Hi, my name is Laura Jackson and I'm
one of the "Charter Members" of the Oakland Strokes! What a great idea to
compile a history, especially in the 25th aniversary year!
I guess my association with the Strokes started the day Coach Ed Lickiss asked a bunch of
us to carry a couple of shells from LMRC over to his business at the foot of 5th Ave. If
the current rowers think today's boat carry is long, imagine carrying shells and the
coaching launch from 5th, all the way to the boat ramps at Estuary Park! Most of us had a
specific bruise line on one shoulder for the launch and on the other for the shells. That
was early 1975.
I started rowing for Skyline High with about 25 other girls, but when the Strokes split
from LMRC, the boys team stayed at LMRC and we lost our school sanction. Oh well, I was
the only girl who continued rowing after racing season began.
Ed negotiated a long-term lease (likely more of a tax deduction for Crowley Maritime) and
we were official! It was sort of strange, with the boathouse amid what was then a busy
shipyard. The internal boathouse structures, the ramp and the dock were built by our dads
over several weekends. Luckily, someone's dad was in construction, so he could guide the
attorneys, accountants, doctors et al in the fine art of nail pounding.
That first year was pretty amazing, we had such a great base of talent, mostly from
Piedmont and Campolindo Highs (Ed's son Pat was a teacher at Campo) for girls and Oakland
and Campolindo for boys. Womens Nationals was in Princeton, and this was the first year
there was a womens national team, as well. The highlight of the regatta was Annette
winning the Jr. Single (we also medaled in the Jr. Quad and Jr. Double, as well as several
Jr. and Light sweep races).
My career with the Strokes continued through graduation in 1977, including trips to
nationals and the San Diego Crew Classic, and random visits during vacations until 1985,
when my parents moved north. Most of those visits involved coxing the master's men's 8, in
which my dad was a participant.
I rowed 3 years on varsity at University of Washington, before taking a couple of years to
alleviate burn out. I then spent most of 1984-94 sculling for Lake Washington or the
legendary Fremont Area Rowing Team, with another Strokes Alum, Traci Cole. We ended up
making finals at US lightweight doubles trials, as well as placing in light and sr.
doubles at a variety of senior (and later, masters...) nationals and Canadian Henley.
I now live in Portland and row for either Fremont or Portland Boat Club. While my major
competitive focus has shifted to kayak racing (it's fun to go forwards!), I still row
pretty seriously, and enjoy seeing the Strokes beat my new home team ORU (OK,
Nick/Lincoln/Jim, I'll do 1000 situps as pennance tonight!).
Laura Jackson
Portland, OR |
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My name is Jeff Urdan. I am a former coach of
the Strokes and am thrilled to see that they are doing so well on and off the water. My
cousin Alan told me about the site, and the team's convincing showing at the Head of the
Estuary.
I was a four year oarsman at Stanford from '82-'86. I coached from Sept 1986 through
Dec. 1987 full-time, and part-time through the racing season of 1987.
I brought Stuart Huntington (Cal '86) and Ted Swinford in to help out and gradually
transitioned to their full-time leadership. I also had cameo help from Dave Cowan (Cal '86
?) who lived in Orinda; and Karina Vogen, a former Strokes oarswoman who was taking a year
off before
college.
Jim Martin and Jason Markison were two captains who provided great leadership for the
team. Jason went to Cal, I am not sure where Jim went.
The year after I left, under Stuart and Ted's direction, the varsity 8 won the CJRA at
Lake Natoma in Sacramento. It was great to see the guys who I had started with two/three
years earlier emerge as champions. It was also the only day I gave in to being thrown in
the water.
After leaving the Strokes, I worked for Oracle for three years, moved to Chicago and got
an MBA at Kellogg (Northwestern), worked for Arthur Andersen, and now am working for Booz
Allen & Hamilton as a consultant specializing in information technology. I am 34,
married, and live in Lincoln Park on the north side of Chicago.
