Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-18
BOAT CLUB CREWS
GET EXPERT COACH
George Van Vliet, Three-Time
Holder of Double Scull
Title, Engaged.
PROFESSIONAL RECORD GOOD
AS Instructor of Various Clubs,
Has Turned Out National
Regatta Winners.

George Van Vliet three time winner
OF the double-scull championship OF the
United States and Cannda-cach yenr
with different partner-has boon en-
gagged to coach the Virginia Boat Club
crews this season. Ho will arrive in
Richmond next week. and will assume
his duties at once. More than n score
or candidates have been linbcrIng up
on tho river, and the prospects for
winning crew with such an Instructor
as Van Vliet arc the best In years.
The management of the Virginia
Boat Club deserves much credit for
bringing such an oarsman as Van Vliet|
here. The ability to propel racing
shell at full speed Is something that
many men never learn. and wrong
start often Is the ruination OF an other
wise promising candidate. The ability
to teach others how to get the maxi
mum speed out of a boat without any
unnecessary outlay OF energy. requires
years OF precise study OF all the minute
details Of catch. recover. blade work
and rig. in addition to the gift of being
able to teach or impart knowledge TO
others. All OF these qualifications are
possessed by the new coach. as his
record shows.
Van Enet's success as a coach Is
simply repetition of his record az
amateur oarsman. Three different
years he won the championship. At
the National Championship Regatta at
Saratoga, y. Y. in 1894. with Frank
Baiz as a partner he won both the
double and pnir-oar races, feat un-
PARALLEL in the history OF the nssocia-
ton. y week later they repeated the
feat In the Canadian regatta. Tho
NJ show TINT
no two men ever won both OF these
widely different sort OF races at either
OF these reguttas. That Van Nlict waa
the better OF the two was demonstrated
that same yea when he defeated his
partner in a single scull race on the
Schuykill River by twenty seconds on
the one mile course. His time was s
minutes and forty-one Heconds.
HOLDS DOUBLE sCULL
TITLE FOR THREE YEARS
II. first won the championship with
George McGowan In 1893 successfully
defended {, in 1885, with BALI. and
captured honors again In 1897 with
liush Monnhan as his partner. In
that year. besides winning the double
sCull title. he rowcd IN the Pcnnsyl-
vana Barge Club crew. which won
III, senior eight-oared championship
q the United States. The University
oil Pennsylvania and Harvard were con-
tcstants In the race. In addition to
these facts Van Nlct won three races
in one day mt each OF the Schulk!n
Navy Rcgattas In 1899 lssi and 1895.
Altogether he has won upwards to
fifty races In every class OF shell boat
!,s professional coach. the record
OF Van Vliet Is equally ms good as his
amateur record. For seven years he
was with the Staten Island Boat Club
and during that time not one or his
eight cared shells lost Il race. Under
NJ. fAnr rad Oh al VI on
the American Henley al Philadelphia
II 1907. and that year his pupils romped
home with the junior douh!c-sculls and
the senior four In the Fourth OF July
Regatta. In the New York Bay Regatta
they won the Junior eight-oarcd shell
and the intermediate four-onred shell
and Staten Island capped the season by
the sensational winning OF the double
.scull race IN the Middle States Regatta
In washington.
VAN yLIET MAKES
ANOTHER nIG RECORD
Upon leaving Staten Island. Van
yl!et took hold OF the New Rochelle
Rowing Club. and in the whole his
tory Of rowing never has man made
more OF a success than he did with
this club A clipping from tho Wash
tngton Herald OF September 3, 1912.
says:
intermediate eight cared shell race In
very good time OF r minutes Isl
seconds Potomac Bont Club was three
lengths TO the bad. with Anolostan n
half-length back.
ivan vliet again sent out a winner
in intermediate qundruple sculls. not
withstanding the fact that wilde. the
bowman. had just stepped out OF the
winning intermediate eight Malta
Boat Club, OF Philadelphia. was second.
Time, minutes 81 seconds.
New Rochelle was again supreme
in Intern edlate double SOULS. Pitt
and Miller won, despite the fact that
they had a short time previously rowed
in the winning Quadruple scull race.
IT was ono OF the greatest struggles
of great day. for Vcsper Boat Club.
OF philadelphia. kept with them during
only by the length OF the forward
canvas. Hudson Boat Club, Of New
York, never had look In. Time. 81
minutes seconds"
The record made by Van Vliet is
very good evidence that he has mas
tered all the fine points, rs we'll as
the essentials Of the game. and that he
is exceptionally able to impart his
knowledge to others
The Virginia Boat Club numbers
among Its members come OF the huski-
est young men in the city, and Il Is
safe to prophesy that a cracker jack
number OF crews will DO turned out
this year.
The men who have been on tho water
| tuning up this past month have re-
ccived this welcome news with n great
| deal Of delight. and most Of them have
started training. SO as to be In the
pink OF condition when Coach Van Vliet
arrives and looks them over.
To q casual spectator on Mayo's
bridge on this afternoon n most inter-
. esting eight Will he seen at the boat
clubs wharf. About seventy-fve or
eighty men will be dsporting them.
selves In the waters Of the James, and
THE river will be dotted with many
.pIeasure craft and racing shells