Head Coach Michiel Bartman
Michiel Bartman started coaching the elite squad at Vesper Boat Club when he retired in 2004 from a very successful rowing career for the Netherlands with three Olympic medals and three Worlds medals in sweep and sculling. Starting at Vesper with only a couple rowers he has rebuild it into a strong team which has now around 25 rowers (men & women, light & heavy). His squad won numerous National and Canadian Henley titles, but also qualified almost every year one or two crews for the World Championships with as one of the highlights a bronze medal with a complete Vesper crew in 2008. His rowers who got selected for the national team have won medals at World Cups, World Championships and Olympic Games.
Vesper Boat Club’s mission is to offer the rowers a competitive environment to reach their potential either with the year round program or the collegiate summer program. Within that environment Michiel’s teaches the rowers to be versatile and independent. By training mainly in small boats he wants to create skill and boat feel so that the rower can handle any given situation. He works with the athlete to optimize his/her performance on and off the water.
Besides coaching Michiel has been presenting at several coaches conferences and has a real estate photography business.
Jess Barker
College: Georgetown University Hometown: Falls Church, VA
Jessica began her rowing career in 2001 as a novice at Georgetown University. Her passion and talent for the sport quickly developed and she realized that this was the right athletic niche for her. She rowed to three consecutive fourth place finishes at the IRA National Championship in the Lightweight Women's 8+ event. In realizing her passion for the sport her dreams grew, that of representing the United States of America. Just after graduating Georgetown in 2005 she continued her training with Potomac Boat Club under the guidance of Matt Madigan. With Vesper's reputation as a top-notch program and proven success by its lightweight women athletes she made the move to persue her dreams at Vesper.
Recognizing that life is a process, the last eight years of training and dedication have had both ups and downs. Learning from both has shaped her as an athlete and a person. She looks forward to achieving her dreams and pushing her teammates to be the best rowers and people they can be.
Matthew Brown
Hometown: Rocklin, CA
College: Yale University, Oxford University
Matthew Brown is a 2006 graduate of Yale University, where he rowed in the varsity eight for three years, stroking both the Yale-Harvard race and the IRAs (American Collegiate Championships). As a senior, he was awarded the Yale Varsity Crew Award after his crew finished 6th in the nation. Matthew first began training at Vesper in the summer of 2006, winning the Championship 8 at Canadian Henley, and being selected for the Vesper men’s coxed four to race in the US trials for the World Championships that same summer. He returns to Vesper after graduating with a master's degree from the University of Oxford, where he was also the Vice-President of the Oxford University Boat Club (OUBC). While at Oxford, he won the Isis-Goldie race as part of the historic University Boat Race against Cambridge.
At Yale he was the Associate Editor of the Yale Journal of Medicine and Law and was awarded a Mellon research grant for bioethics. He is currently working as a Research Specialist in a biology lab at the University of Pennsylvania with plans to continue on with a PhD or MD after he has reached his goals in the sport of rowing.
At Rocklin High School in California, Matthew was elected the team captain for both his soccer and track and field and teams, and was a valedictorian. A talented hurdles runner for the track and field team in high school, he once again took up hurdling at Oxford once the rowing season had completed, going on to help the Oxford University Athletic Club beat Cambridge in their annual meeting by winning his hurdles races on the same track that Roger Bannister broke the first 4-minute mile. For his dual efforts in rowing and running, he was awarded the Oxford University Society Sporting Award.
In his spare time he enjoys traveling, reading, and playing the piano; he has hiked 200 miles through Spain with his wife, eaten the raw liver out of of a springbok he hunted in South Africa, and plays piano to a Grade 8. His favorite books are "Where the Wild Things Are," by Maurice Sendak, and "The Calvin and Hobbes Tenth anniversary Book," by Bill Watterson.
Nathan Carter
Hometown: Springfield, VA
College: Rutgers University
Nathan began his rowing career as a sophomore at West Springfield High School in order to keep in shape for wrestling and football. He quickly found that rowing was a great fit and decided to focus on it year round. High School highlights include two time Washington Post All-Met Athlete of the Year, and a 6th place finish at the C.R.A.S.H-B’s in Boston.
