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West Side Story Spring 2021
www.wsrc.org
Published for the benefit of those who are interested in the activities at the West Side Rowing Club.
A Look Ahead
Even though it doesn’t feel like it outside, spring is
right around the corner! The WS staff has been hard at work
this winter preparing the Club for the upcoming season.
Safety protocols will still be in place and WS is looking to hit
the ground running and provide a successful Spring rowing
season.
Your Club has not been idle during the winter! A
major improvement project to upgrade the locker rooms is
under way. As part of this project, the men’s and women’s
locker rooms will be switched. The new women’s locker
room has been gutted down to the studs and the layout of
the room is being completely redone. The renovation will
feature new tile board, flooring, and fixtures. There will also
be a new coaches’ locker room within the new women’s
locker room. The new men’s locker room will also receive
some needed improvements, but will retain the same layout.
West Side would like to thank Joe Rozbicki and the Buildings
& Grounds Committee for their time and effort to make this project happen! The locker room project
should be completed by the beginning of April. “I think the women’s locker room is going to surpass all
expectations. The additional coaches room is a much needed improvement for our female coaches”,
says Miles Schwartz.
Looking ahead to the summer season, West Side has purchased 3 new coastal quads which will
be arriving just before the summer. This is an exciting addition to the West Side fleet. While their
primary use is for coastal rowing in open water, West Side intends to use them during the Club’s
summer learn to row camp. These boats provide a more stable platform with which to teach novices the
foundational lessons of our sport. They were purchased through a grant from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr.
Foundation, the Club received in 2019. The main focus of this multi-year grant will be improving the
Club’s outreach to communities who do not currently have access to our sport. West Side is looking
forward to offering access to our sport to more communities within Western New York!
Winter Training
Training looked a little different this past
winter. Early on in the season, winter training for
the West Side Junior team was fully remote. WS
staff created an erg rental program and loaned out
all 40 ergs and erg bikes to Juniors, Masters, and
Coaches to help facilitate training in the midst of
the pandemic. “Virtual training was the best way to
accommodate our winter training plans at the time.
It allowed the athletes to remain accountable and
still complete a regularly scheduled workout” says Mike Cute. It was not until January 1st, 2021 that
athletes were able to return to in-person training. Even so, training was still conducted on a hybrid
model with some athletes choosing to remain virtual. “It is great to have the athletes back in the erg
room”, says Cute “but we still have to operate under the local and state safety guidelines, which means
the athletes still workout in a mask and have to space out 6 feet apart.” The team has resumed training
6 days a week and still has the same winter goals of achieving a personal record on their 2k erg test.
The WS Masters team has not yet returned to the
boathouse and has continued to virtually train as a team three
days per week. “Masters have been training in the morning,
and the training has been highly subscribed and well received
by the group” says Mike.
The scholastic teams have also been hard at work this
winter, preparing for the upcoming racing season. “I think the
consistency of training helped keep the Nardin rowing team
mentally strong as we weathered through the pandemic. We are fortunate to have access to a new
athletic facility at the school, and the team has had a terrific attitude towards their training this winter”,
explains head coach Aileen McNamara. “I would also like to thank West Side for letting our athletes rent
the ergs over the winter”, says McNamara.
“As we navigate the pandemic, we have been fortunate enough to gather the whole Mount
Saint Mary’s team together to train on a consistent basis. The team shows up daily, whether we are
meeting for a Zoom workout, in the back hallway of the school, or at West Side for combined novice and
varsity workouts – ready to work”, says Frances McGuire, head coach of Mount St. Mary’s. While this
new approach to winter training has not been without hiccups, quarantines, and soggy masks, the team
is beginning to see the results in speed that come from showing up consistently. We are excited to get
back on the water and race this spring”, says McGuire.
”St. Joe’s has been fortunate to be in person all year”, says head coach, Ryan Ficorilli. “Our
school’s athletic department has committed to in-person training and having the weight room be
accessible for the team. We have gotten creative with outdoor weight sessions and erging together in
small groups”, explains Ficorilli.
“Nichols School was virtual for the first half of the winter with athletes using either personal,
borrowed or Nichols ergs at home. At the beginning of March, all ergs were returned and our rowers
returned to working out in the Crew Room at Nichols”, explains head coach Beth Marks.
“City Honors was unable to provide training during the winter season. In March, we started an
optional erg training program at West Side. A majority of the team has returned for this training
program to get prepared for racing in the spring”, says head coach Mike Nanfara.
West Side is looking forward to getting back on the Black Rock Canal very soon. Docks and
ramps are being installed within the next week!
