The devoted Hart Perry
– shaped by rowing
W. Hartwell Perry flew from his home in the United States to Great Britain to receive, in person, the
2010 World Rowing Distinguished Service to International Rowing award. It was presented
during a gala dinner at the annual World Rowing Coaches Conference in Eton, Great Britain.
Despite Perry’s ailing health, he wanted to accept the award in person.
The timing of the award was fortuitous, as two
weeks later, at the age of 78, Perry died, leaving
behind him a void in rowing on both sides of the
Atlantic.
to coaching. Perry coached from that
point on, clocking up 58 years of it
through his life.
Perry’s final trip to Great Britain was symbolic of
his character – rowing was the backbone of his life
right to the end. He commented shortly before his
death that rowing had given him the opportunities
to go places and meet people that he never would
have been able to do otherwise.
On receiving the World Rowing award Perry stated:
“My feeling is, yes, maybe I’ve done a few things for
rowing, but rowing has shaped a life for me that I
will forever be grateful for.”
Rowing came together with Perry serendipitously
after he struck out of the baseball team at his high
school. He chose rowing instead and continued to
row for his first two years at college before turning
The majority of Perry’s coach-
ing was at the high school
level at Connecticut’s
Kent School where he in-
fluenced three decades of
students. With his glasses
perched on the end of
his nose, the students
remember ‘Mr Perry’ for
his booming voice and
the twinkle in his eye. He
was known as a gruff old
man that you wanted to
do your best for. Perry’s
success as a coach speaks
for the loyalty he cultivated
in his athletes. >
