Harville On Ernst And Their Best Stories, ?I Can?t Share Those?
By Mason Kelley
GoHuskies.com
Bob Ernst has been cementing his legacy at Washington for four decades. To celebrate his dedication to the university and its rowing program, GoHuskies.com presents a collection of five stories told from the perspective of people who have worked with and rowed for the coach. | Series Home
Jan Harville started to laugh.
After spending 23 years alongside Bob Ernst as a member of the Washington crew program’s coaching staff, she has plenty of stories, but “I can’t share those.”
While many of the best stories will remain sealed within the walls of the Conibear Shellhouse, the one thing that endures between Ernst and Harville is friendship.
It started when Harville was a rower working toward the Olympics and later as a member of the United States national team. While Ernst coached Harville, they were also colleagues.
Ernst went from Washington’s freshmen coach to women’s coach in 1980, which led to Harville joining the staff.
“I hadn’t coached at all before,” Harville said.
After rowing at Washington when it was a club sport, Harville was thankful for the opportunity to work at her alma mater. But there was a lot to learn.
“I never dreamed I would be coaching or that I would even know how to do it,” Harville said. “He gave me a great opportunity to coach.”
With her experience limited to competition, Harville looked to the way Ernst ran his program.
“He gave me a lot of pointers,” she said. “He really taught me a lot.”
Without Ernst’s help, when more than 100 women showed up her first day, her first reaction would have been, “Now what do I do?”
“He had a lot of ideas and experience,” Harville said. “That was really helpful for me.”
She learned to drive the launch and a truck attached to a trailer loaded with racing shells. Ernst was there every step of the way.
“Bob is a really intense person,” Harville said. “He’s funny and you’ve got to appreciate his intensity and dedication. It rubs off on a lot of people. He’s a problem solver. He’s a worker and he is always looking to excel.”
With shared commitment and focus, Harville said it is hard for her to consider her time working with Ernst as a job.
“I really loved coaching and being there,” she said. “You feel like you’re at the boathouse more than you’re at home.”
Throughout all the hours and years spent working to maintain a powerhouse program that remained relevant nationally year after year – the Washington women won national titles under Harville in 1997, ’98 and ’01 – Harville said there was always something “funny going on.”
The coach retired in 2003, but she remains good friends with Ernst, a coach, mentor and colleague.
“Bob’s a unique person,” she said. “I really like him a lot. We’re good friends. I really appreciate him for his dedication and loyalty.”
