Since our inception, the H. Del Beekley Rowing Foundation has managed our donations through a Donor Advised Fund at the San Diego Foundation. While nothing about that relationship has changed, the San Diego Foundation recently moved their secure online donation system to a new and improved platform called Blackbaud.
The great news for us is that
The new donation form is significantly easier to fill out, with a much cleaner design than the previous system, making it easier than ever to sign up for the 1925 Club!
It allows both Credit Card-based online donations as well as the ability to set up Direct Debit from a personal or business bank account
So, if you haven’t donated in a while, or have been looking for an excuse to join our highly successful 1925 Club, please head on over to our new donation portal and try it on for size!
Even small donations make a big difference over time. Most recently, they helped us to purchase $6000 worth of parts so that the team could start the year with the fleet working at its best.
The only bad news is that our existing 1925 Club patrons will need to re-enroll in the new platform in order to continue their support. So, we’ll be reaching out to work on getting all of our existing donors converted to our new system beginning in September.
The H. Del Beekley Rowing Foundation cordially invites you to participate in our 5th Golf Tournament Fundraiser on Saturday, March 11th at the highly rated Admiral Baker Golf Course in San Diego.
The morning will start off with player check-in opening at 8:45 AM. At that time players will get a golf cart, some range balls, and will have some time to get their practice swings in at the driving range before our tee times begin at 9:33 AM. Then we’ll kick off our Scramble format tournament through the links. So, whether you consider yourself a pro or more of a duffer, you’re sure to have a great time and end the round with a solid score!
In addition to the tournament itself, we will have a couple of challenges along the course for anyone who elects to buy the Bonus Packs. The first will be the Longest Drive competition where you can unleash your best drive and put yourself in the running for a prize at the end of the event. The second challenge will require a bit more finesse as you take aim to get the closest to the pin on one of the shorter holes on the course. If the big drive and pin challenges elude you on the course, your bonus pack also buys you raffle tickets to put you in the running for prizes at the end of the event.
All net proceeds from the event will go directly to the H. Del Beekley Rowing Foundation. The success of this event depends on the involvement of many individuals as well as business sponsors who participate in the event and sponsor tees or raffle items. If you or your business are interested in sponsoring a tee or the event through in-kind items, or would like to make a straight donation, please contact the Beekley Rowing Foundation board by emailing info@beekleyrowing.org.
The following registration options are now open on our Square Checkout registration site. Online registration will close on Sunday, February 26th at midnight, so head on over and sign up for the event. Or better yet, rally up a foursome of your buddies and take advantage of reduced pricing for a Foursome with Bonus Pack. And remember, while this event is hosted by the Beekley Rowing Foundation, participation in the event is open to all! We’re looking forward to seeing you on the course!
Foursome or 3 Players + Sponsor an Athlete – $475 Includes golf, carts and range balls for 4 golfers. Only have a three-some? We’ll round out your threesome with a current team member.
Foursome Bonus Pack – $90 Includes 4 Closest to the Hole, 4 Longest Drive and 120 Raffle tickets
Single golfer – $125 Includes golf, cart and range balls
Single Under 27 Golfer or Athlete Sponsorship – $105 Includes golf, cart and range balls for people under the age of 27
Under 27 foursome – $410 Includes golf, cart and range balls for 4 people under the age of 27
Bonus Pack – $25 Includes Closest to the Hole, Longest Drive and 30 Raffle tickets
Tee Sponsor – $150 Includes Tee Sign and 30 Raffle Tickets
On Saturday, March 5th, the team travelled up to Newport Beach to compete in the Cal Challenge Cup against some of the best men’s programs on the west coast. CCC was a great opportunity for the crew to see the on-the-water progress made from the head racing season with the chance to line up against a number of the crews faced as we closed out the Fall last November.
Running a shorter course (~1400 meters) and three Henley style duel races serving as pool play to score points and earn the chance to race for a Cup in a final later in the day, the Cal Challenge Cup is unlike any other race we’ll attend all year.
Keep your eye out for the full article on AztecRowing.com in the next few days.
Crew Classic Racing
It’s finally almost here! The 49th Annual San Diego Crew Classic, one of the largest regattas of the entire season, is quickly approaching. This year the event will be held on March 26th and 27th. Due to COVID’s impact on the returning oarsmen, this year your Aztecs will be focusing on the Novices – with entries in the Collegiate Novice 8+ A and B categories. Currently, the A boat heats are scheduled to begin at 12:39pm on Saturday, and the B boat Final-only is scheduled for Sunday at 11:51am. Please plan to join us for a weekend of world-class racing featuring a carne asada BBQ from the “Carne Brothers” Andy Olson and Dan Smith, and our annual H. Del Beekley board meeting.
