Five women from K-State’s inaugural rowing team start scholarship in honor of beloved coach
When most K-Staters hear the name Hale, they picture book stacks and limestone. But for the women in the rowing program, the name paints a different image — one of a boat, oars and the enduring legacy of their program’s founder, Jenny Hale.
Having impacted the lives of more than 400 K-State rowers, Hale, a part of the oldest women’s rowing program in the Ivy League at Harvard-Radcliffe, was described as having a magnetic coaching energy. Now, 25 years after the beloved leader hand-picked K-State’s first varsity rowing team, five alumni are ready to honor the legacy of Hale permanently — and forge their own — through the Jenny Hale Rowing Scholarship.
A stroke of genius
Sara Swan Busse (’99) vividly remembers her first interaction with Jenny Hale. During her sophomore year, Busse met Hale outside the K-State Student Union recruiting potential rowers.
“The first thing Coach Hale said to me was, ‘Hey, come over here. Do you want to talk about rowing?” Busse said.
Other women, including Heather Brunk Delleo (’99), share a similar story. Delleo listened to Hale during an informal meeting in the student union and was drawn in by Hale’s charismatic personality.
“She talked up how it was the very first team, and we could be a part of it,” Delleo said. “She really drew all of us in.”
Donna Harris Weiner (’99) and Stephanie Tweito Jacob (’98) both remember seeing advertisements strewn across campus.
“The flyer read something to the effect of, ‘If you’re athletic and tall, rowing might be for you. Show up and give it a try,’” Weiner shared.
Emily Benz (’02), said Hale was “all discipline.”
As the sole coach and recruiter for K-State’s first rowing team, Coach Hale was facing an uphill battle. Luckily, discipline wasn’t her only strength.
“She had a commanding presence,” added Benz. She said, ‘Hey, tall, athletic-looking girl, come join the rowing team.’”
Hale’s persistent message paid off, and the first team was formed. While each had a unique recruitment story, the five women shared a love for Hale’s excitement and her vision for the program’s impact on the university. Coach Hale ended up creating much more than a program —she laid the groundwork for a culture of discipline, perseverance and heart.
All hands on deck
The first team, comprised of many women who’d never touched an oar before, had their work cut out for them. While unglamorous, the memories of unheated boathouses and carrying boats up and down the stairs at Tuttle Creek Lake are among the women’s fondest.
“That first year, we didn’t know anything. We had to learn the sport, every word, the commands — we didn’t know the boat from the stern,” Delleo shared.
“There were no bells and whistles. We were starting from scratch,” Busse added. “But everything we had as a team was because of Coach. We definitely didn’t have the first-class facilities that K-State has now, but we had a first-class leader in Coach.”
Anchored in excellence
During her seven-year tenure as K-State’s head coach, Hale led the Wildcats to multiple accolades. The program, now ranked in the top third of rowing programs in the country, is a true testament to the team’s humble beginnings.
Through the scholarship, the women hope others will continue to learn about Hale and the work that went into creating the prestigious rowing program known today.
“We name this scholarship after Jenny Hale to honor the woman who blazed a trail for all who’ve followed at Kansas State Rowing, and to ensure the spirited leadership and life lessons that changed our lives are not lost,” the women wrote in a statement.
“We hope it will support and celebrate women rowers who dare to dream, whose ambition and potential is powerful, and who live to shatter barriers and stereotypes, especially those of us who may be marginalized because of race, sexual orientation, gender identity and socio-economic status.”
Working to grow the scholarship to its full $250,000 capacity, Busse, Delleo, Jacob, Weiner and Benz hope the scholarship will serve as a vessel to tell the story of Coach Hale and the important part she played in countless women’s lives.
“It was always so much more than rowing,” shared Busse. “Rowing was just the vehicle and the tool that taught us how to live in this world.”
Written By: Abbigail Marshall Curated from: https://www.kstatesports.com/news/2021/10/28/sports-extra-se-new-scholarship-set-to-honor-the-pioneer-of-k-state-rowing
