Steve Gladstone
Encyclopedia
Stephen C. Gladstone, or Steve Gladstone as he is better known, is one of the premier rowing coaches in the United States. He currently coaches at Yale University
. Previously, he coached at the University of California, Berkeley
, where he also served as athletic director.
where he began his rowing career and Syracuse University
where he continued to row and graduated with a bachelor's degree in American literature. He is the son of Henry Gladstone, a renowned radio announcer in the 1950s and 1960s in New York City.
freshmen to a pair of silver medals at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association
regatta, also known as the IRA. Gladstone then took over as varsity lightweight coach at Harvard in 1970. His Harvard crews were undefeated for four straight seasons. They won four straight Eastern Sprints
championships and, in 1971, the Thames Challenge Cup and Wyfold Challenge Cup at the Henley Royal Regatta
in England.
varsity crew team. He also coached the 1973 U.S. National team. During his tenure at Cal from 1973–80, Gladstone's Bears had three undefeated dual-race seasons, an IRA title in 1976, one official Pac-10 championships in 1979, and an unofficial championship in 1978 when Cal lost a controversial decision to Washington.
Gladstone retired after the 1980 season and coached the Cal Alumni for one race in 1981—winning the San Diego Crew Classic. He then decided to coach rowing again and was approached by Brown University
.
titles. In both 1993 and '94, the Brown varsity crew completed the "triple crown" with victories in each of these regattas – a feat that had never before been accomplished. In Gladstone's final season at Brown, the men's crew went undefeated as a program at all levels of competition. Many of Gladstone's athletes at Brown became members of the national teams for the USA and for other countries. Following the 1994 season, Gladstone retired from coaching rowing for the second time.
, where he was president and director of marketing. But in 1996 Gladstone returned to coaching crew at Cal beginning with the 1997 season.
In his first two years back, his varsity squads finished third at the IRA. In 1999, Gladstone's varsity boat ended Cal's 23-year IRA championship drought. Cal then went on to capture four straight IRA varsity titles from 1999 through 2002 and was undefeated for three straight years. His assistant coach in charge of the freshman squad at this time was rowing coach Craig Amerkhanian
(who later went on to a career at Stanford University
). The majority of Gladstone and Amerkhanian's oarsmen from those years were members of the national team for either the USA or some other country.
After his return to Cal, Gladstone's varsity boat won seven Pac-10 championships. In addition, they won seven straight San Diego Crew Classics, 1999–2005, and four straight Windemere Collegiate Crew Classics, 2003–2006.
In 2001, Gladstone was named Director of the Intercollegiate Athletic Department at Cal from which he resigned from in 2004 to focus solely on his job as the head coach of Cal men's crew. Gladstone's tenure as athletic director included the hiring football head coach Jeff Tedford
.
After the 2008 rowing season, Gladstone retired from collegiate coaching and accepted a job with the California Rowing Club, which is housed on the same property as Cal but in adjacent boathouses.
In 2010, Gladstone left the CRC to assume the head coaching position for the Yale University heavyweight men.
Gladstone has served on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Amateur Oarsmen and has also been a member of the Men's Olympic Rowing Committee.
who coached in the 1900s and 1910s, for the most ever. His six IRA victories at Cal also ties him with the legendary Carroll M. "Ky" Ebright
for most victories by a Cal coach. During his career at Harvard, Cal and Brown, Gladstone's first boat has officially won the conference championship a remarkable 16 times.
Lightweight Varsity Boat
Heavyweight Varsity Boat
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. Previously, he coached at the University of California, Berkeley
California Golden Bears
The California Golden Bears is the nickname used for 29 varsity athletic programs and various club teams of the University of California, Berkeley...
, where he also served as athletic director.
Early life
Gladstone is a graduate of Kent SchoolKent School
Kent School is a private, co-educational college preparatory school in Kent, Connecticut, USA. The Reverend Frederick Herbert Sill, Order of the Holy Cross, established the school in 1906 and it retains its affiliation with the Episcopal Church of the United States.Students at Kent come from more...
where he began his rowing career and Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
where he continued to row and graduated with a bachelor's degree in American literature. He is the son of Henry Gladstone, a renowned radio announcer in the 1950s and 1960s in New York City.
Career at Princeton and Harvard
Gladstone began coaching in 1966, directing the Princeton UniversityPrinceton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
freshmen to a pair of silver medals at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association
Intercollegiate Rowing Association
The Intercollegiate Rowing Association runs the IRA Championship Regatta, which is considered to be the United States collegiate national championship of rowing. Since 1995, it has been held on the Cooper River in Pennsauken, New Jersey, and includes both men's and women's events for sweep boats...
regatta, also known as the IRA. Gladstone then took over as varsity lightweight coach at Harvard in 1970. His Harvard crews were undefeated for four straight seasons. They won four straight Eastern Sprints
Eastern Sprints
Eastern Sprints refers to the annual rowing championship for the Eastern Association of Rowing Colleges . Since 1974, the "Women's Eastern Sprints" has been held as the annual championship for the Eastern Association of Women's Rowing Colleges league.*For the women's regatta, see Women's Eastern...
championships and, in 1971, the Thames Challenge Cup and Wyfold Challenge Cup at the Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. The Royal Regatta is sometimes referred to as Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage...
in England.
