NavyLights74-78 Reunion VII
Summary of Events
Keith Weaver Reporting
25-27 April 2025
Friday, 25 April
All Hands Come Around!
On 25-27 April 2025, the Navy Lightweight Crews from 1974-1978 celebrated their 7th reunion in Annapolis. The reunion commenced with a gathering at The Alley Bar, which is the downstairs “eatery” at the Annapolis Club (previously known as the USNA O’Club).
Welcome Aboard
After an excellent lunch and chance to catch up, we headed over to Hubbard Hall for a meeting in the King Room (known as the N Room when we were young) with a chance to watch the current Navy Lightweights prepare for the next day’s race.
Hubbard Hall Boat Bay
Photo courtesy of Karen Cook (2019)
Keith Weaver ’76 kicked off the King Room activities with welcoming remarks to everyone, and a well-deserved thank you to Coach Shawn Bagnall for his time and effort to make our NavyLights74-78 Reunion VII a special and memorable event.
Keith Weaver ’76 Remarks
Photo courtesy of Karen Cook
Following Keith’s remarks, the highlight of our meeting was a brief from Coach Bagnall on the state of not only the Navy lightweight program, but also an explanation of the direction of Navy rowing following the onboarding of Navy’s new heavyweight head coach Steve Gladstone.
Coach Shawn Bagnall
Photo courtesy of Karen Cook
Following Shawn’s comments, Rob Friedrich, NAAA Associate Athletic Director, provided an overview of where he believes the individual programs are headed, stressing that Alumni support for current and future programs is paramount. The common theme by both Shawn and Rob: Navy Crew is in a growth mode and efforts are underway to ensure that the lightweights, heavyweights, and women’s crews all remain competitive with their Ivy League counterparts.
Splice the Mainbrace I
Friday evening was a time for NavyLights74-78 and spouses to gather and reminisce at The Choptank in downtown Annapolis. The venue was excellent: early evening through sunset, twilight, and dusk and into the night – second floor veranda – outdoors – overlooking the Annapolis Sailboat Show – who could have asked for anything more! Needless to say, the stories from ’74-’78 continued to get “new life and color” as the night moved on.
Sea Stories! Tall Tales! and Yarns! O! My!
“When two or three shall meet”
“Here’s lookin’ at you kid”
Photo courtesy of Maria Vester
Memories are Timeless Treasures….
Photos: Top courtesy of Maria Vester / Middle and Bottom courtesy of Karen Cook
….And New Memories Are Being Made
Photo courtesy of Maria Vester
Saturday, 26 April
O-Dark-Thirty
General Quarters
An O-dark-30 Saturday morning reveille found the reunion group gathering at Hospital Point to watch No. 8 Navy take on No. 3 Penn in the lightweight racing of the morning.
On Hospital Point
Waiting for:
Sit ready, ready all, row!
Photo courtesy of Karen Cook
More than five is a mutiny!
Clockwise L-R: W. T. Door, Gary Harrell ’76, Phil Kumpis ’76, Ollie Oliveria ’75,
Phil Schlaepfer ’77, Larry Becker ’77, Keith Weaver ’76, Tom Cook ’76,
Alex Cobble ’76, Tom Hejl ’77, Matt Clarke ’76
Photo courtesy of Karen Cook
Race results were in line with rankings; nonetheless, NavyLights performed with lots of spirit and drive. And, both Navy and Penn each moved up a notch in the rankings after the day’s racing with Navy moving to No. 7 and Penn moving to No. 2.
There is much work to be completed as NavyLights prepare for the Eastern Sprints; however, spring racing is always about preparing for the second season—Sprints and IRA, and Coach Bagnall is ready to take the lightweight boats to the next level as they face the likes of Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Penn, and others.
Returning to Hubbard for the NavyLights74-78 Alumni Row!
Photo courtesy of Karen Cook
Away All Boats!
Post race festivities then centered on the reunion “la gloire suprême”: the NavyLights74-78 College Creek Alumni Row! Two shells were manned. The Kumpis Eight rowing in the Class of 1963 and stroked by Phil Kumpis ’76, and the Daley Eight rowing in the Paul Quinn ’48 and stroked by Bill Daley ’75.
There was a great deal of anticipation on the part of the oarsmen, as in: “can we really do this?” But with Shawn Bagnall’s guidance, Coach Jon VanAmringe’s coaching from a video feed—and some stellar coxing by Ollie Oliveria ’75 and Raif Elbualy ’28—the NavyLights74-78 Alumni Crews navigated the creek without incident. Thank God!