Annual Board Meeting
Presentation by former coach Chuck Datte
This year’s annual Annual Meeting will be held in person following the team BBQ at 1:00 PM on Sunday, March 27th, at the SDSU Alumni tent. The Annual Meeting hosts important discussions about the current state of the program and foundation as well as plans and projects in the works to keep the team and foundation moving forward and growing in the coming years.
Most notably, the The Annual Meeting is also when the Foundation Board positions are opened up for reelection. This year we have at least one vacancy on the H. Del Beekley Board that we would love to fill with an Alumni that would like to stay involved and give back to the program that has given us all so much. If you have any level of interest in running for a board position or helping in the coming year, please send an email to info@beekleyrowing.org for more information. Please keep in mind all alumni, both recent and distant, are encouraged to serve on the Board. The 6 members meet virtually once a month, so you can contribute no matter where you live.
The 4th Annual H. Del Beekley Rowing Foundation Golf Tournament was held on Saturday, February 12th 2022 at the South Course of the highly rated Admiral Baker Golf Course in San Diego. As our largest tournament held to date, this event hosted 40 participants consisting of current and former Athletes ranging from 1979 to 2022, as well as Head Coach Craig Doan and other friends of the program.
The event saw our first foursome tee off at 7:45 AM and the 10th foursome got underway just before 9:00 AM. Thanks to alumnus Matt Pawlak, the teams were able to use real-time online scoring to track their foursomes scores against the other teams as they progressed through the course. Thankfully the scoring platform didn’t track real-time trash talking, because there was plenty of friendly banter between the teams out on the course.
Aside from the main tournament, the golfers individually had the opportunity to participate in two on-course challenges. The first was the “Closest to the Hole” challenge held on the shortest hole of the course, at just 170 yards from the tee to the hole. Alumnus Matt Pawlak (2001-2004) took the prize by landing his tee shot just 43 feet and 11 inches from the hole!
By the time the teams made it to hole 14, they were greeted by our second challenge, the “Longest Drive”. This hole was particularly well suited for a long straight drive down the fairway, and alumnus Aaron Pollock (1989-1990) answered the call by unleashing a 309 yard drive to take the victory.
Rick Miller and our winning Foursome
By about midpoint in the tournament there was one foursome that started to amass a bit of a lead, and had the envy of the rest of the field. After finishing up on the 18th hole, the team of alumnus Rick Miller (2006-2008) had set what would be the tournament winning score of 62 at 10 under par! Detailed results from the event as well as a list of all of our pairings can be found at our Tournament site,
After the remaining foursomes finished the course, we all gathered on the back patio of the River’s Edge Cafe for some much needed food, refreshment, and shade from the unusually warm February day. Once everyone got settled we kicked off our awards ceremony and raffled off the amazing prizes donated by the generous sponsors of this year’s event!
NewslettersComments Off on Aztec Rowing Fall Recap And Golf Tournament Announcement
Jan042022
To the Aztec Alumni, Supporters, and Friends… Happy New Year!
[from left to right] Sean Durkin, Dan Richter, Royce Cumming, Brent Wishnack, Levi Imbuzan, Matt Stewart, Kameron Kennington
2021 Alumni Row – Recap
After a forced (and very long) “off-season”, the team was finally allowed to bring back special events and gatherings. Kicking it off was the 2021 Fall Alumni row, in which alumni shake off the dust and row alongside the current athletes for a casual practice. This year saw an impressive number of attendees – 18 alums.
Many were locals but some, such as former Team President Royce Cumming, made an effort to travel from the East Coast to show support!
The Varsity 8 competing at Fall Classic
Team Update: Fall Recap
Aztec Rowing is back! The team was finally able to flex their competitive muscles and venture forth into the 2021 fall racing season. For the mostly novice crew, the San Diego Fall Classic was their first experience at an official regatta, and they ended up walking away with a solid learning experience and clear understanding of how much work they needed to put in to be ready for the sprints in the spring. Starting the next week at practice, Craig saw a renewed spirit and focus from the team as they prepared for the Long Beach Sprints which would be the only other race for the Fall and a first introduction to sprints for most of the team. They ended up racing a “Varsity” 8 with six of the top novices in it and beat the UC Varsity 8. They also raced two Novice 8’s that collectively won 2 out of the 6 races they competed in and ended up within a boat length of the UCLA 8 that the Aztecs trailed by a much wider margin just a few weeks prior.
After the Long Beach Sprints, the team wrapped up their fall season with commitments from 18 novices to not only come back in the Spring, but to participate in a winter training schedule designed by Coach Craig to help the team come back ready to hit the ground running in the Spring. As with most rebuilding years, the team also plans to recruit on campus again with the intention to bring at least another 8 of novices into the program to increase the teams depth and ensure a larger squad of returners to kick off next Fall.
