient for the Shiebler Award," Intercollegiate Rowing Association Commissioner and ECAC Director of Rowing Gary Caldwell said. "His contributions and dedication to his fellow rowing officials make it fitting that Bob will be the sport's first representative for this distinguished award in a decade, joining previous Rowing Officials John Garnjost (2003), Howard Smith (1997) and the Honorable Richard Aronson (1978)."
At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Appleyard was chosen to serve as one of the International Federation of Rowing Associations (FISA) umpires for the Olympic Games Rowing Regatta. FISA, the Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d'Aviron in French, or the English equivalent International Federation of Rowing Associations, is the governing body of the sport of rowing. It is empowered by its 137 member National Rowing Federations, the National Olympic Committees and the International Olympic Committee to govern the sport of rowing. He has been a licensed FISA official since 1989.
"There is no ECAC official more deserving of the George L. Shiebler Award than Bob Appleyard from the sport of rowing, the oldest intercollegiate athletic competition in the United States," USRowing Referee Committee Chair Tom Fuller said. "He officiated at the highest level of our sport at the 2008 Olympic Games, yet he remains committed to working local and regional regattas as well as high profile national championship events. On behalf of the United States Rowing Association and all of its rowing officials, we offer our congratulations to Bob Appleyard, the George L. Shiebler Award winner."
During his tenure, Appleyard has earned the USRowing designation of Clinician. According to USRowing, the Referee Committee assigns Clinicians a key role in disseminating accurate knowledge of the rules of rowing and in effectively communicating their application to candidates, referees and the entire rowing community. Clinicians serve as instructors in formally scheduled clinics and workshops for referee training and development and are mentors to all referees within their regions. In 2001, he became the Director of the Julian Wolf Referee College holds that position today.
"Bob brings to the officiating community many attributes, including leadership and dedication to his sport," Fuller added. "However, the attribute that many of us appreciate the most is his commitment to education and training that results in improved skills and being more able to consistently apply the rules of rowing."
Appleyard was appointed Co-Chief Referee for USRowing Olympic and National Team Trials in 1992 and served in that role through the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Trials. The USRowing National Teams represent the United States at the highest level of international competition, participating in either the Olympic Games of the World Championships. During that time, he served as the Chief Referee for the Head of the Charles Regatta, helping it transition into the world-class event is has become today. Most recently, Appleyard has officiated numerous ECAC Championships at the highest level and provided effective and steady leadership at the two most prestigious championships. He served as the Chief Referee at the Eastern Association of Rowing Colleges Sprints from 2002 through 2004 and has held the same position at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) Championships since 2005.