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The Fall racing season is upon us!

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Nov 012023

State of the Team – Fall Racing Season Is in Full Swing

The Aztecs have been recruiting, training, and racing hard. As you read this the team has raced in the Rowing Cares Regatta in San Diego, and is training for the Pancake Regatta in Long Beach as well as the San Diego Fall Classic. Currently the team is racing a varsity 4, novice 8, novice 4, and a women’s novice 4.

In addition to training and academics, the team is planning many fundraising events, including: a letter writing campaign, working local events such as Bookfest, a Cane’s fundraiser at the Santee location Dec. 6 2pm-10pm, and an auction that will be announced soon (auction items will include cruise tickets, Kendra Scott necklaces, and museum tickets).
You can see the team’s schedule and fundraisers here.

Foundation Buys Much-Needed Boat Parts

Over the Summer the team requested help with the purchase of much-needed parts to service and repair their racing shells. The Board voted to approve, and committed to paying for over $5,000 in parts. Except for some back stays coming from Australia, the parts have been received and installed. The H Del Beekley Rowing Foundation is proud to be able to assist the team in getting race-day ready!

Padres Game with the Team

Past and present Aztec Crew members turned out for the Padres final home game win against the Cardinals. It was an exciting 12-2 battle that included lots of nods to the US military, including a flyover by two F-35 aircraft. There were many novices on hand to enjoy a day at Petco Park and meet the “old guys”. We’re all looking forward to another day at the ballpark next year! Special thanks to Assistant Coach Brett Stinson for organizing the event.

Homecoming Tailgate – On Hold

Initially we were planning on holding the annual Homecoming Tailgate on Saturday 11/4. Unfortunately the football team is having what we like to call a “rebuilding year” and interest in the homecoming tailgate has been thin. Thus, we will plan on coming back in 2024 with renewed vigor and – hopefully – a revitalized Aztec football team. Serendipitously this will give the team an opportunity to recharge after the Pancake Regatta, and be ready for the Alumni row and Fall Classic the following weekend.

Fall Alumni Row

On Saturday, November 11th, come join the current team for the Fall alumni row. Meet the new athletes, strap yourself into a late model shell, and relive your glory days! The alumni row is always a fun event, bringing together generations of Aztec rowers to pull for a common cause and reminisce about their personal rowing experience. Afterward, chat with the current Aztecs over bagels and coffee. If you plan to attend or have questions, please visit the event Facebook page or email Info@BeekleyRowing.org.

The following day – Sunday, November 12th – is the San Diego Fall Classic, so you can make a weekend of it! No wires-to-poles, we promise! The race schedule and course map can be found in this Google Doc.

Become a Mentor To A Current Athlete

Get to know a current rower and impart some wisdom! Join the new Alumni Mentorship Program to get matched up with an Aztec, share your experiences and provide guidance about rowing, career development, or life in general.

Get more information and sign up here.

Alumnus’ Lightweight Quad Takes 3rd at Worlds

Aztec Crew alumnus and former Beekley Foundation president Bernard Aparicio and his lightweight quad earned third place at the 2023 World Rowing Championships in Belgrade, Serbia! Third in the world is pretty amazing. You can read about their adventure here.

Boat Dedication of the “CWO4 George Louis Gadsden”

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Nov 142021

Thanks to all of the generous donations of our alumni and supporters, the H. Del Beekley Rowing Foundation was able to work with the team to purchase a 2017 Pockock 8+ from the University of Texas at the end of the 2019 season. The boat was purchased not with a single donation, but through the generosity of over 50 Alumni over the previous two years. As the largest single donor towards the effort, alumnus Ed Baldry (‘86 – ‘88) was given the opportunity to name the boat and chose to dedicate it to lifelong military hero and family friend: CWO4 George Louis Gadsden.

While COVID foiled our original plans for the dedication in 2020, we were blessed with an absolutely beautiful day at the 2021 San Diego Fall Classic to host the dedication and a brunch in his honor. Alumnus Ed Baldry delivered a heartfelt dedication that included the presentation and reading of a plaque that will be hung in the Boathouse and tells the story of CWO4 George Louis Gadsden. The plaque reads as follows:

George Louis began his life’s odyssey in Philadelphia, PA on February 8, 1936, as the youngest child of James Gadsden, Sr., and Isabel Deas. In 1953, at age 17, he persuaded his sister, Marie, to sign his enlistment papers and began his military career by enlisting in the United States Air Force. George moved to Charleston, SC, in 1959 and joined the US Navy.