Alumnus Ed Baldry (left) and the family of George Louis Gadsden present the team with a memorial plaque at the Fall Classic boat christening
Fall Classic Boat Christening
We at the Beekley Foundation are immensely grateful and proud to announce that in 2019, your cumulative donations helped purchase a Pocock 8+ for the team. As per tradition, the boat was finally christened via a ceremonial champagne bath at the San Diego Fall Classic.
As many of you already know, boats are often named after a person of significance with respect to the strength and tradition that is the hallmark of Aztec Rowing. The newly christened CWO4 George Louis Gadsden is no exception.
We were honored to have close friends and family of George Louis Gadsen in attendance at the race. After the racing, a catered lunch was held in their honor.
To all those who attended, especially those closely related to the Gadsen family…thank you.
The Foundation is pleased to announce that on Saturday Feb 12th, 2022 we will again be hosting the H. Del Beekley Foundation Golf Tournament at the beautiful and centrally located Admiral Baker golf course. As with previous years, the tournament will be hosted in a Scramble format that has each foursome working together to get the best score per hole and keeps things fun and competitive for even the most novice golfers. More details about the event event can be found at our eventbrite registration site located here
If you’re unable to attend the event but still want to help, please consider sponsoring a rower at a reduced price, or reach out to info@beekleyrowing.org if you have any items that you’d be willing to contribute as prizes for the event.
EventsComments Off on 2022 Golf Tournament Announcement
Jan032022
The H. Del BeekleyRowing Foundation cordially invites you to participate in our 4th Golf Tournament Fundraiser on Saturday, February 12th at the highly rated Admiral Baker Golf Course in San Diego.
The morning will start off with player check-in opening at 7:30 AM. At that time players will get a golf cart, some range balls, and will have some time to get their practice swings in at the driving range before our tee times begin at 8:03 AM. At that point we’ll be kicking off our Scramble format tournament through the links. So, whether you consider yourself a pro or more of a duffer, you’re sure to have a great time and end the round with a solid score!
In addition to the tournament itself, we will have a couple of challenges along the course for anyone who elects to buy the Bonus Packs. The first will be the Longest Drive competition where you can unleash your best drive and put yourself in the running for a prize at the end of the event. The second challenge will require a bit more finesse as you take aim to get the closest to the pin on one of the shorter holes on the course. If the big drive and pin challenges elude you on the course, your bonus pack also buys you raffle tickets to put you in the running for a prize at the end of the event.
All net proceeds from the event will go directly to the H. Del Beekley Rowing Foundation. The success of this event depends on the involvement of many individuals as well as business sponsors who participate in the event and sponsor tees or raffle items. If you or your business are interested in sponsoring a tee or the event through in-kind items, or would like to make a straight donation, please contact the Beekley Rowing Foundation board by emailing info@beekleyrowing.org.
Registration has officially closed with the highest number of participants we’ve seen yet!
Registration Options
Foursome or 3 Players + Sponsor an Athlete – $450 Includes golf, carts and range balls for 4 golfers. Only have a three-some? We’ll round out your threesome with a current team member.
Foursome Bonus Pack – $90 Includes 4 Closest to the Hole, 4 Longest Drive and 120 Raffle tickets
Single golfer – $120 Includes golf, cart and range balls
Single Under 27 Golfer or Athlete Sponsorship – $100 Includes golf, cart and range balls for people under the age of 27
Under 27 foursome – $400 Includes golf, cart and range balls for 4 people under the age of 27
Bonus Pack – $25 Includes Closest to the Hole, Longest Drive and 30 Raffle tickets
Tee Sponsor – $150 Includes Tee Sign and 30 Raffle Tickets
UncategorizedComments Off on Boat Dedication of the “CWO4 George Louis Gadsden”
Nov142021
CWO4 George Louis Gadsden
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
UncategorizedComments Off on Fall Classic Alumni Row & Boat Dedication
Oct312021
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.
NewslettersComments Off on Team Update: Fall Recruiting, New Alumni Events, and More
Oct162021
Newly minted SDSU rowers take to Mission Bay
2021 Fall Season Recruiting
As the holiday season approaches, we find ourselves at a new beginning, with a season full of potential for your Aztec Crew. Coach Craig and the team hit the ground running and recruited hard. Despite all the challenges with COVID and a limited number of varsity athletes, the team drew an impressive amount of interest in the the team and holds a current novice squad of 26 rowers and 3 coxswains – including 6 rowers & 2 coxswains with prior rowing experience.
The influx of experienced rowers over the previous few recruiting classes has allowed the team to accelerate the learning curve of the novice walk-on’s and we’re excited to see that play out in the upcoming competitions. While still continuing to recruit on-campus, the return has been the best we’ve seen in recent years. It’s no secret that all teams, regardless of location, club level, or sport, saw their numbers dwindle over the past season. A big recruiting boom this year could lead the team to an accelerated rebuild and hopefully some hardware in not-too-distant future regattas.