Senior Spotlights
Seniors from each of the junior programs are getting closer to graduation and moving on to
college. Some of those seniors have chosen to continue their rowing career at the next level. West Side
wishes all seniors the best luck as they prepare for the next step in their academic careers! Below is a list
of seniors who have committed to a collegiate rowing program.
West Side Juniors:
Kayla Menshon – St. Joseph’s University City Honors:
Kelsie Menshon – St. Joseph’s University Allie Kolaga – University of Massachusetts
Maddie Niedbalski – Syracuse University Amherst
Tory Runckel – Stetson University
Greta Armbrust – Wesleyan University Mount St. Mary’s:
Kaitlin Zajac – Rutgers University
Nichols: Teagan Johnston – Ohio State University
Kiki Greeley – University of Alabama Rory Brouillard – Duquesne University
A Note From a WS Alum
I was struck by the picture of the individuals sitting in their chairs in the Club meeting room on
the card. They reminded me in a way of a crew of oarsmen working in place with their head and their
hearts, instead of oars in their hands in a boat on a course. The work and dedication they represent I
believe has been the most valuable resource for the sustained Club operations over the decades.
I rowed for Canisius High School starting in 1967 and graduating in 1971. I had the opportunity
to be on the West Side 8 entry for the US Junior Olympic trials in summer of 1970. The Coach for the US
Naval Academy was at the race as the starter and after the West Side team placed second, he asked my
coach if there were members in the boat who could apply to USNA. I received his letter asking me to
apply, applied, received a direct nomination by Congressman Dulski, graduated, served active duty for 5
years, and retired from the naval reserves after 20 years. After active duty I received several great jobs
in the defense contracting industry where I continue to work. Graduating middle of my class at CHS, no
way do I achieve admission at USNA, and follow with career in the defense field, without having been an
experienced West Side oarsman, and then the opportunity to be in a boat at a marquee race in the
summer of 1970.
I am a treasurer for an education nonprofit. As part of the annual exercise to create and fund
each year’s budget I take an interest in the sources for donations to understand what continues to
motivate the donors. For me, at West Side, it was the work of individuals from 50 years ago like,
Bennett, Doc Schaab, Fontana, Hogan and others, whose work at the Club then clearly gave me the
opportunity to get to where I am today.
This letter was written by an anonymous alumnus in recognition of the Club’s efforts to continue
to offer rowing during the ongoing pandemic. West Side is fortunate to have such a great alumni group.
This was certainly evident at the most recent Day of Giving. With support from the WS Board, current
members, parents, and alumni, the Club was able to raise over $50,000 in a 24-hour period. It was the
most successful Giving Day the Club has had by far. It would not have been possible without the ongoing
support from all those who are reading this newsletter right now! West Side would again like to thank all
those who supported the Club and its programs during the Giving Day and the Club’s End of the Year
Appeal.
An Update on Regattas
Regattas this year will look a little different. West Side currently plans to run the same number
of regattas on the same time-frame as previous years. As of now, all regattas will be held without
parents or spectators on Club grounds, and athletes will be expected to stay for their specific races only.
This follows the protocol the Club successfully used this past summer, to ensure the safety of athletes,
volunteers, and coaches. Procedures for these races will be updated if state/local guidelines change. For
now, regatta dates are as follows.
John Bennett Regatta – Sunday, May 2nd
Fontana All-High Regatta – Monday, May 31st
West Side Invitational – Sunday, July 11th
Get in Touch
WSRC has an ongoing effort to enhance communications to our alums and other interested
individuals. The Club is currently collecting names of alumni and others who are interested in receiving
updates about the Club or who would like to get involved in Club activities. If you, or anyone you know,
fits this description, please fill out as much of the following information as you can and mail it to 1
Rotary Row, Buffalo, NY, 14201 or email our Administrative Director Ian Suchan at ian@wsrc.org.
NAME:
YEARS ROWED AT WSRC:
SCHOOL (S) WHERE ROWED:
ADDRESS:
EMAIL ADDRESS:
PHONE NUMBER:WSRC Officers & Staff
President – Kirk Dorn
V.P. of Building and Grounds – Joe Rozbicki
V.P. of Operations – David Cotter
V.P. of Rowing – Ted Marks
Secretary – Leonore Olmsted
Financial Secretary – Bill Covelli
Treasurer – Mike Fay
Director of Operations – Miles Schwartz
Director of Rowing – Mike Cute
Director of Community Outreach and Administration – Ian SuchanYou can also read
