In November 1985, while sharing food and drink with many rowers after a Yale-Harvard game Gordon Kuster and Baxter Walsh teamed up to recruit this 6’6 1/2 “ farmer” to rowing. They placed him on an erg, talked about the excitement and camaraderie of rowing and next thing he was getting up at 5:30 AM to go to the Yale tanks and row. He was hooked!Skip is the seventh generation of his family to live on the Town Green in Orange; he was from farmer stock and took the raising of his 4-H cow seriously. Definitely a landlubber he went to Orange schools, traveled to “the city” to attend junior high school at Troop and then spent two years at Hillhouse High School before he was part of the first group of students in the brand new Amity Regional School.
A graduate of the University of Connecticut in Agriculture Engineering, he plowed fields and milked cows. Rowing was far from his thoughts. Proud of his U.S. Army service in the Signal Corps supporting the 82nd Airborne Group serving in Fort Bragg during the Viet Nam war, he returned to Orange to start his own landscaping business.
Water sports had never had much appeal, so when Skip started rowing at 45 and learned to love it, no one could have been more surprised. He thought he was getting into a recreational activity and quickly discovered the pleasures of competition as the New Haven Rowing Club stormed National and International competitions. The success of winning in a four or an eight was intoxicating.
His first competition was in Philadelphia at the Head of the Schuylkill. Skip was placed in the boat with Eric Danneman, Steve Fantil and Ed Offchiss. The cox was Steve Segaloff, who then went on to Cornell and National fame. The race was very satisfying in that the boat stayed right behind the “A” NHRC boat with Rick Dyer and Kris Keggi.
Skip’s first international trip was to Lila Edet in Sweden. Nervous about the event, Norm Thetford provided confidence by suggesting that Skip just put on his NHRC jacket and strut back and forth along the waterfront intimidating their competitors with his size and his mean look – which at that point included a large black beard! Indeed, this gave him the needed confidence to get in the boat and pull. The camaraderie, the success, the travel, the food and drink combined to hook this rower on competition. It was on this trip that the club also carried oars, the brand new hatchet design, to sell in Sweden after our races, quite an experience. Ned Williams convinced Skip’s wife of 39 years, Sue Atkinson Clark, to hawk this merchandise to the European and British rowers and she and Skip unloaded quite a few of the oars. Sue also supported the rowing efforts with lots of photographs and Clark Bars.
The New Haven Rowing Club adopted the Clark family and played a significant role in the adolescent years of Skip and Sue’s three sons, David, Miles and Jon. Having watch Dad row and enjoying social events with the rowers, Miles began rowing at the Gunnery and became the engine in the boat. His power was noted by others, and he was invited to the junior national camp in San Diego. Jon also did secondary school rowing but without a program: he rowed a single and petitioned the school board to row as the Amity Rowing Team. He trained with the master rowers at New Haven and Norm Thetford signed as his coach for the schoolboy events. During this time Jon had the opportunity to row with New Haven in the masters boat for Head of the Charles. He was 16 and John Brackett was 60+ helping average the age. Skip was also in the boat and it was a source of pride to row with his son. The boat was 1st in the line up since the previous year masters 8 had won the event. Jon was primed for really being in the race and was absolutely astounded when the Northeastern boat passed them immediately. Jonathan’s high school experience with the New Haven Rowing Club was further enhanced when he too was invited to the Junior National Camp in Seattle, and he went on to collegiate rowing with a scholarship to Boston University.
David, the oldest son is physically disabled, as many know, and has the heart of an oarsman. He was always included, did some computer work and results at the finish line of Derby Day and always enjoyed kibitzing with “the guys.” His decision to attend the University of California at Berkeley made Skip and Sue nervous: 3,000 was a long way from home and the supports David was used to. However, the year he began Nationals were in Oakland so one week after David went to campus alone along came all his New Haven friends. He felt so important showing off his dorm and the mini campus tour welcoming the club to “his part of the country.”
But it’s impossible to talk about Skip’s career with New Haven without talking about the construction of the boathouse. A small band of determined people built an amazing boat house that is still impressive and still growing. Since he was self-employed, Skip was able to spend hours during the week when others were not available. The project took a toll. At one point we saw Skip in a new tee shirt with the front proclaiming that “My wife says she is going to leave me if I continue to work on this boathouse…” the back proclaimed “God, I am going to miss her.”
Skip notes, “Giving up competitive rowing has been balanced by the chance to sleep a little later. The hope of some recreational rowing at a little later hour is a compelling thought. The continuing relationship with the friends made during the years is priceless. Being named an Emeritus Member of the New Haven Rowing Club is incredibly special, quite and honor for this old farmer.”
Life is good. Golfing and a return to skiing (post- hip replacement) are Skip’s favorite sporting activities at this time. Community Service has always been important, demonstrated by his 20 years service on the Orange Board of Selectman, 25 years in the Orange Fire Department and constant involvement in multiple groups and organization. He is working with the town on land preservation both through the land trust and other Town committees. His involvement in volunteer activities and the New Haven Rowing Club will continue. This is part of who he is.
(Thanks to Baxter Walsh for this profile)
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