Beautiful sunrise on Mission Bay
Open Assistant Coach Position
An opening still remains for an Assistant Coach who will work closely with the Head Coach Craig Doan while focusing primarily on the freshman/novice squad.
This is a part time position with pay between $12,000-$15,000 DOE, paid hourly over 9 months (September – May) plus the potential for summer coaching opportunities, if needed.
Candidates should have four or more years of rowing experience with coaching and/or leadership experience. Recruiting and retention of freshman/novice student-athletes is a primary responsibility of the assistant coaching position and experience and demeanor toward this aspect will carry heavy consideration. If you or anyone you know may be interested, please reach out to Craig at cdoan@sdsu.edu.
Heading back to the boathouse through North Bridge
Fall Classic: Alumni Row & Boat Dedication
his year the weekend of Fall Classic brings two events that we’d love to see a whole bunch of alumni participate in. The first is the Fall Alumni Row on Nov. 13. We’ll be mixing up boats with Varsity, the new Novice Squad, and Alumni to help the team get fired up for Fall Classic. The second is the Fall Classic Regatta on Nov. 14 where the team will be racing throughout the day. After the races we will be hosting the first boat dedication for the team in years! We’re still firming up the details and will be following up in the next few weeks, but we hope you can attend one or both of the events.
We cannot emphasize enough how much we value and appreciate the feedback from our vast array of alumni. Comments and concerns are deeply considered and used to help guide future decision making and financial planning. So far, we have received nearly 100 responses, and are eager to make that number larger.
If you have not had the chance to make your voice heard, please take a few minutes to fill out this year’s alumni survey, which can be found here: Take the Survey
With the first day of classes for the fall semester starting on August 23, Coach Craig and the Team Executive Board (Officers) are finalizing their on-campus recruiting plan and starting to put it into action. The first gathering of the returning squad of athletes will happen on August 18th, where Coach Craig and the officers will be laying out their goals and expectations for the coming season, as well as assigning responsibilities for the upcoming recruiting events that start on the very same day.
Recruiting events will kick off with team representatives volunteering at Move-In-Day, where school ambassadors volunteer to talk with students, greet parents and family members, answer questions, provide directions, help new students ease the transition into the SDSU community, and hopefully pick up some interest for the team along the way. After that, they will have Athletes recruiting at the Res Life (resident hall) welcome events on the 18th and 19th, the ARC-til-Dark event on the 22nd, the Associated Students Expo on the 25th, and a massive push at the Sports Clubs Expo event that is tentatively scheduled to take over the North Library Walkway from Tuesday 8/31 through Thursday 9/2. If you’re a local alumni and have interest in helping out, please contact Coach Craig at cdoan@sdsu.edu
In addition to the recruiting efforts planned for the first few weeks of classes, Coach Craig has been using his contacts as a WIRA Steward and now Crew Classic Board member to bring in 4 recruits who have junior rowing experience from places like Sacramento and Texas to bolster the existing squad of returners. Coach Craig also reported that he’s been in contact with several “walk-on” athletes that have already expressed interest in joining the program through their social media and website outreach.
Strong fall recruiting has always been a critical key to the success of the program. After essentially being put on pause for the last year and a half due to COVID, Coach Craig and the returners will be doing a “Full Court Press” on their recruiting efforts to launch the program into a successful year.
Assistant Coach Position
Since Coach Craig took over as head coach in the Fall of 2019, he has been the only paid coach supporting the program with some assistance from volunteer alumni coaches. The plan was to hire an assistant coach for the 2020 season, but COVID put a bit of a damper on that… With all of the effort around recruiting, and the plan to bring a few more boats of athletes to the program, Coach Craig and the Officers have decided to post and recruit for a new Assistant Coaching position to help with both the on-water practices as well as on-campus training activities. If you know of anyone interested in the position, please encourage them to apply through the Associated Students job posting.
2021 Alumni Survey
The 2021 Alumni Survey is still active and we’d love to hear from as many Alumni as we can. If you haven’t yet filled out the survey, please head on over and take the survey. After that, please do us a favor and reach out via email or post on Social/Twitter/Facebook/Instagram to any alumni that you’re in contact with and encourage them to fill it out as well. The responses so far have been great and have even included some constructive criticism. We want to hear it all! Please share the survey to help us get the word out.
Schedule of Events
While the schedule for the upcoming year still has a whole bunch of “tentative/tbd” in front of it, we’re making plans as if all things COVID will allow them to happen. Stay tuned as these events get closer for more details, but for now, here’s what to expect:
Rediscover this 1986 LA Times article about the champion lightweight 8+, Del Hayes, Tom Hartley, Scott Petry, Brian Hughes, John Lingham, Bruce Branstine, and the rest of the returning crew of 1986 under coach Chuck Datte.