Other than the love of his family, the Navy was his passion. Due to the Navy’s mandatory retirement policy, he retired after a 30-year career. In 1987, he petitioned the Department of the Navy because he felt he had more to offer. He was recalled to active duty in 1988 to the USS Independence for an additional five years. He began his Navy career at Naval Base Charleston SC, as a Seaman E-3. He advanced quickly in the enlisted ranks, reaching his highest enlisted rank of Chief Petty Officer E-7. George simultaneously applied for the Limited Duty Officer and Chief Warrant Officer Program and within 30 days was selected for Chief Warrant Officer.

George had a long and illustrious military career and in his 35 years of naval services, he had many tours of duty that took him to military bases around the world. While in Vietnam, he earned a Purple Heart and many other medals and commendations. All total, the Bos’n completed 40 years of combined military Service.

Ed Baldry (left, 1986 -1988) with members of the Gadsden Family

Fall Classic Alumni Row & Boat Dedication

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Oct 312021

Alumi Row – Saturday November 13th @ 7 AM

Come get on the water with this year’s team and relive the challenge and camaraderie of Aztec crew during our annual Fall Alumni row. After COVID blocked this activity last year, we’re more than excited to be able to host this event for the first time in 2 years! This year, more than ever, we’re hoping to have a big group of our alumni come out to show the new crop of Aztec Oarsmen what this program means to them.

Please make a plan to join us for a comfortable row and revive old memories with another beautiful morning on Mission Bay. After the row we’ll have some coffee and muffins available, so plan to hang around and converse with the team and other alumni.

Fall Classic and Boat Christening – Sunday November 14th

This year Crown Point shores on Mission Bay will once again be playing host to the San Diego Fall Classic on Sunday November 14th. This has always been the biggest Fall event held on Mission Bay and will be the first regatta for many of our new oarsmen to don the Red and Black and find out what this sport is really about! In addition to the race, this year the Foundation and Alumni Ed Baldry (‘86 – ‘88) will be hosting a brunch and christening ceremony for the Pocock 8+ that was purchased just before COVID. The family of the boat’s namesake – CWO4 George Louis Gadsden – will be in attendance.

Thought of joining the 1925 Club? Now is the time!

Over the last month and a half we’ve seen a nice bump in people joining the 1925 Club, and the best news is that two of them decided that $19.25 a month wasn’t quite their speed, so they kicked it up to $100 a month! We’re now consistently receiving $500 a month in donations from just our recurring $1925 club donors! In addition to the monthly donors, we received individual donations totalling another $1,200 in the last month.

Recurring donations help the Foundation plan consistent strategies for helping the program. Things like establishing a healthy boat rotation schedule without needing to raise all of the funds in one shot; contributing annually to coaching, equipment maintenance, and big events; and eventually establishing a long-term fund that can support the team into the future.

Please consider joining your fellow alumni by joining the 1925 Club today!

Schedule of Events: 2021-2022 Season

COVID has forced us to place the tentative “TBD” label in front of many of our events this year, but we are optimistic that we will finally be able to gather together in groups again soon. Keep an eye open for more details as we will be finalizing many of these events in the near future.

Alumni Events

Date	Event
November 13, 2021	Fall Alumni Row
November 14, 2021	Boat Christening
February 12, 2022	(TBD) Golf Tournament
March 25, 2022	(TBD) Crew Classic Banquet
March 27, 2022	H. Del Beekley Annual Meeting

Team Racing Schedule

Date	Event	Location
November 14, 2021	San Diego Fall Classic	Mission Bay, San Diego CA
February 19, 2022	Gruenberg Cup	TBD
March 5, 2022	Cal Challenge Cup	Newport Harbor, Newport CA
March 12, 2022	Newport Regatta	Newport Harbor, Newport CA
March 26-27, 2022	San Diego Crew Classic	Mission Bay, San Diego CA
March 30-April 1, 2022	WIRA Regional Championships	Sacramento, CA

Olympic Past and Present

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Mar 142021

We wanted to take a moment to congratulate current board president Bernard Aparicio on his showing at U.S. trials last month in Sarasota.

***Bernie lining up for the first round of the repechage***
Photo credit to Row2k

Bernie has been training for a spot on the U.S. lightweight olympic national team since 2019, rowing with the Vesper high performance team in Philadelphia. After missing the Vesper selection for the lightweight mens 2x, Bernie decided to enter into the open weight 1x trials to race against 24 of the fastest single scullers in the United States vying for a lane in Tokyo.

