COMMITTEE SUSTAINABILITY The Sustainability Committee was established to address the changes in intercollegiate rowing, to better serve the participating rowing programs, and to give coaches a voice in regatta operations. In all its undertakings, it has been important to uphold the founding principles of the Dad Vail Regatta which is serving rowing programs with limited resources and to embrace emerging programs. Another important objective of the Sustainability Committee has been to enhance the regatta environment, to ensure it is a memorable experience for rowers, coaches, and spectators. To accomplish the above objectives, the composition of the committee represented members from diverse backgrounds in rowing. The members who fit this criterion were Tom DeLutis, Suze DiPietro, Jim Hanna, Bill Jurgens, Chair, John Leonard, John Musial, Brad Negaard, and ex-officio member Kirsten Morasco, President, DVROC. Also crucial to the makeup of this committee was to elicit guidance from coaches familiar with the history and breadth of intercollegiate rowing. These coaches include Dave Kucik, Greg Myhr, and Paul Savell. The Sustainability Committee held its first meeting on July 20, 2023, and met every other week thereafter for nine months. The committee has accomplished the following: improved communication with coaches through messaging; established an awards dock on the Cooper River racecourse; increased coaches’ participation through personal contact, rejuvenating the Coaches Advisory Committee, and continuing an annual survey of coaches; fundraising to support regatta initiatives; arranged for early availability of hotel rooms; devised a means to reduce costs for boat rentals; assembled an informational travel packet for parents and alumni; and improved the Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta identity through targeted advertising, articles, and descriptive phrases.
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