After high school Nathan completed four years of rowing at Rutgers University. Highlights include 6th place at the Eastern Sprints in 2003 followed by 2nd place that summer at the Royal Henley Regatta in England. Nathan was captain of the team as a senior. After a fifth year at Rutgers to finish up a double major, Nathan realized that he was not finished with rowing. While living in the Washington DC area he joined Potomac Boat Club for summer of 2006 and moved north to Philadelphia for a more competitive program. Since joining he has raced at the Head of the Charles and looks forward to more races this summer. Nathan enjoys the small and dedicated team he has become a part of, which he feels is the perfect fit for him.
Ben Churchill Hometown: Portland, OR
College: University of Massachusetts at Amherst Ben arrived at Vesper for the 2006 Summer Program after rowing for one year in New Zealand. He switched to sculling in fall 2006 and has set a goal to qualify for the US National Team. His most recent accomplishments: Gold 2006 -- Canadian Henley Championship Eight, Senior Eight, US National Championships Senior Eight, Senior Four; New Zealand Rowing Championships Club Eight; Silver US National Championships Elite Four.
Bryn Crawford
Hometown: Auburn, Alabama
College: University of Alabama
hometown: Auburn, Alabama
college: University of Alabama
Bryn started training for and competing in triathlons when I was five years old, and continued with that for the next 12 years. During that time she won several state and regional titles, two national titles and competed at the World Championships in Edmonton, Canada in 2001. She started rowing at the University of Alabama in 2003. Her senior year was highlighted with a silver medal at the Head of
The Charles. She knew she wanted to continue rowing after college, so she applied to Vesper's summer program in 2008. That summer she was part of the gold medal winning Senior W8+ and Senior 4- at the Canadian Henley. Her first year at Vesper was very rewarding, and she earned third place in the w2x at Elite Nationals and the Canadian Henley, and won the Intermediate 1x at Club Nationals. She hope to continue improving so she can make it onto the National Team and compete internationally.
Kara Ellison Hometown: San Diego, CA
College: University of Pennsylvania
Kara swam throughout junior high and high school. She had seen a poster for rowing, while on crutches, and decided to give it a try once she was healed. She rowed for SDRC for two years before college. Kara graduated from Penn in 2009.
Hannah Godfrey Hometown: Niskayuna, NY
College: Villanova University Hannah started rowing in high school at Niskayuna High School and continued to row through college at Villanova University, where she won the IRA National Championship for the Women's Varsity Lightweight 8. Some rowing highlights: Hannah won Head of the Charles in the Lightweight 8+ in 2002 and 2003; was a spare on the U.S. World Team in 2005 in Gifu, Japan; was on the 2007 Pan American Team in the lightweight 2x in Rio, Brazil, where they placed 4th; was on the 2007 World Championship Team in the lightweight 4x, in Munich, Germany, where they placed 4th. She was also on the 2008 World Championship Team in the lightweight 4x, in Linz, Austria, where they won the bronze medal.
Michelle Hall
Hometown: From Chapel Hill, NC
College: UNC
Rowed in college for 4 years, graduated with BS Chemistry in '05. Trained in Seattle, at Pocock from 07-08, then came here to Vesper. Getting masters in chem from Temple and coaching rowing at Sacred Heart. Won lightweight 8+ at Charles in 2008 with Vesper. She likes playing with her dog, Penny.
Greg Kaplan
Hometown: Bala Cynwyd, PA
College: Rutgers University
Greg has been rowing since 1987, where he started at Lower Merion HS, and immediately fell in love with the sport. He's coached at the Craftsbury Sculling center and the Florida Rowing Center. When he's not rowing, he's likely to be dodging traffic while training for triathlons, or caring for one of his many adopted, no-longer-stray cats. Greg enjoys candle-lit dinners for two, walks on the beach at sub-utilization-1 pace, and a sense of humor that could best be described as "unique".
Some of Greg's rowing career highlights include winning medals at the US Olympic Fesitvals, winning sculling and sweep National Championships in a variety of lightweight and heavyweight events, medalling at the CRASH-B, competing at the World Championships, and winning several gold medals at the Maccabiah Games.
Shannon Kaplan
Hometown: Aloha, OR
College: Penn State University
Shannon has been rowing since 2004. As a kid, she was always involved in sports, and settled on swimming for her high school years. She moved on to water polo in college, and then returned to swimming--and then to triathlon--after she graduated from college. After competing in a few triathlons Shannon suffered a broken leg, an was told that she would never be a runner. Down, but not out, she decided to check out rowing at the recommendation of her boyfriend. Five years later she has established herself as a rower and has now married the boyfriend - so both worked out well! Shannon has had a sucessful career despite several injuries. She has recently come to Vesper Boat Club in the hopes of contining to improve as a rower and to reach new levels of success. She switched to Vesper because of the amazing support of the club and the outstanding coaches.
