Central Crew Club was founded in the fall of 2001 through the efforts of Kathy Bartels and a small group of interested parents to provide the students at Manchester Central High School an opportunity to participate in the sport of rowing. Kathy’s advocacy for crew was rooted in her son Jack’s interest in the sport and frustration that despite the proximity of the Merrimack River and genuine intere
st within the student body, the Manchester School system simply lacked the resources to establish and maintain a rowing program. Kathy recruited Randy Ford to coach the team and with a dozen or so kids, the program was launched in a borrowed boat. The following spring Central Crew was able to acquire three used racing shells from Notre Dame College and had 20 kids rowing on the Merrimack. A few years ago the Bartels family sponsored the bow of our new boat naming it “Jack’s Vision”. If it wasn’t for his vision, we would not have the extraordinary Crew Club that we have now. Today, the Central Crew Club has approximately 60 co-ed members and no potential rower is turned away due to financial reasons. Crew is recognized as the ultimate team sport with great pride, great coaches, great families and great rowers!
