FALL 2014 Newsletter
INSIDE
2
2
2014 Fall Crew Roster Catching Up with Crew Alumni
2
Coaches Corner
3
2014 Spring Highlights
3 Spring Season Awards
4 Donors
4
Crew’s Wish List
ENDOWMENT ESTABLISHEd, lead gift received
Fall Rowing Returns TO BERKSHIRE While the school year came to a close in early June, the momentum was just starting to build for rowing at Berkshire School. It was a remarkable spring crew season filled with record setting performances — highlighted by the winningest season by any girls first boat in recent history and all four boys boats qualifying for the NEIRA Championship Regatta for just the second time in school history. These and other accomplishments, the record-setting numbers of scholar-athletes participating in the sport each season, and the enduring impact of the sport on alumni have resulted in the school accelerating its commitment to developing Berkshire’s crew program by reintroducing fall crew at the School. “I’m thrilled that Berkshire’s renewed commitment to crew will impact the experiences of our rowers in such powerful and lasting ways,” said Head of School Pieter Mulder. “I envision crew as a cornerstone of Berkshire’s athletic program going forward.” Of course, this is all made possible by your continued support of the program. Thank you.
Girls 1st Boat at Founder’s Day (left to right) Sophie Perekslis ‘14, Annette Key ‘16, Arwen Neski ‘15, Renee Dreher ‘15, Olivia Good ‘15
Row Bears! – Coach MacKenzie and Coach Olson
With an eye towards long-term success, an ambitious goal of raising $2 million to endow the crew program has been established. An endowment of this size will allow Berkshire Crew to provide an unmatched co-curricular experience for current students and generations of future Bears. Up-to-date equipment, international rowing opportunities, a dedicated on-campus training space, and more depth in our coaching staff will all be much closer to reality when the endowment goal is reached. A tremendous step towards that goal has been taken; The Thompson Family Foundation, as part of a larger gift to Berkshire, made a $750,000 gift to the crew endowment. This incredibly generous gift speaks volumes about the support Berkshire Crew has among parents, alumni, and friends.
FRIENDS OF BERKSHIRE ROWING We are excited to announce the formation of Friends of Berkshire Rowing (FBR), a new group dedicated to supporting the boys and girls crew programs at Berkshire. FBR includes current and past parents, alumni, and friends of the team who will be working to help maintain and strengthen the School’s crew program. This work will range from providing refreshments and moral support on race day, to coordinating fundraising for new equipment and other team expenses. “We all feel quite passionately about a sport that has captivated our children and we look forward to doing all we can to support a strengthened commitment to rowing at Berkshire,” said Danielle Dyer, an FBR founding member. In addition to helping with the teams’ short-term equipment needs, FBR will be focusing on the long-term goals of the rowing program. The first long term need that has been identified is an endowment fund to support regular new boat purchases. Eventually, a sufficiently robust endowment could meet many of the program’s operating expenses.
Captains Sophie Perekslis ‘14 and Arwen Neski ‘15 christen the Callisto while their teammates look on. Scan the QR code to read the full story behind Callisto.
