Rowing Program Makes Waves

Cover Story

Rowing Program Makes Waves

淫性视频's first full-time rowing coach works to grow 'Osprey Navy.'

By Diane D'Amico

 

 

It was a season of 鈥渇irsts鈥 for 淫性视频鈥檚 rowing program. After welcoming Coach John Bancheri as 淫性视频鈥檚 first full-time rowing coach earlier in the season, the women鈥檚 varsity eight team earned the first-ever Dad Vail Regatta medal by an Osprey varsity eight boat at the prestigious races May 10-11 on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  

Bancheri said he realized the women鈥檚 varsity eight team had a chance to perform well at the Dad Vail Regatta when the week before they did time trials on Lake Lenape with the men鈥檚 team.  He was hoping to break an aggregate time of 7:20 and the women鈥檚 varsity eight came in at 7:01.

鈥淚 was like 鈥楬oly smokes, we can do this,鈥 鈥 he said.  And they did, winning a bronze medal with a time of 6:51.539, the first rowing medal in 21 years.

The 淫性视频 women's team also rowed a varsity four boat that finished 12th overall and a novice four that took 17th place. The 淫性视频 men鈥檚 club team had a good showing as well with the varsity four finishing second in the fifth final and the novice eight taking third in the third final.

Bancheri, who is working to build what he calls an 鈥淥sprey Navy," said the success of the team this year was a community effort of 淫性视频 personnel and supporters. The team is young 鈥 mostly freshmen and sophomores, so they still have a lot to look forward to.

鈥淒ad Vail was a showcase for what we can be,鈥 Bancheri said. 鈥淣o one expected much of us this year. But the team believed they could do it, and they did. I can鈥檛 wait to see what we can do with a full year to train.  淫性视频 has become a viable academic and athletic option for rowing.鈥

鈥淢y goal in high school was always to row in the Dad Vail,鈥 said freshman Michaela Pope.

鈥淲e are the foundation to build to the goal,鈥 said teammate Chloe Schulze.

 

Rowing team at Dad Vail
淫性视频 women's rowing team and Coach John Bancheri at the Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhoto by Theresa Bancheri

Bancheri is an Atlantic City native who rowed for Atlantic City High School in the early 1970s. Since his arrival, the size of the women鈥檚 rowing team has doubled. Team members come to 6 a.m. 鈥渆rg鈥 training sessions wearing T-shirts that say 鈥淭he Shape of Things to Come.鈥

鈥淭o cap off a terrific season, 淫性视频 Rowing is ranked 20th nationally in the most recent row2k Collegiate Rowing Poll for DIII and #121 for all rowing programs combined (DI, DII, DIII),鈥 said Kevin McHugh, executive director of Athletics & Recreation. 鈥淲e are so proud of Coach Bancheri and the Osprey rowers on the amazing advancement of the program in less than four months.鈥

Bancheri is assisted by area coaches Joe Welsh and BJ Fox. Brad Cress continues as the men鈥檚 club coach.

A 鈥淩owing and Growing鈥 fund-raising event in March, honoring local rowing legend Stan Bergman, raised enough to purchase three new varsity eight boats and other equipment.

鈥淲e are giving back to a community that supported us as adolescents and young adults,鈥 said Karen Alton, granddaughter of Elizabeth Alton, a driving force behind 淫性视频鈥檚 founding, whose family donated funds for two of the boats. 鈥淲ith your help 淫性视频 will win a national championship.鈥



Men's rowing
淫性视频's men's rowing club competed in a home race on March 24 in the back bay of Atlantic City with Cabrini College and the University of Rochester. | Photo by Susan Allen ''09, M.A. '14

The 淫性视频 rowing program, both women and men, is based at the 淫性视频 Atlantic City, just steps from the beach and boardwalk. 淫性视频's rowers share the Atlantic City School District boathouse, a short walk from campus, and part of the University District.

鈥淢y grandparents, Elizabeth and John, used to watch the boats rowing on the back bay, and we are part of the history of rowing in Atlantic City,鈥 she said. 鈥淥ur wish is that this will help develop a championship program.鈥

Alton also shared a message from her aunt about how Elizabeth Alton always strove to make the possible from the seemingly impossible. She challenged 淫性视频 to see what could be possible for 淫性视频 rowing and keep raising the bar.

Bancheri said building a national program will take community support and sponsorship.

鈥淲e are doing things we鈥檝e never done before and we want them to help build it,鈥 he said.

A 淫性视频 Rowing Advisory Committee has been formed.

Several businesses and supporters have already contributed to helping the team grow.

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey also donated a boat, and other local supporters have included the Azeez Foundation, AtlantiCare, former Sen. Bill Gormley, Calvi Electric, Marathon Engineering and Environmental Services, George Miller, Margie and Jack Plackter, Dr. Francis Previti, Dr. David Smith and SOSH Architects.

Previti and Smith have been named honorary team physicians.

鈥淢y mission is not just to win,鈥 Bancheri said, 鈥渂ut also to grow the spirit of rowing in the area.鈥

淫性视频 President Harvey Kesselman said the expansion of the rowing team is part of the University鈥檚 commitment to Atlantic City, where a new residential campus opened in Fall 2018. He said the first thing they did was to contact members of the local rowing community for advice and assistance.

鈥淚 pledged we would build a program we would be proud of, but we knew we couldn鈥檛 do it alone,鈥 Kesselman said at the event honoring Bergman. 鈥淲e need the support of our rowing community. We do have national level supporters.鈥

Rowing fundraiser
President Harvey Kesselman; Karen Alton, granddaughter of Elizabeth Alton; John Bancheri, 淫性视频's rowing coach; Stan Bergman, local rowing legend; and Jonathan Pearson of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of N.J. at the Rowing and Growing event on March 9 at 淫性视频 Atlantic City. Photo by Susan Allen '09, M.A. '14
淫性视频 held its first races on the back bay in Atlantic City on March 24, 2019 before an enthusiastic crowd. View coverage of the AC Rowing Regatta.

淫性视频 Rowing Advisory Committee

Stan Bergman, Joelle Bridgers, Rose Ann Cahill, Michael Chait, Ray D鈥橝mico, Bill Gormley, Phil Guenther, Walter Johnson, John Kelley, George Miller, Maripat Perone, Sue Peterson, Jack Plackter, Rick Ricciardi, Alan Staller, John Strotbeck, Tom Sykes and Holly Zachowski