—Toby Keith and Scotty Emerick, a lyric from their song As Good as I Once Was
We Were Rowers Once…and Once Again
Ollie’s megaphone with the boating of the 1975 Navy Varsity Lightweight Eight
Photo courtesy of Karen Cook
On the Apron
L-R: (Background) Larry Becker ’77, Phil Schlaepfer ’77, Phil Kumpis ’76
(Foreground) Ollie Oliveria ’75, Keith Weaver ’76, Tom Cook ’76
Photo courtesy of Karen Cook
76 Sir!
L-R: Phil Kumpis, Tom Cook, Mark Nesselrode, Keith Weaver,
Steve Nimitz, Alex Cobble, Gary Harrell, Matt Clarke
Photo courtesy of Karen Cook
76 Sir!
L-R: Keith Weaver, Alex Cobble
Photo courtesy of Maria Vester
NavyLights Sir!
L-R: Larry Becker ’77, Phil Schlaepfer ’77, Keith Weaver ’76
Photo courtesy of Maria Vester
We few, we happy few, we we band of brothers….
L-R: Phil Schlaepfer ’77, Larry Becker ’77, Phil Kumpis ’76, Tom Cook ’76, Mark Nesselrode ’76, Steve Hall ’75, Keith Weaver, ’76, Ollie Oliveria ’75, Tom Hejl ’77, Steve Nimitz ’76, Alex Cobble ’76, Gary Harrell ’76, Matt Clarke ’76, Bill Daley ’75
Photo courtesy of Karen Cook
The Boatings
Photo courtesy of Maria Vester
The Kumpis Eight
L-R: Jack Krueger ’28, Alex Cobble ’76, Phil Schlaepfer ’77, Steve Nimitz ’76, Keith Weaver ’76, Tom Cook ’76, Steve Hall ’75, Phil Kumpis ’76, Ollie Oliveria ’75
Photo courtesy of Karen Cook
Walk it on down
Photo courtesy of Denise Oliveria
L-R: Steve Hall ’75, Tom Cook ’76, Keith Weaver ’76
Photo courtesy of Karen Cook
L-R: Steve Hall ’75 (obscured), Tom Cook ’76, Keith Weaver ’76,
Steve Nimitz ’76, Phil Schlaepfer ’77
Photo courtesy of Maria Vester
Did you push off or walk it down the dock?
L-R: Ollie Oliveria ’75, Phil Kumpis ’76, Steve Hall ’75, Tom Cook ’76, Keith Weaver ’76, Steve Nimitz ’76, Phil Schlaepfer ’77, Alex Cobble ’76, Jack Krueger ’28
Photo courtesy of Maria Vester
50 years later and it’s like riding a bike
Photo courtesy of Denise Oliveria
L-R: Jack Krueger ’28, Alex Cobble ’76, Phil Schlaepfer ’77, Steve Nimitz ’76, Keith Weaver ’76, Tom Cook ’76, Steve Hall ’75, Phil Kumpis ’76, Ollie Oliveria ’75
Photo courtesy of Karen Cook
The Daley Eight
7- Tom Hejl ’77
Photo courtesy of Maria Vester
6- Mark Nesselrode ’76
Photo courtesy of Maria Vester
5- Matt Clarke ’76
Photo courtesy of Maria Vester
2- Larry Becker ’77
Photo courtesy of Maria Vester
Did you push off or walk it down the dock?
L-R: Raif Elbualy ’28, Bill Daley ’75, Tom Hejl ’77, Mark Nesselrode ’76, Matt Clarke ’76, Tanner Hamilton ’26, Collin de la Garza ’28, Larry Becker ’77, Logan Rice ’28
Photo courtesy of Maria Vester
THEY DID! THEY DID! THEY DID PUSH OFF!
L-R: Logan Rice ’28, Larry Becker ’77, Collin de la Garza ’28, Tanner Hamilton ’26, Matt Clarke ’76, Mark Nesselrode ’76, Tom Hejl ’77, Bill Daley ’75, Raif Elbualy ’28
Photo courtesy of Karen Cook
Power 10!
L-R: Logan Rice ’28, Larry Becker ’77, Collin de la Garza ’28, Tanner Hamilton ’26, Matt Clarke ’76, Mark Nesselrode ’76, Tom Hejl ’77, Bill Daley ’75, Raif Elbualy ’28
Photo courtesy of Karen Cook
NavyLights74-78 Coaches
In the absence of Coach Jon Eric VanAmringe
NavyLights74-78 Coach (acting)
Gary Harrell ’76
Photo courtesy of Karen Cook
Coach Gary’s NavyLights74-78 Assistant Coaches
L-R: Heidi Becker, Susan Weaver, Lesli Schlaepfer
Photo courtesy of Maria Vester
The NavyLights Red Sweats
To read what has been uncovered regarding the history of the NavyLights red sweats click this link. In the photos that follow Ollie and Tom are wearing the second version of the original red sweats.