2014 Fall Roster Name
Class Hometown
Alexander Amero Anthony DeChellis Renee Dreher Wilfred Dyer Kloman Pedro Escobar Samuel Gatsos Jordan Greco Ian Heissenbuttel James Hovey Ehan Keator Bryce Laigle John Leasure William MacClarence Arwen Neski Jared Renzi Richard Riegel Alexander Saslove Tyler Smith Philipp Vogtland Robin Vogtland Alden Weiss
2017 2015 2015 2017 2015 2017 2015 2017 2015 2016 2015 2015 2015 2015 2016 2015 2018 2016 2017 2016 2016
New Canaan, CT New Canaan, CT Aspen, CO Lenox, MA Wellington, FL New York, NY Peconic, NY Lakeville, CT Wyckoff, NJ Lenox, MA West Cornwall, CT Darien, CT Loudonville, NY Ashley Falls, MA Richmond, MA Bedford Hills, NY Aspen, CO West Hartford, CT Iserlohn, Germany Hagen, Germany Vienna, Austria
CATching up with crew alumni Several former Bears competed for their college teams last spring. Morgan Burgess ’11 completed her third season at Hobart and William Smith, rowing in the Herons’ JV boat. She had a successful season, as her boat won gold at the Liberty League Championships and New York State Championships, before finishing 6th at the ECAC, NIRC Regatta. Maddy Maher ’13 competed for Hamilton College, racing in the varsity eight, usually in the six or four seat. Her boat finished 10th at the ECAC/NIRC, and the team ended the season ranked 12th nationally. Will Knight ’13 finished his freshman year at the University of Wisconsin in style, winning the EARC Sprints as a member of the Badgers’ 2nd freshman eight, then competing at IRAs as part of the 3rd varsity eight. Will’s boat won the third level final, finishing 13th overall. Lars Robinson ’13 managed a heavy load in his first year at West Point with classes, cadet training, and rowing. He sat in stroke seat of Army’s first freshmen heavyweight eight for much of the season and competed at the Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia.
COACHES CORNER Girls’ Coach: Paul MacKenzie Mr. MacKenzie began his rowing career at Georgetown University, where he was a member of the Lightweight crew. After graduation, he rowed competitively for the Riverside Boat Club. He began his coaching career at Wellesley College and has also coached at Williams College, Buckingham, Brown & Nichols School and Brooks School. Mr. MacKenzie, in his eleventh year at Berkshire, teaches history and works in the College Counseling Office. He and his wife, Maura, live on campus with their two children.
Boys’ Coach: David Olson A native of New Hampshire, Mr. Olson learned to row at Philips Exeter Academy and continued his career at the University of New Hampshire. Prior to Berkshire, Mr. Olson coached at Great Bay Rowing and taught at Kennett H.S., in North Conway, NH. This is Mr. Olson’s third year at Berkshire. He teaches English and lives in Allen dormitory.
Girls’ Coach: Kate Davison Kate Davison is thrilled to be joining the Berkshire Crew coaching staff. Ms. Davison began her rowing career at The Derryfield School in Manchester, NH, and went on to row at Dartmouth College. Her accomplishments include winning bronze and silver in the women’s eight at the 2002 and 2003 FISA Junior World Rowing Championships, as well as receiving first team All-American and All-New England honors during her time at Dartmouth. Ms. Davison lives on campus with her fiancé, Seth Cohen, who is teaching physics and astronomy at Berkshire.
Boys’ Coach: Tim Lance Dr. Lance has served as the boys crew assistant coach since 2013. While attending high school, Dr. Lance spent his days rowing for the Albany Rowing Center. He teaches math and serves as a mentor in the Advanced Math/Science Research Program. Dr. Lance lives on campus with his wife and son.
SPRING SEASON
AWARDS GIR LS CR EW Berkshire Crew Trophy (Most Improved) Molly O’Neill ‘17 and Annette Key ‘16 W. Chattin Wetherill Trophy (Spirit) Arwen Neski ‘15 Arwen Neski ’15 (third from left) earned a spot on the Worlds Development Team, a group of 10 girls that traveled to Banyoles, Spain, to train and race. Arwen is looking forward to vying for a spot in a national team boat next summer.
2014 SPRING Highlights Berkshire’s girls crew team — an interesting mix that featured a first boat of experienced rowers and a second boat of novices — enjoyed a very successful spring season. Each boat made tremendous progress over the course of the season, and the future looks bright for the girls team. The boys team, meanwhile, followed up their best-ever 2013 campaign by raising the bar in 2014. The girls first boat of Sophie Perekslis ’14, Annette Key ’16, Arwen Neski ’15, Renee Dreher ’15, and cox Olivia Good ’15 had the winningest season of any girls boat in recent history. A loss to Choate in the first race of the season, and a fifth place finish at Founder’s Day were the only competitions in which the team did not cross the finish line first. The team’s final overall record of 19-5 earned the girls the No. 7 seed for New Englands. With over 35 participants and additional equipment around the boathouse, the boys team was able to regularly practice with six boats on the water, leading to more competition and improved results over the course of the season. A spring filled with good results made sure the Bears qualified the full contingent of four boats for the NEIRA Championship Regatta for the second time in school history, and second year in a row. At the NEIRA regatta, the Bears improved upon last year’s finish by qualifying the 3rd boat for the grand finals, where they eventually finished 5th overall in New England.
