SEVEN in 11: Bob Whitford

WHY HE MATTERS
After spending 22 years as the rowing coordinator and facilities manager for the California State University Aquatics Center, Bob Whitford is bringing his expertise to the East County as Sarasota County’s new park manager, where he will oversee the implementation of a new world-class rowing facility at Nathan Benderson Park.

As Bob Whitford gazes out over the water at Nathan Benderson Park, a smile begins to spread across his face.

But it’s more than just the lake’s calm demeanor or the occasional sound of a bird breaking the silence that has captured Whitford’s attention. Rather, it’s the notion of what the area will soon become that has the southern California native beaming.

In just a few months, Whitford will begin overseeing the first phase of a project that will transform what had previously been a simple lake into a destination for world-class athletes.

“This will be a permanent installation for rowing,” Whitford says. “I’m really excited to see Sarasota host a permanent rowing venue to attract athletes regionally, nationally and from around the world. It’s truly going to be a destination regatta spot.”

In February, Whitford will assume the role of park manager for Sarasota County, where he will oversee the general maintenance of the park while bringing rowing and water activities to the park as well.

One of Whitford’s first tasks will be to work alongside the developer to finalize the plans for the instillation of the new rowing facility. In 2011, Whitford will oversee the completion of the first phase of the project, which includes dredging and relocating materials to lengthen the lake by a couple hundred meters while also providing room for a finish line, boathouse and additional parking.

“I’m looking forward to getting a chance to build an installation that will be a statement,” Whitford says. “We have several courses in the United States that are very good, but we don’t have a great course with a full permanent installation.

“You can consider this the Rose Bowl of rowing,” he says.

Once the rowing project is complete, Nathan Benderson Park will be home to a grandstand, finish tower, starting mast, docks and buoys on a permanent basis.

“We hope that this will not just be a destination for regattas but also a destination for training in the offseason as well,” Whitford says. “We hope to have (teams) from around North America use this facility for winter and spring training.”

RAISED ON THE WATER
A native of Newport Beach, Calif., Whitford grew up on the water. At 3 years old, Whitford learned how to sail, canoe and row a boat with his brothers, and by the time he was 8 years old, Whitford had learned how to drive a powerboat. It was also during that time that Whitford was first introduced to rowing.

Whitford grew up on a C Scout base, an older form of boy scouts, near Orange Coast College. At the time, the college was in need of a coxswain, so members of the rowing team would come get Whitford and his brothers to help out.

“It was great,” Whitford says of the experience. “It’s a 60-foot-long boat, and you have to steer the boat and the athletes around bridges and yachts.”

Whitford began rowing for his high school rowing team, the Newport School Boys, which produced two Olympians and three National Team members while Whitford was there.

Whitford went on to Orange Coast College, where he rowed for two years before transferring to the University of California and rowed for another two years. During his time at Orange Coast, Whitford also began coaching the Newport School Boys.

Whitford continued coaching at California State University, Long Beach. Two years later, he moved to the East Coast, where he coached Providence’s rowing team before serving as Stanford University’s varsity men’s rowing coach from 1980-1984.

Whitford then spent two years as the United States national team coach, serving as the singles scullers coach in 1986 and the doubles scullers coach in 1987.

In 1987, Whitford graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a social sciences degree. Whitford spent a year coaching at Santa Clara University before taking over as the rowing coordinator and facilities manager for the Sacramento State University Aquatics Center — a position he has held for the past 22 years.

“For me, it’s the teaching and seeing young people matriculate and mature (that I enjoy most),” Whitford says.

CARVING THE COURSE
Throughout his career, Whitford has been instrumental in planning and building some of the country’s most elite rowing facilities, including the sites for the 1984 and 1996 Summer Olympic Games, among numerous others, while working for Precision Racing, along with business partner Tim Royalty.

“We install the actual rowing course,” Whitford says. “We’ve done just about every major rowing course.”

Now, Whitford is looking forward to transforming Nathan Benderson Park into an elite rowing facility.

“I’m very excited about the collaboration between Sarasota County and its citizens and the Nathan Benderson Corporation,” Whitford says. “They share a great vision, and this is one of the few places where a public-private partnership actually works.

“Paul Blackketter (of Benderson Development) has promoted Sarasota very well throughout the United States; and in my 22 years at Sacramento State, there has been nothing of this stature where I would leave,” he says. “This is the first thing in all those years that has enticed me to move. I’m very excited.”

FAMILY MAN
When he’s not hard at work, Whitford enjoys spending time with his girlfriend of five years, Lee Ann, and his two children Alexandra, 18, who swims for Stanford, and Broderick, 15, who is on his high school rowing team.

Like his father did with him and his brothers, Whitford introduced his son to the water at an early age, and like his father, Broderick Whitford also became enamored with rowing.

“I get to share a part of my life with him,” Bob Whitford says. “It could be software if I’d gotten into that, but instead it’s rowing. He’s been on boats all his life. He does better at understanding all of the aspects of rowing — the emotional and physical academics of rowing.”

In addition to rowing and spending time with his family, Whitford is also an avid fisherman.

“I love being on the water,” Whitford says. “This is why (I’m excited about) Sarasota. I feel like I’m in Newport Beach on steroids. There’s more water, more boats and more fish.”

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].