Team Update

The first Boathouse Prep Day on August 18th had a great turnout of alumni – representing the last several decades of Aztec Crew – returning to the boathouse to help the team get things ready for the 2024/2025 season. Alongside the returning athletes already in town, we cleaned, rigged, and even did some repairs to a few eights, a four, and a whole slew of oars so that the athletes could hit the water the very next day.

Between then and now, Interim Head Coach Bernard Aparicio has been leading regular water and land workouts for the returners, and the team spent their afternoons on campus heavily recruiting the next class of novices, while hopefully also attending a class or two.

Boathouse Prep Day #2 – Saturday 9/7!

While we made great progress on the first prep day, Coach Bernard could really use the help of some more alumni to get a few more boats ready for the incoming class of novices. He’s asking – for those who are willing and able – to once again meet at the boathouse this Saturday September 7th from 7:00 AM to 9:00 AM to help get these shells in ship-shape. They’ll need extra hands to help move boats around, do a bunch of rigging, seat/wheel assembly, and likely do a bit of cleaning.  

The team will also be hosting their annual Learn to Row/Open Boathouse event for new recruits starting at 9:00 AM, meaning it’ll be a busy day at the boathouse. Please consider heading down to help get a few more boats seaworthy, as well as exchanging stories with other alumni and the current team! You can just show up, but they’d really love to know how many are coming for planning purposes. So, please RSVP to Bernard via email if you’d like to help or have any questions!

Team Update

As we transition into the summer months, the Aztecs are preparing for some time off from the boathouse. While the athletes take this well-deserved break, the Beekley Rowing Foundation continues its efforts to support the team through various initiatives and events. We are excited to share the latest updates with you.

San Diego Crew Classic and Annual Meeting Results

This year’s San Diego Crew Classic marked its 51st anniversary, with the Aztecs proudly representing SDSU rowing. The team competed in the Men’s Varsity 8+ event, finishing 7th in the B final, beating Sacramento State (With 4 of the 8 oarsmen being novices). The Men’s Novice 8 also performed admirably, finishing 7th and beating UC Irvine.

During the Crew Classic weekend, the H Del Beekley Foundation held its annual meeting. Key discussions included the state of the program and the foundation’s achievements. We also elected the 2024-2025 Board of Directors:

    •    President: Steve Lewis
    •    Vice President: Royce Cumming
    •    Treasurer: Andy Olson
    •    Secretary: Kris Corley
    •    Alumni At-Large #1: Joey Matus
    •    Alumni At-Large #2: Kam Kennington

You can read the meeting minutes here.

Mentorship Program

We are thrilled to announce that our Mentorship Program has received an enthusiastic response, with 16 sign-ups to date. This program aims to connect current rowers with alumni and supporters to provide guidance and support both on and off the water. If you’re interested in becoming a mentor, please reach out to us here.

1925 Club Payment Revisions

To better serve our supporters, we have revised the payment options for the 1925 Club. These changes aim to make it easier for alumni and friends to contribute to the team’s success. Details about the revised payment options can be found on our website.

Stay Connected

We encourage everyone to stay updated with the latest news and events by visiting the team website and signing up for the newsletter. This will ensure you receive timely updates about the team’s progress and upcoming activities. Click here and scroll to the bottom of the page to sign up.

Fall Alumni Row

Mark your calendars for the Fall Alumni Row, set to take place this October or November. This event is a fantastic opportunity to reconnect with fellow alumni and support the current team. More details will be announced soon.

State of the Team – Spring Racing Season Arrives!

The Aztecs are in the thick of the Spring racing season, coming off a solid showing at Parker Cup.  With the Men’s Varsity four and Women’s Novice four both taking first, the Men’s novice 8 taking 2nd out of 4 to Irvine, and a half novice-filled Varsity 8 taking 3rd.  To see more about what’s going on with the current team, take a look at their pretty amazing February 2024 Newsletter.

Crew Classic and Beekley Foundation Annual Meeting

The 51st Annual San Diego Crew Classic will take place April 5-7th at Mission Bay. The Aztecs will be racing and have a tent for relaxing and catching up with alumni and friends. On Sunday the Beekley Foundation will have lunch available for the athletes and donors.

The Annual Meeting is an important discussion of the state of the program and foundation, and is key to helping carry on the positive impact of the Foundation. This year’s annual meeting will tentatively be held Sunday April 7th at 1:00 PM Pacific (depending on the team’s race schedule) onsite at the SDSU tent and simulcast on Google meet. We will not be posting a public link to the meeting, so please RSVP with an email to info@beekleyrowing.org and we will send you a link to the virtual meeting.

