Beach Crew Buzz — August 2025
Welcome to Issue No.2 of Beach Crew Buzz:
Coach Edition!
This month we want to introduce our coaches and student/athlete officers. In addition, we are highlighting a women’s team from the 1980's who have named themselves the “Ladies of the Eighties”.
Our goal with this monthly newsletter is to keep you informed on our recruitment, team accomplishments, highlights from past teams and how you can get involved through volunteering at regattas and monetary donations. Thank you for taking the time to read the Beach Crew Buzz. We hope you enjoy!
Director and Men’s Head Coach
Scott Erwin
Coach Erwin first discovered rowing in 1983 as a student at San Diego State University, when the crew team was recruiting on campus with a large eight-person shell displayed in the middle of the quad. He quickly fell in love with the sport, recalling, “I loved practice—it was like Christmas morning. I couldn’t wait for them.”
He found early success, winning the Western Sprints Championship in the novice eight that same year, and again in 1986 with the varsity four. Thaat year, he was selected for the Pre-Elite team and went on to compete at the 1987 Pan American Games, where he earned a silver medal.
From 1988 to 1992, Erwin was a regular participant in the national team selection camps and brought home numerous victories. Drawing on that high-level experience, he has since dedicated himself to coaching Men’s Crew, emphasizing competition, technical skill, and discipline.
Coach Scott has been part of Beach Crew since 1987, beginning as an athlete after rowing for one year at Long Beach. After stepping away for a time, he returned in 2020 as an assistant coach for the Men’s Crew. His coaching philosophy is centered on personal growth and team unity. “My goal,” he says, “is to help each athlete meet and exceed the expectations they had when they joined. I want to show them that through commitment and hard work, they can push their bodies beyond what they thought possible—and begin building a program where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”
Women’s Head Coach
Meghan VanderBeek
Meghan VanderBeek has been named the new Head Coach for the Women’s Rowing team. She brings over 25 years of experience in the sport, both as a competitive rower and a highly successful coach across several respected programs. Her rowing career includes time with Bainbridge Island Rowing, Marin Rowing Association, and Oregon State University, where she developed a deep understanding of the sport’s technical and strategic aspects. She has coached at Green Lake Rowing, Marin, and most recently at California State University Long Beach, giving her valuable insight into the team’s current structure and culture.
“We are incredibly excited to welcome Meghan VanderBeek as the new leader of our Women’s Rowing program,” said a spokesperson from CSU Long Beach. “Her experience as a rower and coach, combined with her dedication to student-athlete development, makes her the ideal person to elevate our team.”
Coach VanderBeek is enthusiastic about the opportunity. “I’m thrilled to take on the role of Head Coach for the Long Beach State Women’s Rowing team,” she said. “My immediate goals are to grow the team, strengthen our performance at regattas, and foster a culture built on camaraderie, teamwork, and a fierce drive to excel. I believe in empowering our student-athletes to reach their full potential—both on and off the water.”
Her long-term vision emphasizes holistic athlete development, aiming to build a sustainable and successful program rooted in personal growth, competitive excellence, and team unity.
Boatman and Coach
John O’Donnell
John’s journey in rowing began in 1973 when he joined the CSULB Lightweight rowing team as one of nearly 90 new recruits. As a member of the second varsity eight, he rowed from the very same boathouse and boat bay he serves today. At the time, all boats and oars were still crafted from wood, and Pete Archer—the boathouse’s namesake—was the boatman responsible for maintaining the fleet. Unbeknownst to John, he would one day follow in Pete’s footsteps as the current boatman for the CSULB rowing teams.
After a brief hiatus, John returned to the sport over a decade later as a competitive adult (Masters) rower, racing in major west coast regattas like the San Diego Crew Classic and Masters Nationals. In the late 1990s, professional responsibilities pulled him away from rowing once again—but not for good.
In 2004, John reconnected with the sport through coaching, first with a junior recreational team that quickly gained traction. His early coaching success led to a position with a competitive men’s novice team. Just a year later, his talent and dedication were noticed by the CSULB men’s head coach, who invited him to join the collegiate staff.
