RegattaCentral

Give back.  A simple thought easy to do.  My father set the seed for many good qualities.  An important thing he taught me was to give back.  I am the proud son of Steve Neczypor.

He gave back more than most.  When he became involved in rowing it was not by choice.  He was a football guy.  His first son joined Father Judge Crew in 1968.  Tom Rafferty was the coach.

That would be the beginning of many years of giving.  Tom Rafferty, an infamous rower and rowing coach, and Mr. Necz. became quick friends.  Tom Rafferty had a vision of another boathouse on the Schuylkill River, which was unheard of for the close knit boathouse row clubs.  There had not been a new club since 1938.

This was 1965.  Tom purchased an old rag factory in Manayunk on Ridge Avenue, just 11 miles upstream from historic boathouse row.  Schuylkill Boat Club was born! I remember I was a charter member at age 10.

Mr. Necz. was one of the keys to the success of this new boat club.  He could build or fix anything!  Raff would come up with the ideas and Mr. Necz. would make it happen.  Despite many obstacles they got the building in order and began to house boats and all the necessary equipment in order to race!

That’s what it was all about, for Mr. Necz., the race!  Rowers love to race!  It becomes an obsession. Everything we do revolve around the race.  Eat, sleep, train, row, and run more miles than you can count.

All to get to the starting line and get down to business. My rowing philosophy is a simple one: Train, race, and win. Goal achieved.

Mr. Necz. Set the seed for many of the young men that would come thru the doors of the boathouse throughout the years teaching them valuable lessons of life.  What it took to become a good man.  Many of these young men would later thank him for his mentoring.  “Life according to Steve” as I called it,   becoming friends for life. Countless stories of Mr. Necz. during their time spent at the “boathouse “.

 I remember when I was little. Where’s daddy? Down the river! I knew that would be the place for me.

After the Schuylkill Rivers spring rage of flooding continued to thwart the Schuylkill Boat Club ramps and docks. A unique opportunity arose. Reddy for a battle, Mr. Necz. , Raff and Tom Kealy set out to reestablish themselves on boathouse row. They became members of Crescent Boat Club, got back on boathouse row and the rebirth of the once great Crescent Boat Club was under way, the rest is current history.

So in keeping with the ideals my father and mother instilled to me. I have decided that a great way to honor and keep his dreams alive would be to establish a regatta dedicated to his memory of giving.