The Tony Carr Boat Fund: Ten Years Later

In 1986 a parent group wanted to recognize Tony Carr for his (at the time) twenty-two years of service and leadership to the Brentwood College Rowing Club. At the time, Tony’s crews had won a handful of national championships and there were nine athletes who had represented Canada at the Olympics, including a gold and bronze medalist. Trevor Wilson, Governor and parent, spearheaded the campaign to raise the money for a new German Empacher 8+. Since then the AC Carr I has won more national championships (6) than any other boat in Brentwood history. This spring, after 27 years of service, the AC Carr I will be transported to the Eastern Seaboard to start a new career in New Brunswick. Tony, Head Rowing Coach at Brentwood for 39 years, retired in June, 2003. He made an enormous contribution to the Brentwood Rowing Club, in the Chemistry classroom and as a Houseparent. When Tony retired in 2003, a group of his former rowers established a fund to replace the AC Carr I in perpetuity. This group included the following accomplished Brentonians: Ro Hindson, Crew of 1969 – Ro was the first scholarship student athlete to go to the University of Pennsylvania from Brentwood. Ro decided to go the rugby route – good choice. He went on to become one of the greatest rugby players in Canadian history. This past spring Ro was inducted into the British Columbia’s Sports Hall of Fame. Ro’s three children, Will, Ben and Emily are all Brentonians. Joel Cotter, Crew of 1970 – Joel was the first “famous” athlete of the new school. He competed for BC at the 1969 Canada Summer Games in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In his Grade 12 year, Joel and his partner Brian Crooks, went to the Pan American Games trials in Nelson BC where they narrowly missed making the Canadian team. Jeff Allester, Crew of 1972 – Jeff stroked Brentwood’s first National Championship 8+ in 1972. From Brentwood, he went on to row at the University of British Columbia and later for the Canadian lightweight team. John Menefee, Crew of 1978 – John stroked the 1978 Brentwood Varsity 8+ to a Silver medal at the CSSRAs. His crew went on to race at the Henley Royal Regatta where they lost in the final to Eton College. John finished his rowing career at the University of Washington.  David Ross, Crew of 1981 – David went to the University of Victoria to continue his rowing and be close to the national training centre. He rowed in two Olympics, 1984 (coxed four, 5th) and 1988 (coxed pair, 10th).  Darren Barber, Crew of 1987- Darren too went on to row at the University of Victoria. He was a member of the 1992 Olympic Gold medal Canadian 8+ and was in the 8+ in 1996 when they placed 4th, one second away from the bronze. Adam Gray, Crew of 1992 – Adam was a member of the first crew (Sr. Boys 8+) to win an American high school championship in 1992. He went on to row at Yale University, then Cambridge and then the British Lightweight team in 1998. Adam is the present Chair of the Boat Fund.  Greg Hughes, Crew of 1992 – Greg was also part of the Brentwood Sr. Boys 8+ that won the American Schoolboy Championships in 1992. He went on to row for Princeton University for four years. He competed for the United States at the Under 23 lightweight level before hanging up his oar and started coaching at Princeton. He is now the Head Coach of the Princeton Men’s Heavyweight program. Greg was the first Chair of the AC Carr Boat Fund.  Peter Stroble, Crew of 1992 – Peter went to Yale University with Adam Gray. In the summer before going to Yale, Peter was a member of the American Junior 8+ that won the World Championships. After university, Peter spent one season racing with the American Lightweight Men’s team. Morgan Crooks, Crew of 1994 – Morgan’s claim to fame is that he was on the Colt B team in his Grade 9 year and then eight years later he is rowing on the Canadian team at the Olympic Games! Morgan was a two-time Canadian National Champion before moving to Princeton University. He rowed at the National Junior, Under 23 and Senior levels. In 1999, He teamed up with David Calder and was coached by Tony Carr at the World Championships in St. Catharines, Ontario. Morgan then attended Oxford for a year and competed in the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race.  Tom Hershmiller, Crew of 1996 – Tom won four Canadian National titles in high school, as well as Brentwood’s lone victory at the Henley Royal Regatta in England. Tom went on to row at Princeton University for four years. He then raced at the Under 23 and Senior level for Canada. He raced in the eight in 2000 finishing 7th. After Princeton, Tom moved into the training centre in Victoria and earned a spot in the Straight four. In 2003 his four won the world Championship and at the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004, Tom’s four lost by 1/100th of a second to Great Britain. It has been declared one of the greatest races in Olympic history.  Chris Burkmar, Crew of 1996 – Chris was a member of the historic Crew of 1996. An undefeated season featured victories at the San Diego Crew Classic, Brentwood, Opening Day, Canadian National Champions and the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup at English Henley. After high school, Chris went on to row for four years at Princeton University.  Eli Sroka, Crew of 1995 – Eli was a three time Canadian National Champion with the Boys Senior team. She went on to cox the women’s program at Princeton University where she had an outstanding career.  Tara Medina, Crew of 2001 – Tara had an outstanding high school career at Brentwood where she coxed the girls’ crews for three years and then two years with the boys’ crews. She was a national champion in the Boys 72 kg 8+ in 2000. After her Grade 11 and 12 years, Tara went on to compete for the United States at the CanAmMex Regattas. After high school, Tara attended the University of Michigan on a scholarship. She coxed the Varsity 8+ for three years. After graduating from Michigan, Tara got into coaching and was involved in the Washington State Cougars program. She now lives in Mexico where she is running a property management company.  This committee established the fund to honor Tony's legacy at Brentwood by endowing the Senior Boys First 8+ in Tony’s name. The “Tony Carr Boat Fund” is in place so that the Varsity’s 8+ can row in a new shell every three years. The original committee surpassed its initial goal of $100,000 and raised $118,000 from 212 donors.  This is the 10th regatta since Tony Carr has retired and we are proud to be able to christen the AC Carr V. Since the start of the Tony Carr Boat Fund, two new funds were introduced: the John L. Queen Lightweight fund and the Senior Girls Legacy Boat Fund. Between these three funds, we are nearing the $500,000 mark. The Boat Fund Committee has established a long term goal to ultimately endow every boat and blade in the club, so that we can have more students racing in top class equipment across the board.  We are christening one other shell at the 2013 Brentwood Regatta. It will be the new women’s double and will be called the Katrina Wechselberger. Katrina graduated from Brentwood in 2002. She went on to row for Princeton University for four years, winning a national title in 2006. After graduating from Princeton, she went on to represent Canada at the Under 23 World Championships in the straight four. It is an absolute delight that we are christening our new women’s double in her name.  The christenings will take place in front of the boathouse at 12:45 pm on Saturday, April 27th. Alumni in the area, we would love to see you. If you rowed in any one of the five AC Carr eights, or if you rowed for Tony at any time, we would love to get you here for a photo with the new AC Carr V. To all of you that have supported the Brentwood College Rowing Club, many thanks. We hope to see you at the 2013 Brentwood Regatta, April 26-28. As we progress with the next phase of boathouse endowment, we welcome your input and generosity. Brian Carr, Senior Boys Coach, BCRC