Since then, John has been an integral part of CSULB Crew, coaching across the country and leading a four-man crew to a second-place finish at the inaugural ACRA Championship. He also spent nearly a decade as a licensed US Rowing Referee before stepping away to focus fully on coaching and his work as boatman.
In 2013, John proposed the now-beloved “Pancake Regatta” and served as its director until 2022, when he passed the torch to the current leadership. Today, he remains deeply involved with the team, serving as a Director on the Beach Crew Alumni Association and continuing to support student-athletes on and off the water.
When asked what keeps him coming back year after year, John pointed to a crew tossing their coxswain in the water after a victory and said, “You see that? That’s why I’m here doing this. You can’t experience that feeling anywhere else.” It’s that deep sense of camaraderie in a true amateur sport that fuels his passion. Above all, John hopes he’s had a positive impact on the lives of those he’s met along the way.
Attention Alumni!
Thank You for reading this far, as a token of our appreciation, the first alumni to email Khurley1258@gmail.com receives a complimentary Beach Crew shirt!
Novice Men’s Coach
Kelly Hurley
Coach Kelly began his rowing journey in 1979 at CSULB, earning a varsity spot in just his second year. One of his most memorable races came in 1980, when his boat narrowly lost to Stanford at the San Diego Crew Classic—by a bow ball. “A race that will always be etched in our minds,” he says, echoing the sentiment of many of his former crewmates.
After college, Kelly continued rowing competitively in both a pair and an eight, winning three national championships and earning a silver medal at the 1983 U.S. Sports Festival. He began coaching shortly after, leading the CSULB women’s team from 1983 to 1986 and the Long Beach Junior program from 1986 to 1989—both of which saw strong performances under his guidance.
Now, as the men’s novice coach, Kelly’s focus is on helping build a program that can compete with the best in the country. He’s also committed to supporting Coach Erwin’s vision of establishing a sustainable, thriving program within the next few years. But for Coach Kelly, success goes beyond results on the water. “It’s about helping these athletes become the best versions of themselves—both in rowing and in life,” he says. Go Beach!
Ladies of the Eighties
In 1984, the CSULB Women’s Rowing Team made a powerful entrance onto the California rowing scene. With unmatched dedication, teamwork, and grit, this talented crew quickly proved themselves a force on the water. Known as “The Ladies of the Eighties,” the team claimed the Cal Cup at the San Diego Crew Classic, defeated UCLA on their home course, and finished a razor-close second to the University of Washington at the Western Sprints in a photo finish.
Their success was no accident. It wasn’t unusual to see their shell cutting through the water at 5:30 a.m., six days a week—driven by a shared commitment to excellence. As one rower put it, “Back in the day, we didn’t just want to beat a team—we wanted to annihilate them in the first 500 meters.”
Their coach echoed that sentiment, saying, “I’ve coached many teams, but this group of ladies had to be the most dedicated, committed, and hardworking athletes I’ve ever had the pleasure to coach.”
Their legacy still inspires today, standing as a proud chapter in Beach Crew history.
Upcoming Alumni Event
Please mark your calendar for the November 15th Naples Island Collegiate Rowing Challenge and Alumni Race. This is a head race for the varsity men and women and a sprint race for all freshmen and novice boats. Universities from Central and Southern California attend this regatta with approximately 40 boats entered.
This year, we will highlight our alumni with a short sprint of 300-400 meters starting at the 1500 meter pole and ending at the boathouse. Currently, we have three men’s eights from the 80's and 90's and one women’s boat from the 80's. Our goal is to put on the water as many alumni eights as will fit on the race course.
There is rumor that a very successful and extremely fast boat from the 1960/70's may enter a four! We are looking for alumni from the 2000's to round out each decade from the 60's to current. If you are unable to row, we hope you will join us at the regatta. Finally, we are hosting a dinner that night for all alumni at the Long Beach Yacht Club. More information will be available in the September newsletter.
