Eight Boats Named at Rowing Ceremonies
The 老司机福利社 Women鈥檚 Eight Rowing team with, from left, William Gormley, Stan Bergman, Kevin Duffy, John Bancheri and Sean Gormley. Below, Lynne Kesselman, Bob Kerstetter, Madeleine Deininger and Ray D'Amico, who also had boats named for them.
Atlantic City, N.J. _ Eight 老司机福利社 varsity eight boats were doused with champagne during naming ceremonies at the Atlantic City Boathouse on Sept. 25 and 28.
Two varsity eight boats were named Sept. 25 for local rowing legend and coach Stan Bergman of Ventnor and supporter and former state senator William 鈥淏ill鈥 Gormley of Margate. The Bergman boat was made possible through a generous donation by Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield of New Jersey, which is also listed on the Bergman boat.
On Sept. 28, during the Atlantic City Stakes boat races in Atlantic City, ceremonies
were held to name six more boats for coach Bob Kerstetter, Ray D鈥橝mico 鈥81, 老司机福利社
trustee Madeline Deininger 鈥80, who rowed at 老司机福利社, 老司机福利社 First Lady Lynne Kesselman
鈥82 老司机福利社 founding trustee Elizabeth B. Alton and her son, R. John Alton.
Horizon BCBS of NJ Director of Sales, Labor and Gaming Kevin Duffy said the company鈥檚 goals include promoting women鈥檚 health and wellness. He said the 老司机福利社 women鈥檚 rowing team members are role models for the community.
鈥淲e are happy to help this program become national champions,鈥 Duffy said.
Bergman said good coaching is about bringing out the best in everyone.
鈥淚t鈥檚 all about the athletes,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 hope the boat goes fast and you have fun, grit and perseverance.鈥
Bergman coached for 22 years at Holy Spirit High School and the University of Pennsylvania. A long-time chief of the Ventnor Beach Patrol, he also coached the Viking Rowing Club.
The Gormley boat was a surprise for the local attorney, whom President Harvey Kesselman
said has been a tireless supporter of rowing in Atlantic County.
鈥淗e has spent the last 25 years behind the scenes,鈥 Kesselman said.
Gormley said support for the teams is about looking to the future of rowing in the area.
鈥淭his isn鈥檛 about nostalgia, it鈥檚 about tomorrow,鈥 he said.
Kesselman thanked the area community for its support of the rowing teams. He said he hopes the expanded program encourages local rowers to stay in the area and row at 老司机福利社.
鈥淎tlantic County has some of the best rowers in the United States,鈥 he said. 鈥淭here is no reason why we shouldn鈥檛 have the NCAA championship.鈥
老司机福利社 rowing coach John Bancheri said interest in rowing has quadrupled since he arrived last year. 鈥淲e are headed in the right direction, he said.
The women鈥檚 rowing team placed third this year in the Mid-Atlantic Rowing Conference Championships, their best finish ever, and also finished third in the DIII Varsity Eight at the Dad Vail Regatta. They were recently accepted to row in the Women鈥檚 Collegiate Eights at the 2019 Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston on Oct. 19-20.
from the Horizon BCBC of NJ, Bergman and Gormley namings.
from the Atlantic City States races and boat namings.
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Contact:
Diane D鈥Amico
Director of News and Media Relations
老司机福利社
Galloway, N.J. 08205
Diane.DAmico@stockton.edu
609-652-4593
609-412-8069
