History of the St. Mary's Rowing Program  

               

  

   In 1976, after the demise of the rowing program at Wayne State University, the founding coach, a legend by the name of Judson Ross, moved his equipment, including the "Pocock 8" shell used by the University of Washington in the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, and offered to coach a prep rowing program at St. Mary's.  In 1979, due to failing health, Judson Ross passed the coaching duties to Jack "Laddie" LeBlanc, his close friend and associate of many years.  Laddie took over and continued Judson's legacy with the old equipment.  In 1988, the Pocock 8 shell was retired from active duty as the program continued to grow at St. Mary's and new funding and boosters support offered new and more modern equipment for the rowing program.  Laddie retired as Head Coach in 1996, but continued to assist in 1997 and 1998.  Kevin Van Houten took over as Head Coach in 1996 and stepped down in 1999, handing the reins over to Mike German.  In the fall of 2006, John Ray took over as Head Coach when Mike German resigned to take a new administrative position in Farmington.

 

   The rowing program has continued to grow and gain increasing prominence and recognition, and in recent years as achieved many accomplishments:

   St. Mary's crew may have had its finest year to date in the spring of 1998, when not only did the team win the overall team Midwest Championship, the Senior 8 crew went undefeated throughout the regular season.  They won the prestigious Stotesbury Cup Regatta in Philadelphia, the Canadian Schoolboy Championships, the U.S. National Championships and gained international recognition by taking second at the Henley Royal Regatta at Henley-on-Thames, England.

 

 

Prep Rowing

 

Copyright 2006, St. Mary's Preparatory, Orchard Lake, Michigan.  All rights reserved.

No logos, photographs, or graphics on the site may be reproduced without written permission.