Despite having only a few weeks to train in the single leading up to the event, Bernie placed 9th overall in what is the most competitive race in the United States. As former Aztecs rowers we can’t help but be equal parts nostalgic and proud of what Bernie has accomplished to date.

From all of us at the foundation and Aztecs everywhere – Congratulations Bernie!

See the full results of the olympic trials here.

Garrett Klugh

With Tokyo fast approaching, we wanted to take a moment to highlight to story of Aztec and Olympian Garrett Klugh, who rowed at SDSU from 1992 – 1997 and competed in the straight four during the 2004 Olympic games in Athens among many accomplishments during his rowing career.

To this day, Garrett has remained involved with the team, speaking to the athletes about his experience and inspiring Aztecs to consider rowing at the highest level. Check out his recent interview below on the Athlete to Entrepreneur podcast and to hear his full story including his experience rowing at SDSU.

***Click the picture above to listen to the full episode***

Episode Description:

“When 9 year old Garrett saw the Olympic torch run by his house in 1984 he decided he’d be in the Olympics. The rest of his story is simply awe inspiring. If you like grit, persistence, twists/turns, romance but no-violence, all told by a master story teller.“

2021 brings a renewed hope, and unprecedented challenges for the future of the team and the Beekley foundation. Consider doing your part to help make the foundation successful by contributing monthly via our online donation system.

Aztecs In Full Swing: Fall Racing & Team Update

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Nov 152019

*Crews approach the start on a hazy morning @ San Diego Fall Classic*

Aztec Football Tailgate – This Friday November 15th

This Friday (11/15) is the Alumni tailgate party right before the SDSU/Fresno State football game. The football team is 7-2 so it’s a great time to see an Aztec game and catch up with fellow rowing alumni, plus meet the current team. We will be grilling up Burgers and Dogs, and some BBQ Pulled Pork to feast on while you hang out with your friends and talk with the current team! So, head on over to section H3 anytime after 5 PM where we’re planning to have an oar standing as the flag at our tent. Tickets to the game can be purchased here

Team Update

The team had a solid showing for their first race of the year on their home course at the San Diego Fall Classic this past weekend. With only 2 returners from last years Varsity 8, this years varsity squad came in 12th out of a field of 21 in their first showing. Then, the Novice 8 pulled their way to a 4th place finish out of 10. Keep your eye out for a full post from Coach Craig on AztecRowing.com. Meanwhile, the team is busily working to prepare for their next race at the Port of LA on Nov 24th!

**The Varsity 8 leaves South Ingraham bridge on their way around vacation Island**

Alumni Row

This year we fielded 4 eights with Alumni filling out the engine room, Varsity rowers in stroke pair, and some select Novices in bow pair. This years’ alumni had representation from every decade since the mid 1970’s, all the way to athletes that just graduated last year. It’s amazing and encouraging to see how many have continued their involvement in the sport and are still rowing nearby at SDRC.

New Boat Dedication @ Crew Classic

Last year, the foundation prioritized the purchase of a 8+ racing shell. The team was incredibly grateful for the new equipment, which has complemented their fleet well. A tremendous thank you goes out to all the contributors for this shell. Plans are currently being made to host an event for the boat naming and dedication over the weekend of the San Diego Crew Classic on the weekend of April 4-5th.

Upcoming Events

DATE	EVENT
November 15, 2019	Football Game/Tailgate
November 24, 2019	Port of LA @ USC
February 8, 2019	H. Del Beekley Annual Golf Tournament
April 4-5, 2020	San Diego Crew Classic, Mission Bay
April 5, 2020	H Del Beekley Annual Meeting

2018 Crew Classic Info

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Mar 222018

Hello to all Aztec rowing supporters!

Once again, it’s time for another Crew Classic! This year, the team will be entering 4 events: The varsity will compete in the American Specialty Health Cup against teams up and down the west coast, and as far away as North Carolina. The JV team will compete against crews across the country in the 2V Sharp Memorial Cup, and the novices will be racing in the Derek Guelker Memorial Cup and also the Novice B finals. Keep an eye on http://www.crewclassic.org for the full racing schedule.

In addition to the exciting racing, there are lots of events to be part of!

