The Schuylkill Navy 9th Annual Awards Banquet is Saturday, February 25th At Lloyd Hall on Philadelphia’s Historic Boathouse Row, Celebrating the Region’s Top Rowers & Coaches

Philadelphia, PA – February 14, 2012 – The Schuylkill Navy 9th Annual Awards Banquet will be celebrated on Saturday, February 25th at Lloyd Hall on Philadelphia historic Boathouse Row. 

A cocktail reception begins at 6 p.m. with dinner beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets are $60 for age 30 and over, $40 for under 30 guests.  Tickets are available online at http://tiny.cc/2rufx.

This year’s Schuylkill Navy Awards Banquet honors a number of outstanding individuals and coaches for their achievements during 2011, while serving as a “launch” for the 2012 season.  Among the honorees at this year’s banquet:

  • Coach of the Year -- Michael Brown, Merion Mercy Academy;
  • Masters of the Year -- Theresa Savard, Philadelphia Girlsʼ Rowing Club and Ted Trocky, Malta Boat Club;
  • Athletes of the Year -- Megan Walsh and Catherine Reddick, Vesper Boat Club; Joe Spencer and Steve Kasprzyk, Penn Athletic Club; and Jason Read, Temple University & Penn Athletic Club.

Special guest Fred Duling will be also be at the banquet, signing copies of the new Boathouse Row Cookbook, which supports his rehabilitation.

The winner of the Duling Award for most miles rowed on the Schuylkill in 2011 is Vesper’s Matt Brown with 3,154 miles.

Founded in 1858, The Schuylkill Navy of Philadelphia is the oldest amateur athletic governing body in the United States.  The Schuylkill Navy comprises the 12 clubs of Boathouse Row (in geographical order, East to West along Kelly Drive): Fairmount Rowing Association; Pennsylvania Barge Club; Crescent Boat Club; Bachelors Barge Club; University Barge Club; Malta Boat Club; Vesper Boat Club; College Boat Club; Penn Athletic Club Rowing Association; Undine Barge Club; Philadelphia Girls' Rowing Club; and Gillin Boat Club. The clubs share the river with Philadelphia Adaptive Rowing, dragon boats, canoes, and kayaks.   The Schuylkill Navy is also the organizers of the Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series, which brings together 20 previously independent rowing events in the first organized year-long series of rowing events of its kind in any major U.S. city. 

Among the notable award winners:
  • Michael Brown from Merion Mercy Academy will be presented with The Schuylkill Navy Coach of the Year award.  Brown helped launch the school’s rowing program in 2005 as head coach, and under his direction the program has won 13 Philadelphia City Championship medals (six gold, five silver and two bronze); two Stotesbury Cup medals (both silver) and four Scholastic National Championship medals (one gold, two silver and two bronze).  Marion Mercy Academy finished second in the Philadelphia Scholastic Rowing Association point trophy in four consecutive seasons (2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.  Last season was one of Merion Mercy Academy’s most successful years, as the Varsity 4 was undefeated during the regular season, winning gold in Miami, Mercer and at the City Championships. At the 2011 Stotesbury Cup, Merion Mercy placed second but was the first U.S. crew to place.  Merion Mercy avenged their lone loss of the season by besting E L Crossley of Canada at the Scholastic National Championships on Memorial Day and then defeated The Ladies Hollis School of England for the Groton Cup at Henley’s Women’s Regatta on Father’s Day.
  • Jason Reed, the women’s rowing head coach at Temple University, is one of only three rowers in history win Gold at the Under-23, Pan American and Olympic Games.  In 2011, he was selected to his 13th national team, and was the 2011 Pan American Team Captain and Flag Bearer, the first rower in history to be named the flag bearer for an Olympic or Pan American Games.  He was the Pan Am Gold medalist in the Men's Eight, and is the only NCAA Division I head coach currently actively training for the 2012 Olympics as a member of the United States national team.  He is a 2012 nominee for the AAU Sullivan Award which honors the nation's top amateur athlete. 
·         Megan Walsh (Vesper) and Catherine Reddick (Penn AC) both earned Silver and Bronze medals at the 2011 Pan Am Games in Guadalajara, Mexico as members of the US National Team competing in the Women’s 2x and Women’s 4x. 
·         Steve Kasprzyk (Penn AC) won the Pan Am Games trials in the 4-, was first in the Pan Am Games 8, fifth in the 4-, and second at the US East Coast speed orders in pair, which also earned him an invitation to the U.S. Olympic Eights selection camp under Philadelphia native, coach Mike Teti.
·         Joe Spencer (Penn AC) won the Pan Am Games trials in the 4-, was first in the Pan Am Games 8, fifth in the 4-, and second at the US East Coast speed orders in pair, which also earned him an invitation to the U.S. Olympic Eights selection camp under Philadelphia native, coach Mike Teti.

Wintech Racing, Philadelphia Brewing Company, Kieffer's Appliance and Mariner Insurance Group have provided sponsorship for The Schuylkill Navy 9th Annual Awards Banquet.

The Schuylkill Navy 9th Annual Awards Banquet marks the beginning of the 2012 season on the river, and the second year of the Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series, which brings together 20 previously independent events into the first year-long regatta series in the United States. With three of the largest regattas in the Mid-Atlantic region on the schedule, as well as two of the nation's oldest regattas, the Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series connects the rowing competitors of today to the historic home of the international rowing elite. It is built upon a tradition that launched November 12, 1835 with the first organized regatta on the Schuylkill (a full eight years before the start of the rowing program at Harvard). Over 175 years later, the Schuylkill River hosts more regattas annually than any other river in the nation. The Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series schedule for 2012 runs from Sunday, March 18 and continues through Sunday, November 11.  Last year’s debut season featured over 35,000 competitors in over 7,700 boats representing not only high schools but colleges, clubs, masters and open programs from around the country. 

The Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series has been recognized by the Philadelphia Sports Congress as one of the "Premier Annual Events" for the city, state and region along with the Penn Relays (April); Blue Cross Broad Street Run (May); Devon Horse Show (May); TD Bank Philadelphia International Cycling Championship (June); Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon (June); ING Rock 'n' Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon (September); the Philadelphia Marathon (November) and Army-Navy Football.

The official host hotel of the 2012 Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series is the Crowne Plaza Philadelphia Downtown.  Official sponsors of the Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series include Monarch Travel Services and Spike's Trophies. Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington and Double Tree Suites by Hilton Philadelphia West are hotel partners of the Philadelphia Classic Regatta Series.

Additional information is available at http://www.BoathouseRow.org.

Media Contact:
Jim DeLorenzo
215-564-1122
jim@jhdenterprises.com