Other items of interest:
I was given the coaching job by John Wohler. He had been an Oregon State lightweight, and
US National Team member. He and his wife Diane, also an OSU lightweight, had helped out as
Assistant Coaches previously. He was Men's Coach for about three days, and then got an
offer from Cal Maritime to be the coach there. He took the offer and after made me the
Head Coach.
Lori Corl was the women's coach, a former Oregon State oarswoman, who worked for Savin
Office Products during the day.
The board was led by Winton and Carol Hill, who lived in Lafayette. Their son Christian
had rowed for the Strokes a year or two earlier and then went to Cal. A lot of the team
was from Lafayette/Acalanes High School at that point. I can send you a copy of my old
roster if you
would like. I know I have it somewhere.
Pat Lickiss, Ed's son, came to a couple of board meetings each year, but was not very
involved in the day to day operations of the club. He had a dusty wooden lightweight scull
hanging against the west (? closest to the water) wall of the boathouse on the top rack. I
am guessing it is still there.
The shipyard next to the boathouse was going to close or move in 1989, and we were
virtually certain that we would have to relocate the boathouse. We didn't have the capital
to buy or build a new one, but there was a possibility that the City of Oakland would
build us one as part of a Jack London Square/waterfront redevelopment project.
The white blade design with the orange and greeen diagonal stripes on the tip that is part
of the current logo, was the creation of my cousin, Alan Urdan. The blades were half green
and half orange when I arrived, and we had a painting party with all the kids (now 30 year
olds !) to
convert to the new design. I personnally stripped the paint from about 50 old wooden oars,
along with Winton Hill. It was interesting to see the 10-20 layers of color that streamed
off. John Wohler had suggested that white be the primary color, so that a coach could see
the bladework in the morning darkness.
We met at the boathouse at 4:30 in the morning (I think). The guys needed to be leaving
the boathouse by 6:30 or so to make it back out through the Caldecott tunnel, to shower,
eat and be in school on time.
I was paid $200 per month. I got a raise to $240 after telling the board that my salary
didn't cover the gas I burned commuting to the boathouse and back every day. I wasn't
kidding. I think gas is a liitle cheaper now.
I could write for another hour. The more I think about it, the more memories come back. It
was a great experience for me. I still wear my Strokes rowing jacket (Flourescent Green
with Orange vent panels under the Sleeves) from time to time. I wore my Strokes Sweatshirt
(Champion, Grey Crewneck with Green "Oakland Strokes" on the back) to rake
leaves
in the yard yesterday.
Jeff can be reached at his email address: urdan_jeffrey@bah.com and would love to hear
what any of the people from my era are doing these days.
GO STROKES ! GO STROKES ! GO STROKES !
GO STROKES ! GO STROKES ! GO STROKES ! GO
STROKES ! GO STROKES !
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Jeff Urdan, my cousin, just sent you e- mail
, so I wanted to add my two cents.
When Jeff became the coach of the strokes, I immediately enlisted. I knew nothing of the
sport beyond what I saw watching him at a couple Pac10 championship races on Lake Natoma
in Sacramento.
Needless to say, the experience is one that I will keep with me always. Jeff and I have
been kicking stories back and forth for most of this morning. I was glad to see you kept
the oar design we came up with. It seems appropriate as I am now a graphic designer in
Seattle Washington, living right across the street from the Lake Washington Rowing Club.
After graduation from high school, I went to the University of the Pacific where I rowed
in the men's varsity four during my freshman year, and coached the women's team at the
same time. It was a small program, that has grown since my time there. After graduation
from UOP in the spring of '92 I went to design school at the Art Center College of Design
in Pasadena for three years. I have lived in Seattle with my wife since October of '96.
Again, I am so glad that the strokes continue to thrive. I will keep an eye out to see if
the team is invited to Opening Day this year. If so, I will certainly be in attendance.
Please feel free to post any information you feel is relevant. Hopefully Jeff's mail will
fill any holes in the team
history for the late 80's.
Take care, and continued success! GO STROKES! GO STROKES!
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