Career at Cal
In 1973, he was appointed as head coach of the CalUniversity of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
varsity crew team. He also coached the 1973 U.S. National team. During his tenure at Cal from 1973–80, Gladstone's Bears had three undefeated dual-race seasons, an IRA title in 1976, one official Pac-10 championships in 1979, and an unofficial championship in 1978 when Cal lost a controversial decision to Washington.
Gladstone retired after the 1980 season and coached the Cal Alumni for one race in 1981—winning the San Diego Crew Classic. He then decided to coach rowing again and was approached by Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
.
Career at Brown
Gladstone coached Brown from 1982–94. At Brown, Gladstone crews amassed four Eastern Sprints championships, five IRA championships and two National Collegiate Rowing ChampionshipNational Collegiate Rowing Championship
The now defunct National Collegiate Rowing Championship was a quasi-official national championship for men's collegiate rowing, held in Cincinnati, Ohio, between 1983 and 1996. It pitted the winners of the Eastern Sprints, the Pac-10s, the Intercollegiate Rowing Association, and the Harvard-Yale...
titles. In both 1993 and '94, the Brown varsity crew completed the "triple crown" with victories in each of these regattas – a feat that had never before been accomplished. In Gladstone's final season at Brown, the men's crew went undefeated as a program at all levels of competition. Many of Gladstone's athletes at Brown became members of the national teams for the USA and for other countries. Following the 1994 season, Gladstone retired from coaching rowing for the second time.
Return to Cal
Upon retiring, Gladstone help found Resolute Racing ShellsResolute Racing Shells
Resolute Racing Shells is a manufacturer of high performance racing shells for rowing programs. It was founded by Eric Goetz, a world-renowned boatbuilder and Steve Gladstone, a noted rowing coach....
, where he was president and director of marketing. But in 1996 Gladstone returned to coaching crew at Cal beginning with the 1997 season.
In his first two years back, his varsity squads finished third at the IRA. In 1999, Gladstone's varsity boat ended Cal's 23-year IRA championship drought. Cal then went on to capture four straight IRA varsity titles from 1999 through 2002 and was undefeated for three straight years. His assistant coach in charge of the freshman squad at this time was rowing coach Craig Amerkhanian
Craig Amerkhanian
Craig Amerkhanian is a Pac-10 champion oarsman and rowing coach at Stanford University. Amerkhanian also has placed numerous athletes on National, Olympic and "Boat Race" teams. He was an all PAC 10 oarsman at Cal and graduated in 1980 with a degree in History...
(who later went on to a career at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
). The majority of Gladstone and Amerkhanian's oarsmen from those years were members of the national team for either the USA or some other country.
After his return to Cal, Gladstone's varsity boat won seven Pac-10 championships. In addition, they won seven straight San Diego Crew Classics, 1999–2005, and four straight Windemere Collegiate Crew Classics, 2003–2006.
In 2001, Gladstone was named Director of the Intercollegiate Athletic Department at Cal from which he resigned from in 2004 to focus solely on his job as the head coach of Cal men's crew. Gladstone's tenure as athletic director included the hiring football head coach Jeff Tedford
Jeff Tedford
Jeff Tedford is an American football coach and the current head coach of the California Golden Bears football team, a position he has held since 2002. As a first-time head coach, Tedford has won wide acclaim for revitalizing the Cal football program...
.
After the 2008 rowing season, Gladstone retired from collegiate coaching and accepted a job with the California Rowing Club, which is housed on the same property as Cal but in adjacent boathouses.
In 2010, Gladstone left the CRC to assume the head coaching position for the Yale University heavyweight men.
Gladstone has served on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Amateur Oarsmen and has also been a member of the Men's Olympic Rowing Committee.
Awards and accomplishments
Including his tenure at Cal and Brown, Gladstone's boats won 11 IRA titles in the varsity event which ties him with Charles "Pop" Courtney of CornellCornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
who coached in the 1900s and 1910s, for the most ever. His six IRA victories at Cal also ties him with the legendary Carroll M. "Ky" Ebright
Ky Ebright
Carroll M. Ebright , better known as Ky Ebright was a legendary coach for the University of California, Berkeley crew team. He is the only man to coach three Olympic gold medal-winning eight-oared boats. He coached the Cal Men's crew from 1924 through 1959...
for most victories by a Cal coach. During his career at Harvard, Cal and Brown, Gladstone's first boat has officially won the conference championship a remarkable 16 times.
Lightweight Varsity Boat
- Eastern Sprints Champions 1969, 1970, 1971 and 1972
Heavyweight Varsity Boat
- Eastern Sprints Champions 1982, 1984, 1987, 1993, 1994
- Pac-10 Champions 1978 (unofficial), 1979, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005 and 2006
- IRA Champions 1976, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2006
- National Collegiate Rowing Championships 1993, 1994
- San Diego Crew Classic 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005