David P. Madio Bowl (Most Valuable) Olivia Good ‘15 The Gator (Career Achievement) Sophie Perekslis ‘14 Captains for 2014-15 Arwen Neski ’15, Renee Dreher ’15, Olivia Good ‘15
BO YS CR EW Berkshire Crew Trophy (Most Improved) The 3rd boat: Molly Coleman ‘16, Pedro Escobar ‘15, Ivan Kulchitsky ‘16, Milton Martinez ‘15 and Jared Renzi ‘16 W. Chattin Wetherill Trophy (Spirit) Austin Hovey ‘15 David P. Madio Bowl (Most Valuable) Eric Smith ‘14 Captains for 2014-15 Richard Riegel ’15 and Pedro Escobar ‘15
John Leasure ’15 (left) helped stroke Maritime’s Boy’s Club 4 to several strong showings while rowing for the Maritime Rowing Club in Connecticut over the summer. The boys team celebrates after sweeping Dexter School in Lakeville, CT.
245 North Undermountain Road Sheffield, MA 01257 Address Service Requested
Left: Girls 1st Boat (from right) Sophie Perekslis ’14, Annette Key ’16, Arwen Neski ’15, Renee Dreher ‘15, Olivia Good ‘15 (not seen) Right: Boys 1st Boat (from left) Dylan O’Connor ’14, Richard Riegel ’15, John Leasure ’15, Roy Faigenbaum ’14, Nick Asaro ’14 (not seen)
We NEEd YOU! Support our Crew Team by making a donation today! To donate online, scan this QR code with your mobile device or go to alumni.berkshireschool.org/donate. Please be sure to designate your gift to the Crew Program. For any questions, contact Myra Riiska at 413-229-1225 or email mriiska@berkshireschool.org.
Wish List Item
Cost TOTAL
Cox Box Mini & Speed Coach Dynamic Ergs Oars Ergs (4) Wakeless Launch New Dock Boys boat
$520 $1,250 $2,700 $900 $9,000 $15,000 $22,000
$520 $2,500 $2,700 $3,600 $9,000 $15,000 $22,000
thank you for your support! Mr. John G. Boucher Ms. Lara Gutsch Dario ‘86 Mr. Anthony J. DeChellis Mr. and Mrs. Timothy M. Donovan Mr. and Mrs. Bruce R. Dreher Mr. and Mrs. Edward B. Dunn Mr. Rudi C. Ehrlich ‘92 Mr. and Mrs. John D. Gatsos Mr. and Mrs. David E. Houseman Mr. James A. Hovey ‘15 Dr. Alexander S. Kloman and Ms. Danielle A. Dyer Mrs. Diana Fulford LaCasse Ms. Cathy Landau-Painter Mrs. Jessica Cohen Light ‘96
Mr. William T. MacClarence ‘15 Ms. Suzanne M. Mazzarelli Mrs. Lara Schefler McLanahan ‘86 and Mr. William D. McLanahan Mr. and Mrs. Sean F. O’Connor Mr. Scott A. Perekslis and Ms. Terri J. Lundquist Mr. and Mrs. Henry L. Savage, Jr. Mr. Brian T. Sells ‘84 Capt. Andrew R. Shebelut ‘04 Thompson Family Foundation Lt. Travis T. Vayda ‘07 Mr. Michael C. Voorhis ‘87 Mr. John W. Watkins, Jr. ‘06
For more information, please contact Paul MacKenzie at pmackenzie@berkshireschool.org or call 413-229-1208. Connect with Berkshire www.Facebook.com/berkshire.school www.Twitter.com/berkshireschool www.Instagram.com/berkshireschool Photography: Risley Sports Photography and Berkshire School