Movies generally reflect real life. They're enjoyable. They make us a laugh and even cry a bit. At times they also make us wonder how the hero (or heroes) can escape the plot's tight spot. What do they do?
A typical show like this was the 1976 comedy, the "Bad News Bears," the tale of a grizzled little league coach who tried to change a team of misfits into champs. But the kids couldn't hit, they couldn't run, they couldn't throw and they couldn't pitch. Nevertheless, he coached on.
Such was the real life case of two Catholic University Alumnae. They found themselves one day on the same e-mail link reading a notice that their Alma Mater needed a crew coach. Both had rowing experience and both thought to themselves after a while, "Why not, let's give it a try. And see what we can do. It would be a fun thing."
So, they answered the ad which introduced them to Senior Engineering student, Patrick Terry, who had posted the ad hoping someone--- anyone would answer. The two alums found themselves rather quickly in an interview with officials of the CU Club Sports Board. Since Pat had rowed as a Freshman and was on the board he quickly voted "Yes" to the two candidates. (Before they could get away.)
Elizabeth Gordon was one of the two job candidate. She had rowed in the Washington, D.C. area as an adult and had also rowed competitively in such national events as the Masters National, The San Diego Crew Classic and the Head of the Charles. A trained ballerina and educated as an economist, she was also an active member of the Potomac Boat Club and was now raising her two children while helping her husband in his vacuum cleaning repair business in the D.C. suburbs
The other was fellow CU Alum, Sally O'Connor, who had rowed for the Cardinals in 1994 and was now working part time for the Sergeant-at-Arms in the U.S. Senate. She joined Beth in the venture and became Assistant Coach of the brand new Catholic University Rowing Program.
After landing the volunteer job Ms. Connors observed, "We looked over what we had in the way of equipment and prospective rowers and concluded that the CU program was very much like the "Bad News Bears" movie. There were no boats, no coaches, no rowers and not even an engine for the coach's launch".
Undaunted, Beth and Sally concluded, "What a mess. Even the few boats they had, needed work and were un-sailable." Inquiring very diplomatically around the athletic department, they further found that the last time CU entered the Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta was in 2003. Things were in bad shape because coaches came and coaches went. They also found there was little funding for the club program since rowing isn't recognized as a varsity sport at CU. (Most Aberdeen Dad Vail colleges are club programs).
They did settle on one thing; they would still give it a try. Beth would have the title of Head Crew Coach and Sally would be Assistant. All they needed were sailable boats and rowers either men or women to get their program in shape and on the water.
Here, again, Pat Terry came on the scene and became a "great guy" from the start, says Ms. O'Connor. "Somehow he lined up twenty prospective rowers and fixed what had to be fixed. He became a motivator to the younger rowers who showed up and pitched in when the new CU crew practiced on the nearby Anacostia River.
"When equipment fell in the river, he somehow retrieved it. And when it needed repairs, Pat did the repairs. For his efforts and experience, he was named stroke on the Men's Four Crew which will come to the Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta on May 11 & 12 along with a Women's Four," Sally notes.
Traveling to Philadelphia, however, presents new challenges. They plan to travel in the school van and arrange for room and board in the homes of friends in the Philadelphia area. The coaches also plan to ask the CU kitchen to pack lunches for the road trip to and from Philadelphia. Since Ms. O'Connor is an Allentown native, she is hopeful for success in this part of the young rower's odyssey north.
Why is she doing all this? Going to all this trouble? Her answer is two-fold. "For all the help Pat Terry gave us in helping to get this program started, we would like to pay him back somehow with this trip for all he has done for CU. Secondly we would like to show our younger rowers what it's like to race in the largest regatta in the world and see what college rowing is really like. We want them to row hard and give it their best. Hopefully this experience will let their appreciation of the sport grow in the future. And maybe crew will be launched as a permanent sport at Catholic University," adds Ms. Connor.
There will be a local touch to the Cardinal crew coming to Philadelphia. Among their squad are three residents from the tri-state area. They are
• From Collingswood High School in New Jersey, Kaytelyn Jesukiewicz, Soph, Coxswain
• From Southern Regional High School in Manahawkin, New Jersey, Dominic Renner, Frosh, Port, and
• From Haverford High School in Drexel Hill, Pa., Alicia Tomkowich, Soph, Coxswain.
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