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.