As of April 21, 2007.

Student Officers:
Captain: Adam Fish ‘08
Vice-captain: Emily Chin ‘07
Treasurer: William Morris ‘07
Novice Captain: Ryan Moore ‘07

Coaching Staff:
Head Coach: Gene Kininmonth
Varsity Coach: Joseph Richards

Crew Board (present at March meeting)
Jack Schumacher, Chair
Mike Cook
Mike Gray
James Hoffman
Don Ludwig, Director RecSports
Michael Dominguez, staff
Gabe Valenzuela, staff



Third Quarter Highlights:
The Trojan Navy continued to maintain improved numbers on the squad despite not having a boathouse. Following a successful week of spring break training in Los Gatos, the spring season opened with promise for the USC men with convincing wins for the varsity and novice eights over USD, LMU, Long Beach State and other local competition at the Long Beach Spring Regatta. However, the Trojans followed this up with disappointing results at the San Diego Crew Classic with petite finals appearances for all crews except for the Novice ‘B’ crew. The Trojans returned to form by the end of the quarter with a convincing defense of the George Gordon Cup against LMU, UCSB and Sacramento State on April 21st.

Health Report:
The recent quarter saw the men’s rowing program plagued by a series of serious staph infections. Staph, the shortened name for Staphylococcus, is a type of bacteria that can live harmlessly on the skin surface but when the skin is punctured or broken for any reason, staph bacteria can enter the wound and cause an infection. Typically associated with hospital visits, three members of the varsity crew were infected with serious pus-forming abscesses in March and April. One oarsman was hospitalized for a week with a staph infected thumb and at one point doctors considered removing the thumb. Two other oarsmen were treated for staph infections on their legs.

Head Coach Gene Kininmonth said he had never before heard of rowers getting these infections in his 24 years in the sport. Staff is attributing the outbreak to the Crew’s equipment being stored on the ground outdoors where dozens of feral cats are seen running about at night. More stringent cleaning of the equipment and better hygiene is now being enforced in effort to curtail further outbreaks of the infection.



Fundraising:
Fundraising continued to improve in the third quarter thanks to several notable gifts and pledges received. As of April 20, funds from alumni support and student dues amounted to $363,000 from 175 individual gifts. This figure compares to $210,000 raised as of the same time last year. Treasurer William Morris noted that despite the overall improvements, parental support of the program had actually slipped this year inspite of having a larger team. The Crew Board hoped this would be addressed by the Crew Banquet.

Financials:
$18,963 2005-06 Carry-forward
$363,067 YTD Revenue (gifts, dues, etc)
$382,000

Staff Issues:
The Head Coach confirmed to the Crew Board during the quarter that he is now receiving full university fringe benefits.

Budget:
As a club sport Men’s Crew does not receive University funding and must restrict spending to funds raised from student dues and alumni/parent support. The Crew has run a minimal net surplus in each of the last five years in the range of $10,000 to $20,000. Budgets have steadily grown each year with increased fundraising success. Recognizing that past fundraising does not guarantee future success, the Crew Board does not adhere to a strict budget but rather establishes spending priorities based on current and seasonal needs as funds permit.
Leading priorities include equipment maintenance, uniforms, coaches’ salaries, local travel for competition and communications (website/newsletter/marketing pieces). Decisions regarding new equipment purchases (such as boats) or overseas travel are made when donors of large gifts designate funds for such purpose.

Equipment Purchases:
The program took possession of a new 32’ wakeless launch during the Third Quarter thanks to a $25,000 gift from alumnus Grant Wiese. The launch comfortably seats nine passengers and driver and is for VIP spectators to watch rowing events in the Port of Los Angeles.

While in Los Gatos over spring break the team also acquired a 2003 midweight shell from Oakland Strokes Rowing Club for $15,500 for the expanded novice squad. This purchase was possible through a generous gift from avid Trojan Navy supporter Henry Brown, whose past gifts funded new equipment and USC’s first ever trip to Henley Royal Regatta in 2004.

Jack & Karen Fish, parents of team captain Adam Fish, also made a significant donation to the team during the quarter, which triggered conditions for a previously approved OK from the Crew Board to purchase three two-man shells for the team. The program currently has one such shell and three more will allow the varsity crew to break up into small boats to race each other. The Board determined a bid from Sykes Manufacturers of Australia as the most suitable vendor to purchase 2-man shells from and the purchase is being arranged.

Boathouse Report:
The Head Coach of the varsity women’s rowing team confirmed during the quarter that the Athletic Department continues its discussions with the Port of Los Angeles for a new boathouse in the Port of Los Angeles. Assurances have been given that the new boathouse will house both men’s and women’s rowing teams.

Henley Royal Regatta:
During the third quarter the University received an invitation to attend England’s Henley Royal Regatta from the Right Honorable Robert Hanson of Great Britain. Mr. Hanson sponsored the Trojan Navy’s to Henley in 2006 and his father, the late Lord James Hanson, sponsored the Crew the year before. After consultation with the Crew Board, Coach Kininmonth explained to Mr. Hanson that USC would be unable to boat a crew worthy of the invitation, given the health issues affecting the varsity crew and the overall lower moral of the team being without a boathouse this year. Mr. Hanson and USC alumnus Mr. William Creasy, a good friend of the late Lord Hanson, then offered to provide the funds to purchasing a new shell for the team, which will be Christened ‘Lord James Hanson’ during the fall semester. “Let’s rebuild and get the lads back to Henley next year,” said Mr. Hanson.

PAC-10 News:
In the fall semester PAC-10 Coaches voted to limit entries to the PAC-10 Rowing Championships on the men’s side to PAC-10 institutions only. The move was seen to strengthen the conference brand and allow the men’s championship to conclude earlier, creating a safer driving situation for club teams driving up to eight hours in individual cars back to campuses. Previously any university or community college could enter the PAC-10 Championships. The PAC-10 Council approved the changes, however, approvals were reversed in January after PAC-10 staff could not gain a suitable agreement with the Sacramento State Aquatic Center to host the event at Lake Natoma with the new limitations.

PAC-10 Associate Commissioner Chris Dawson notified coaches of the reversal in an email:

“When notified of the change approved by the Pac-10 Council to limit entries in the Pac-10 men's races to Pac-10 institutions only, the Aquatics Center staff stated a preference that the format change not go into effect this year. The alternative presented was for the Conference to rent the facility for a day to conduct the Pac-10 championships only, at a price of $25,000.”

Entry fees for the PAC-10 Championship in 2006 remitted $11,900.

Dawson’s email continued: “Entries for Pac-10 events only would not cover that cost, and there is no existing budget to cover it otherwise. It did not seem reasonable to significantly increase the entry fees for Pac-10 teams this year to cover that cost. As a result, the Conference staff requested that the Pac-10 officers approve a delay in implementing the change until 2008. This delay was approved by the officers.”