Detroit Boat Club - Alumni

Alumni

Detroit's Junior Rowing program has a high rate of success when it comes to developing rowers for rowing and academic programs beyond high school. Of the graduates of the class of 2005 from the Detroit Boat Club, 100% of them went on to college, and 90% are on intercollegiate rowing teams. Of the 2004 graduates, 100% went on to college, 80% are rowing on intercollegiate teams or are involved in rowing. Detroit Boat Club graduates end up at top universities in the nation every year, and several alumni are currently involved in undergraduate studies at Ivy League universities and the United States Naval Academy, as well as Northeastern University, Rutgers University, Boston University, University of Notre Dame, University of Delaware, University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Rollins College, Wayne State University, University of Virginia, University of Minnesota, University of Dayton, Yale University and many others.

Several members have gone on to compete in the Olympic games, while others have been alternates, and still more have gone to compete for USRowing at several different levels of competition (Junior world championships, U-23 world championships, Pan American Games, etc.) Many Detroit Boat Club alumni end up finding their way back to Belle Isle and into rowing shells. Others never really leave. John Welchli can be considered one of the greatest, and most seasoned, rowers of all time. He was a part of the 1956 US Olympic contingent, a silver medalist in the Men's 4+ fielded by Detroit. He can still be found rowing his Empacher single on clear mornings.