Rowing Legend Stan Pocock Passes Away At Age 91
Stanley R. Pocock, who less than two months ago was presented with the Dr. Don H. Palmer Award at the 2014 Husky Hall of Fame induction ceremony, has died at the age of 91. Mr. Pocock passed away Monday, December 16, 2014.
Pocock, born October 11, 1923, in Seattle, grew up watching his father (George) and uncle (Dick) build racing shells at the UW, establishing a business that would become legendary in the rowing community. Stan attended the UW and rowed on a varsity eight that took third place at the 1947 IRA Championships.
After earning a degree in engineering, Pocock began a career in coaching that included time spent at the UW, the United States national program and the Lake Washington Rowing Club.
"For decades Stan Pocock has been an important part of Washington Rowing," Bob Ernst, UW director of rowing and head women's coach said today. "His passing is a tremendous loss for the entire Northwest rowing community."
"Stan was still coming down to the Shellhouse and connecting with our students in his 90s, telling guys after a practice, 'You got to want it!' " said UW men's rowing coach Michael Callahan. "He was always giving back to something he cared about and loved. He was a teacher, boat builder, leader and a great grandfather to many of us here. Stan Pocock was a champion of Washington Rowing and the greater rowing community."
Pocock coached several U.S. men's crews to gold medals in both the 1956 and 1960 Olympic Games and sustained the family tradition of innovative boat-building, something he continued until his retirement in 1985.
In November of 2012, Pocock was presented with the Medal of Honor Award from USRowing at its annual Golden Awards Banquet. The Medal of Honor is a life-time achievement award given to those who have demonstrated excellence and accomplished extraordinary feats in rowing.
Following graduation from the UW, Pocock joined legendary coach Al Ulbrickson's staff at Washington, coaching the freshmen in 1948. He went on to spend seven years as a coach at Montlake. In 1958, he helped found and became the first head coach of the Lake Washington Rowing Club.
As a boat-builder, Pocock is credited with being the first to incorporate fiberglass into boat design and, in 1961, completed the first full fiberglass shell.
In 2000, Pocock co-wrote "Way Enough! Recollections of a Life in Rowing," a memoir of his career.
A memorial service is planned for Jan. 3, 2015, at the Conibear Shellhouse at 11 a.m. Visit PocockFoundation.org for more information.