First, on Friday night, join the team for a pasta dinner at the Alumni Center on campus. This is a recent tradition started by some passionate alumni a few years back. This year, the team expects over 60 non-rowers at this event, and has space for some more alumni who are interested in attending. For more information, see the evite page!

Saturday is a great time to catch up with other alumni, and watch some racing at the Crew Classic! The final schedule has just been published ( http://online.regattamaster.com/Pages/Races.aspx?regattaID=1306 ), and the Varsity (8:16AM), JV (10:08AM), and Novice A (11:12AM) all compete in their first heats on Saturday morning with the majority of the finals happening the next day.

Sunday is the busiest day! Come to the race course early and watch some of the best crews in the country race in their respective finals. Hopefully there will be several Aztec boats racing for tanks! The famous Crew Classic BBQ (featuring carne/pollo asada burritos) will be served starting around 10:45am (to well past noon).

At 1PM, the H. Del Beekley Rowing Foundation will convene it’s 10th annual meeting. The agenda for the meeting is here: http://beekleyrowing.org/annual-meeting/ Any member of the H. Del Beekley Rowing Foundation in good standing is eligible to vote on the issues and run for any office. This year, we anticipate having to fill one open spot on the board. You can nominate yourself at the meeting or let us know if you are interested ahead of time.

Thanks to everyone who has already paid their membership dues and helped us raise funds for a new shell! If you are unable to join the meeting in person, you are allowed to assign a proxy to vote for you, or can register your vote on the new bylaw changes or officers by contacting us at info@beekleyrowing.org.

We look forward to seeing everyone at Crew Classic!

Golf Tournament Registration Open

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Jan 122018

The H. Del Beekley Rowing Foundation cordially invites you to participate in our 2nd Golf Tournament Fundraiser on Saturday, February 10th at the highly rated Admiral Baker Golf Course in San Diego. The Tournament participants will play 18 holes in a Texas Scramble format, and will be greeted by current rowers, coxswains and coaches at various holes.

Golfers can participate for as little as $80/person (in a foursome) and sponsorships start at $150. For full details (and to register), please visit the event page: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/h-del-beekley-rowing-foundation-golf-tournament-2018-tickets-41822943550

For more information, contact us at info@beekleyrowing.org

Online registration closes on Jan 18, 2018

Closing out the fall and kicking off the spring with a golf tournament!

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Dec 242017

The Beekley Rowing Foundation is celebrating its 10th year! We are focused on reaching out and reconnecting with our alumni from every generation of Aztec Rowing.

Team Update

The Aztecs are continuing their momentum after a strong fall season. Coach Julia has returned for her 5th consecutive year to oversee the 40+ strong rowing club. The team is using a brand new weight room (built in 2016 exclusively for sports club athletes) as well as a dedicated erg room with 40(!) Concept 2 ergs. The Aztecs are proud that they have sent boats to compete on the national stage at the ACRAs (American Collegiate Rowing Association National Championship) for the past three years, and expect to continue competing at the highest level of club rowing. More info about the team can be found at www.aztecrowing.com.

Foundation Update

The H Del Beekley Rowing Foundation is celebrating its 10th anniversary by embracing a big challenge: placing an 8-man racing shell in the SDSU boathouse! The Aztecs are working hard and we want to be sure they are well-equipped for success. To reach this goal we are planning events and encouraging involvement among our vast network of alumni. This fall we have already purchased two new cox boxes for the team and are steadfast in our efforts to keep this team’s equipment up-to-date. We’ve also held 4 events this year with more on the way in 2018!

Alumni Rows
- We organized multiple generations of Aztec Crew alumni to come row with the team in what is now a semi-annual tradition. We had our first in April, and our second this past October. Full of nostalgia and excitement, it was a fun experience for the alumni, some of which were stepping into a shell for the first time in 45 years.
- A sincere thank you to Coaches Julia & Craig for hosting the alumni. There’s nothing quite like watching the sunrise out on Mission Bay
- If you’d like to test your mettle and get back in a boat with the team during the next alumni row, contact us here.
- Also, there’s always an open invitation from Coach Julia to come out to a practice in the launch.

Padres game
- We had 20 alumni out to watch the July 29th Padres game at Petco Park. We met up at Basic Pizza before heading over to watch the Padres beat the Pirates. Plan on joining us next year for another evening at the ballpark.

Fall Tailgate
- Before the Aztec – Fresno State game the foundation hosted a tailgate featuring bacon wrapped hot dogs, chicken tacos, and Andy’s famous smoked brisket. Alumni had a great time mingling with current Aztec rowers and chowing down on some delicious food.
- Special thanks to alum Azael Castro (‘16) for cooking up the food.