Rowing Highlights: Top finishes at several local regattas, HOCR 2004 Club W1x winner. Multi time US Rowing Nationals medal finishes including 2004 Senior W4x winner, 2006 Elite W1x winner, Senior W2x winner, 2008 Senior W4- winner. Multi time Canadian Henley Regatta top finishes including 2006 Senior W2x winner and Championship W1x winner.
John Kapteyn
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
College: Georgia Tech
John Kapteyn started his athletic career with several dismal attempts at various ball sports. After suffering major setbacks in the realms of tennis, soccer, and half of a season of baseball he had given up on fitness. Rowing hit him like a freight train his sophomore year of highschool when his mother told him he was out of shape and not doing the couch any favors. Upon starting he was promptly hooked and hasn't looked back yet.
John rowed at St. Andrews Rowing Club in Atlanta for his remaining three years of highschool. After this he enrolled at Georgia Tech and became fully committed to the sport. He enjoyed his time at Tech under head coach Rob Canavan. His time at Tech was highlighted by three Dad Vail Championships and one second place finish, two medals at the HOCR, and a third place finish at IRA.
After college John rowed at PennAC in the summer of 2007 after which he returned to Atlanta to row and start his career. In the fall of 2009 after training under Curt Browder for two years he moved up to Philadelphia to join Vesper.
Christina Meyer
Hometown: Saline, Michigan
College: University of Michigan 2002, Boston University 2005
Christina started rowing my freshman year of college to (a) meet people, (b) keep active, and (c) have the opportunity to be a Michigan Wolverine! Growing up in the area, that is no small incentive. She participated in 4 NCAA Championships, my V8 came in 3rd in '01, our team came in 2nd that same year, she was an All-American in '02, went to 2 U23 camps....then took a 6 year break. She started getting back into rowing shape in '08 and heard great things about Vesper from Michelle Hall, who she'd met in Seattle that summer. Christina moved to Philly to train with the summer program in '09 and joined the Elite Team in the fall of 2009.
Libby Peters
Hometown: New Hartford, NY
College: Columbia University '06
Libby began rowing at The Gunnery, a boarding school in CT, in 2000. She rowed varsity four years at Columbia, was voted Most Valuable Member of the Varsity Crew twice, and Co-Captain senior year. After graduating in 2006, she took one year off from training to teach and coach at her former boarding school. She joined Vesper in the fall of 2007 to pursue her National Team goals. In the summer of 2008, she made the US LW4x with three of her Vesper teammates, earning a bronze medal at the World Championships in Linz, Austria. Libby enjoys working with kids and currently teaches health and wellness classes at an elementary school in West Philadelphia.
Dan Sholz Hometown: Springfield, OR
College: Oregon State University Dan began rowing at Oregon State University after watching the success of his brother as an oarsman. His career got off to a rocky start and he did not make the novice eight. The varsity coach convinced him to ‘stick around’ and Dan came back with the burning desire to make a boat. In his sophomore year Dan stroked the 2nd varsity eight to a 9th place win at the IRA but, with his brother on the varsity team, this was not good enough for him. Dan made some changes in his training to become a viable heavyweight athlete and trained all summer. In his junior year he stroked the varsity eight to an 8th place at the IRA that sparked a dream that he would someday row for the US lightweight national team. After stoking again for the varsity team he was chosen for the all PAC 10 team and invited to a National team training camp in Philadelphia for the summer, 2006. Dan became fully committed and decided to stay and continue to train. Dan competed in the LM4x at the World Championships in 2009, finishing 6th.
Mike Vuksich
Hometown: San Francisco, California
College: Sonoma State University
After playing competitive soccer for many years Michael was injured in his freshman year of college. At the beginning of his sophomore year, he was approached by the rowing coach for Sonoma State, and hesitantly decided to give rowing a try. It didn't take long for Michael to realize he had found a sport surpassing soccer in every aspect. Michael decided to row in Philadelphia the summers of 2006 and 2007 for the Penn Athletic Boat Club. After graduating from Sonoma State in 2008, Michael decided to continue his rowing career at Vesper Boat Club in hopes of fulfilling his Olympic dream.
Achievements:
- Gold Medal at US Club Nationals 2007 (Men's lightweight 8)
- Silver Medal at US Club Nationals 2007 (Men's lightweight 4+)
©
2010 Vesper Boat Club