The NavyLights red sweatshirt is available for purchase at Squad Locker here.
L-R: Bill Daley, Ollie Oliveria, Steve Hall L-R: Bill Daley, Ollie Oliveria
L-R: Steve Hall ’75, Tom Cook ’76
Photo courtesy of Karen Cook
Splice the Mainbrace II
The day ended with another gathering at The Choptank as we regaled the day’s events. Once again, many “bigger than life” stories were told, which led to a great time.
“For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.”
Photo courtesy of Karen Cook
Sunday, 27 April
Last Call
We wrapped up the reunion on Sunday morning, vowing that this would not be our last time on the water. Although at 70+ years in age across the board I think our next row might be in the barge or in the tank.
Nah! In eights and on the water!
A great time was had by all, and we promised not to let too many years pass before we reunite once again: back in Annapolis, back as a team, back as brothers, and back on the water!
Go NavyLights!
Be One With The Boat!
Be One With The Boat!
NAVYLIGHTS74-78 REUNION VII LIST OF ATTENDEES
| Group | Name | Class |
| NavyLights74-78 | Bill Daley | 1975 |
| Ray and Susie Enzenauer | 1975 | |
| Steve Hall | 1975 | |
| Dave and Denise Oliveria | 1975 | |
| Matt Clarke | 1976 | |
| Alex Cobble | 1976 | |
| Tom and Karen Cook | 1976 | |
| Gary and Sandy Harrell | 1976 | |
| Phil Kumpis | 1976 | |
| Mark Nesselrode | 1976 | |
| Steve and Gail Nimitz | 1976 | |
| Keith and Susan Weaver | 1976 | |
| Larry and Heidi Becker | 1977 | |
| Tom Hejl | 1977 | |
| Phil and Lesli Schlaepfer | 1977 | |
| Rusty Chang | 1978 | |
| Paul Mansfield | 1978 | |
| Navy Lightweight Crew Coaches | Shawn Bagnall Head Lightweight Crew Coach |
1999, Washington State |
| David Herrick Assistant Lightweight Crew Coach |
2014, Washington State | |
| Friends of Navy Lightweight Crew | Rob Friedrich Associate A.D. / Navy Letterwinners’ Association |
1997, Rutgers |
| James Sands Former Assistant Lightweight Crew Coach (2015-2022) |
2007, Wisconsin |
NAVYLIGHTS74-78 REUNION VII BOATINGS
| Boat (Name) | Name | Position |
| Kumpis Eight (Class of 1963) | Jack Krueger ’28 | Bow |
| Alex (Racky ~ Raconteur) Cobble ’76 | 2 | |
| Phil (Kid) Schlaepfer ’77 | 3 | |
| Steve Nimitz ’76 | 4 | |
| Keith Weaver ’76 | 5 | |
| Tom Cook ’76 | 6 | |
| Steve Hall ’75 | 7 | |
| Phil Kumpis ’76 | Stroke | |
| Dave (Ollie) Oliveria ’75 | Cox | |
| Daley Eight (Paul Quinn ’48) | Logan Rice ’28 | Bow |
| Larry Becker ’77 | 2 | |
| Collin de la Garza ’28 | 3 | |
| Tanner Hamilton ’26 | 4 | |
| Matt Clarke ’76 | 5 | |
| Mark Nesselrode ’76 | 6 | |
| Tom Hejl ’77 | 7 | |
| Bill (Dales) Daley ’75 | Stroke | |
| Raif Elbualy ’28 | Cox | |
| NavyLights74-78 Coach (acting) | Gary Harrell ’76 | Coaches Launch |
| NavyLights74-78 Assistant Coaches | Heidi Becker | Coaches Launch |
| Karen Cook | ||
| Denise Oliveria | ||
| Lesli Schlaepfer | ||
| Susan Weaver |
At our 24-26 March 2006 NavyLights74-78 Reunion II a small contingent of attendees spliced the mainbrace at the Courtyard by Marriott, and the late Tom Weil, Yale ’70, asked Alex Cobble, “Have you ever been to Diego Garcia?” Beginning at 0200 Alex went on a grand and legendary one-hour excursion about his P-3 adventures throughout the Indian Ocean—and nearby Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Andaman Sea, South China Sea, and East China Sea—but he never answered the question!
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