IRCA ANNOUNCES SPECIALTY AWARD WINNERS, COACH, and STAFF OF THE YEAR

The Intercollegiate Rowing Coaches Association is excited to announce the 2022 winners of our Individual and Team Specialty Awards, which honor several exceptional student-athletes as well as our well-deserving colleagues and fellow coaches. This year's awards include:

Inspiration Award - given to an athlete or coach who has demonstrated the drive and motivation to overcome adversity or make a major impact on their team or community

Comeback Athlete of the Year - given to an athlete who has shown significant improvement with their perseverance, determination and dedication

Comeback Team of the Year - given to a team that has shown significant improvement with their perseverance, determination and dedication

Novice Walk-on Award - given to an athlete (oarsman or coxswain) who started their rowing career in college and has become a top tier athlete within their program and in the sport of men’s collegiate rowing

Scholar Athlete Award - given to the athlete with the strongest combination of academic and athletic accomplishments

Coxswain of the Year - given to a coxswain who has demonstrated great leadership and skill to motivate their team to compete at the best of their ability

Leadership Award - given to a coach or administrator who has shown great leadership and become a role model for men’s collegiate rowing

Nominations for each award were submitted by IRCA member coaches, along with their comments and recommendations, and were then voted on by the IRCA Board of Directors to select a winner.

The winners for each of the specialty awards, as well as the Coach and Staff of the Year awards, can be seen in the galleries below (right click to “open image in a new tab”) or on our Instagram at @ircacoaches in the story highlight “IRCA Awards ‘22”.

We are particularly honored this year to celebrate the life and legacy of Cornell Heavyweight Rowing coxswain and team captain, Jack Robinson, who passed away in February. With the support of Jack’s family and head coach Todd Kennett, we are proud to name this award the “Jack R. Robinson Inspiration Award” in his honor.

“Jack was clear that he would rather not have had cancer and all that went with it. Nonetheless, he had it, and he felt it gave him life perspective - that it made him tenacious, focused, and tough and taught him how to overcome all kinds of challenges. Like it or not, he would say to us, it shaped a good part of who he was. He didn't mourn the life that he had, he just wanted more of it. So we think that Jack would say that rowing and that Cornell Rowing were a gift - the chance to do something he loved with people he loved. We miss Jack every day, but we are grateful for the incredible experiences that rowing and Cornell provided to him. He would be so proud of this award and he would remind us all to live life, even though it may not always be easy, to the fullest, as it is the life that you have. He would say that he was so grateful for such wonderful teammates, coaches, and friends - and for rowing.”
- Mark Robinson & Tisa Hughes

In addition to the awards listed above, the IRCA is pleased to honor our colleagues with the following awards:

Division 1/2, 3, and Lightweight Coach of the Year - given to the coach that demonstrates excellence in his or her ability to develop both individual and team performance while cultivating an environment that is built on fairness, respect, mentorship, and upholding the values of the IRCA and men's collegiate rowing

Division 1/2, 3, and Lightweight Staff of the Year - given to the assistant coach(es), volunteer coach(es), boatmen, etc. that demonstrate excellence in coaching, recruiting, commitment to their program, student-athletes, and head coach while upholding the values of the IRCA and men’s collegiate rowing

Any IRCA member coach could submit a nomination for Coach of the Year, whereas Staff of the Year nominations came from that program’s head coach. Comments/recommendations were submitted alongside the nomination before being voted on by the IRCA membership.