The Foundation is always looking for people willing to help, and who would like to serve on the board. If you’re interested in running for a board position, please send an email to info@beekleyrowing.org for more information. The positions to be voted on at this year’s meeting are:

President • Vice President • Secretary • Treasurer • At-large Board Members

Crew Classic Banquet

Join the team on the Friday of San Diego Crew Classic weekend, April 5th, 2024 from 4:30 PM until 7:30 PM at Scripps Cottage on the SDSU Campus for a night of food, friends, awards, and fun. In addition, they will be hosting an auction at the banquet! Don’t miss your chance to secure featured items such as San Diego Cruise Tickets, Kendra Scott Jewelry, or an SDSU oar! Every bid will support their goal of sending a boat to their National Championships (ACRA) in Tennessee. Secure your spot by clicking HERE for an unforgettable evening! This past year the team has focused on fostering a tighter and more meaningful relationship with the alumni. In addition to the team’s astonishing recovery from the debt accrued during COVID, there is much to celebrate and even more to be excited about moving forward. In preparation for the team’s centennial anniversary in 2025, they aspire to promote a presence from their alumni base that affirms to the current student athletes that the program has a rich and valuable history. As a big show of support, please touch base with fellow alumni and friends to extend this invitation! The team would love to see the community show up and come together for a weekend of Crew Classic racing. If you are unable to attend, please consider sponsoring an athlete’s ticket. Feel free to reach out to sdsucrewpresident@gmail.com  with any questions.

6th Annual Golf Tournament Was A Swinging Affair

We held our 6th Annual Beekley Foundation charity golf tournament on Saturday February 24th. 32 golfers drawn from alumni, friends, and current athletes hit Mission Trails golf course for a prolonged day of golf and camaraderie. The winning foursome was alumni Kam Kennington, Steven Lyons, Randy Beltran, and current athlete Dominic Flores Shafer with a 65 (6 under par!). The Longest Drive contest was won by Steve Lyons, while the Closest-To-The-Pin was won by Mitchell Ingstad.

We had some great raffle prizes donated by alumni, including a basket of artisan jams from Jackie’s Jams (courtesy of David and Risa Baron), as well as some high quality golf accessories from the Southern California Golf Association (courtesy of alumnus Matt Pawlak).
It was a very fun occasion and we look forward to seeing even more golfers at next year’s event!

Team Mentorship Program is Active

We’ve had a good response from alumni ready to take a rower under their wing and give them advice about various career paths, but we can always use more! The rowers have been given the contact information of their mentors, and will reach out to arrange a meeting (either in person, by phone, by email, or whatever works best). We’re always looking for more folks willing to help guide an Aztec towards the next steps in their careers.

Get more information and sign up here.

100 Years of SDSU Crew – Donate to the 1925 Club!

As SDSU Crew’s 100th anniversary approaches we’d like to invite you to join other donors in the 1925 Club. This is our primary revenue generator for supporting the team and their mission. We’ve recently used donations to buy the team much-needed boat parts, as well as to reserve the SDSU tent at this year’s Crew Classic. Please join your fellow alumni in donating: The 1925 Club.

State of the Team – Boat Repair Day this Sunday!

Thanks to your generous donations to the H Del Beekley Rowing Foundation, the team was able to purchase some much-needed replacement parts to get the fleet ready for the 2023-2024 season. The coaches are requesting help at the boathouse on Sunday, August 13th between 8:00am – 12:00pm to continue getting the boats seaworthy. You can just show up, or email Coach Craig Doan if you’d like to help or have any questions!

Varsity practice begins the following day, with recruiting starting shortly thereafter. You can see the team’s schedule here.

Padres Game with the Team

Come join the new team and fellow Aztec Rowing alumni and their families for an afternoon at Petco Park! The Padres will be hosting the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday 9/24 at 1:10pm. We’ll meet up for a pint or two at a nearby pub (TBD) before the game and then go cheer on the Padres. Reserve your tickets now by contacting Assistant Coach Brett Stinson.

Homecoming Tailgate

After a hiatus, we’re bringing back the Homecoming Tailgate! This year the homecoming football game is Saturday 11/4 so we’ll be celebrating in the parking lot of Snapdragon Stadium before the game. Mark your calendars to come meet the new crew and catch up with other alumni while we fire up the BBQ and get charged up for an Aztec Football game! More details will follow in a future newsletter, but feel free to reply in the meantime if you know you’re interested: info@beekleyrowing.org

Fall Alumni Row

On Saturday 11/11 come join the current team at the boathouse 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 your personal rowing experience. Afterward, chat with the current Aztecs over bagels and coffee. The following day (11/12) is the San Diego Fall Classic, so you can make a weekend of it! No wires-to-poles, we promise!

Alumnus Heading for International Competition

Aztec Crew alumnus and former Beekley Foundation president Bernard Aparicio is headed to the 2023 World Rowing Championships scheduled for September 3-10 in Belgrade, Serbia! His lightweight men’s quadruple scull won their final by more than 12 seconds, qualifying for Belgrade. Because their event is a non-Olympic event, USRowing does not fund any part of their training for, or competing at, the World Championships. Please consider donating to their Gofundme page: https://gofund.me/7b0b3c0a. Good luck, Bernie!