Temple University Athletics
Dad Vail Regatta: 1983 Championship Revisted
5.7.08 | Men's Crew
May 7, 2008
PHILADELPHIA - As the Temple University men's crew team prepares for the 2008 Dad Vail Regatta which starts this Friday on the Schuylkill River, former Dad vail gold medalist Matt Godfrey ('05) writes about the 1983 Temple team that will be honored Friday night. It was 25 years ago that this Owl crew became the program's first varsity 8 to win the coveted gold medal at the Dad Vail Regatta.
Temple Captures Dad Vail Championship
By Matt Godfrey ('05)
It was a combination of things in 1983 that allowed Temple University to begin its unprecedented winning streak at the Dad Vails.
It was a promise made to a solid crop of high school recruits.
It was a rule change regarding freshman rowers.
It was an unexpected transfer from an outstanding athlete.
And, maybe most importantly, it was a near-win in the 1982 Dad Vails.
Head coach Gavin White pledged that the `83 Temple crew -- boasting some of the strongest local talent in the Philadelphia area -- would take Dad Vails that year.
Local talent that he knew was needed to accomplish something that stood just outside of the University's reach.
"Gavin got the best kid from every school," said 3-seat Tony Stefanski. "It was a totally local boat."
The rule change was one that allowed freshman rowers to compete in varsity events.
Prior to the change, all freshmen, no matter if they were novice or experienced, were required to compete in freshman events only, no exceptions.
The unexpected transfer was that of Charlie Bracken from Northeastern University in 1982.
"Bracken was definitely the emotional leader on the team," White added. "He wasn't very outspoken, but he didn't need to be. All he had to say was `let's go,' and everyone went."
The 1982 Dad Vails final supplied all the motivation necessary.
"When I took over I told myself `If we can't win it in four years then I'm going to step out of the picture,'" said White.
That fourth year was the 1982 season, and White nearly achieved his goal.
His eight, which included six underclassmen including coxswain Tommy Ellis and Mike Quinn from St. Joe's Prep, Bracken from West Catholic, Stefanski and Jim Rodgers from Holy Spirit, Fran Berger from Father Judge, Joe Sullivan from Monsignor Bonner, led the race the whole way until about the 400-meter mark.
That's when the boat from the Florida Institute of Technology stormed back and won by a length of open water to retain its title.
Luckily for everyone involved with Temple rowing, White reconsidered.
"I felt like we were too close to just walk away. I went against my word and decided to go for one more year," White added.
Although they were that close to winning, White made no guarantees the following year that any of his guys would make the boat again.
All nine seats, including the coxswain, were up for grabs.
"I asked them how they wanted to be remembered," White said. Apparently they all took it to heart, as all seven returning rowers made the boat again along with incoming freshmen John Klemick from St. Joe's Prep and Samuel `Uel' Nesbitt from Atlantic City.
"My senior year I was considering going to Florida to row," remembered Nesbitt.
That was before he was able to talk to White and assistant coach Mike Teti, the now-coach of the U.S. Rowing team.
"Temple just felt like home and (beating) F.I.T. was definitely the team's mantra," Nesbitt added.
Once assembled, the boat steamrolled through the season winning every race they were in.
Then came the Dad Vails.
"I felt like I rowed that race in '82," said Nesbitt. "It was definitely impressed upon myself and John (Klemick) how important of a race this was."
The boat continued its undefeated streak through the preliminary rounds and landed itself a center lane in lane 4 for the final.
"It wasn't a lot of nervousness at the starting line, but a lot of confidence," added Nesbitt.
The boat led wire to wire, according to White, making their move at the 1000-meter pole to widen their lead.
"We took a power 20 and that boat just jumped out of the water," said Nesbitt. "Mike (Quinn) was saying to me from 2-seat `We're going to Henley! We're going to Henley!" Stefanski recalled.
"Tommy was such a good coxswain that I can remember him telling me to pick my hands up a quarter-inch as we came through the Strawberry Mansion Bridge," he added.
The eight screamed across the finish line in first place.
It was the beginning of a dynasty.
"I swear however many people were in the stands that day were all chanting `TEM-PLE, TEM-PLE' so hard that my body was shaking," White remembered.
"It was bedlam," Stefanski added.
