By: Christa Musial John A. SEITZ AWARD When Marietta College Director of Athletics Larry Hiser was looking for the right person to return Pioneer rowing to the Dad Vail medal stand, he landed on Greg Myhr, a coach with a long pedigree of success. Myhr took the reins in the summer of 2019 and immediately started making changes in the program aimed at returning Marietta rowing to the level of success the program has enjoyed over its long and storied history. Marietta College, a small private liberal arts college in southeast Ohio, is a founding member of the Dad Vail Rowing Association. The Pioneer Navy captured the inaugural Dad Vail Trophy in 1934 and hosted the Dad Vail Regatta in 1935 and 1941. In addition to the 1934 gold medal, Marietta won the varsity heavyweight 8 gold medal in 1963, 1966, 1967, and 2006. In an effort to increase the level of competition the Pioneers face on a regular basis, Myhr made several changes to the racing schedule. The Pioneers now make an annual trip to the West Coast to compete in events like the San Diego Crew Classic. Myhr also added races against crews from the University of Wisconsin, Navy, and Princeton to the schedule. A winter training trip is now a part of the program’s training regimen. The Pioneers spend a week of intensive training in Florida to prepare for the spring racing season. Myhr also founded the Marietta Training Center, a US Rowing accredited Olympic Development Center that operates out of the Pioneers’ Lindamood-VanVoorhis Boathouse in the summer. “Marietta College has a near-perfect situation for rowing,” Myhr said. “Between the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers, we have miles of pristine water. Our boathouse is second to none and is located less than a mile from campus. And the level of support our program receives from the College, the community, and our dedicated alumni base is absolutely phenomenal.” Through the support of the rowing alumni, the LindamoodVanVoorhis Boathouse underwent a total renovation. Greg MYHR Coach of The Year - Coach Greg Myhr: Matt LEDWITH AWARD By Ed Levin
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzA2NDY0