Fall races
- The Aztecs had a great fall season with strong recruiting and varsity retention. The foundation would like to thank all of the alumni who have been showing up with food for the team. We were able to get alums to bring food and support the team at every single fall race! We are looking forward to continuing this participation in the Spring. Hope to see you out there!

Upcoming Events

Golf Tournament
- We are excited to bring back the annual golf tournament on February 10, 2018 at the Admiral Baker Golf Course.
- Official registration and sponsorship information will follow around the first of the year, but please mark your calendars and save the date for the event! In the interim, please feel free to send us an email at info@beekleyrowing.org with any inquiries.
Crew Classic
- Join us for the annual Crew Classic BBQ to meet the athletes and celebrate the foundation’s 10th anniversary! Dan Smith (96-99), Eric Barge (81-84), and Andy Olson (97-00) will be serving their famous Carne & Pollo Asada tacos.
- The weekend events will also include a Crew Classic dinner with silent auction and the 10th annual meeting of the Beekley Foundation.

May Alumni races
- Mixed Alumni boats will compete against the Senior, Junior, Sophomore, and Freshman classes in their respective boats.

It is the primary goal of the H. Del Beekley Rowing Foundation to pool the resources of our alumni and supporters to provide the additional support necessary to ensure the longevity and success of SDSU Men’s Crew.

If you share in our goal of helping SDSU Men’s Crew raise its competitive level, please take the opportunity to Donate to this fund. If you’re not able to donate at this time but would still like to help, feel free to attend one of our board meetings or contact the Board of Directors.

The secondary goal of the H. Del Beekley Rowing Foundation is to provide a single point of contact for alumni to learn about the current state of the program, and to reconnect with their teammates from years past.

Any support is greatly appreciated!

Please keep an eye on the Announcements page for updates.

Crew Classic Recap!

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Apr 102016

It was great to see everyone at Crew Classic again this year! Once again, we had a good turnout of rowers from quite a few generations! Once again, we were treated to some exciting racing, and a nice BBQ by Eric, Andy & Dan!

We had out Beekley Foundation Annual meeting, and of course, it featured elections for the different positions on the board:

* President – This position (and an at-large position) will continue to be held by Aaron Pollock and Michele Pius. They rowed at SDSU in the mid-1980s, and have been huge supporters of the team since then!

* Vice President – Andy Olson returns to the board after a few years off. He was a founding member of Beekley Rowing Foundation, and rowed at SDSU in the late 1990s/early 2000s.

* Treasurer – Steve Lewis. This is Steve’s first time on the Board of Directors, and he rowed at SDSU in the early 1990s.

* Secretary – Dan Smith. Dan continues as secretary for the 6th consecutive year. He rowed at SDSU in the mid to late 1990s!

* At Large – Scott Petry. Scott rowed at SDSU in the 1980s, and rowed on the US National Lightweight team before pursuing a career in business. This is Scott’s 3rd consecutive year on the board of directors.

Crew Classic 2016!

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Apr 012016

The spring rowing season has flown by! The team is more than half way through their race season. They swept the Gruenberg Cup against Long Beach St. and USC earlier this season, and are focusing on peaking this weekend at the San Diego Crew Classic!

The varsity men kick off the Crew Classic in the Cal Cup at 7:28AM on Saturday. They will compete against UCSD, Purdue, Notre Dame, UC Davis and Sac State. The JV team goes next…at 9:28 they compete against Yale, Stanford, Santa Clara & USD. At 10:52, the novice team races against Oregon St., Santa Clara, UCSB & Notre Dame. (The second novice boat races on Sunday at noon). Each race is being televised live on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/usrowingorg

…Speaking of Sunday, we will be having our Foundation’s annual meeting right before the BBQ at the SDSU Alumni tent. That will take place around 9:30AM (the time may move a bit to ensure everybody can watch the team race). This meeting covers what has happened to the Foundation over the previous year, and elect officers for the next year. Once the meeting finishes, the BBQ will be fired up for some tasty carne and pollo asada burritos!

This is a great chance to meet the current rowers, reconnect with some old teammates and meet new friends!

Please let us know if you have any questions!

Go Aztecs!

Dan Smith
Secretary
H. Del Beekley Rowing Foundation
SDSU Crew 1997-1999

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