USRowing Announces 2012 Joan Zandbergen “Mama Z” Award Winner

October 12, 2012

PRINCETON, N.J. – USRowing is honored to announce that Miami Beach Watersports Center executive director and association referee Elaine Roden is the 2012 USRowing Joan Zandbergen “Mama Z” Award recipient.

Selected by USRowing’s referee committee, the award recognizes one USRowing official who, over a period of three to ten years, has stood apart from the rest of his or her peers.

“I am surprised and thrilled to receive the Mama Z Award this year,” Roden said. “A lot of people work hard in the referee corps and I never thought I stood out. It’s humbling to have recognition for doing something I truly enjoy.  I’m honored to have my name added to the list of people I admire that have won this prestigious award.”

Roden will be honored December 1 at an awards reception held in conjunction with the 2012 USRowing Annual Convention scheduled for Nov. 29-Dec. 2 in Oklahoma City, Okla.

Over the last five years, Roden has worked 168 regatta days at 73 events and every level of competition from junior novice to Olympic trials. She served as deputy chief referee at the USRowing Club National Championships in 2011 and 2012.

In addition to being a USRowing referee, Roden is executive director of the Miami Beach Watersports Center and has served as regatta director for the Head of the Indian Creek regatta in Miami Beach for the last 10 years.

In a letter supporting her nomination for the award, fellow referee Josie McNamara wrote, “Elaine Roden has been a referee for five years. Those years have been in hyper mode! I am aware that her nomination packet lists her accomplishments and successful undertakings. I write to include the unwavering support she provides for novice candidates and newly minted assistant referees. Elaine has been the ambassador for many of us. She encourages our growth through after-regatta reflections and shared best practices discussions. She provides the confidence to expand and work outside of our comfort zone, resulting in increasing our skill level.”

USRowing Director of Referee Programs John Wik added, “Elaine Roden is one of those unique individuals who gains the respect of colleagues and athletes alike through quiet professionalism. She is truly deserving of the Mama Z award."

The award is named in honor of the late Joan Zandbergen, a committed and dedicated referee who, over her years of dedication to the sport of rowing, earned the admiration and respect of everyone she worked with.

A friend and colleague for years, referee and referee committee member, Tom Fuller, remembered Zandbergen as a referee who was “happiest on the finish line where she taught most of us how to work with and train the volunteers, the LOC, and to get the results right. It was what people came to have decided. I cannot begin to suggest how many young, and experienced, rowing officials Mama Z touched, trained and became lifelong friends with, but it must be most of the referee corps over the age of 40.”

USRowing recognizes individuals and organizations for their contributions and achievements in the sport in 14 categories.

Seven of the awards will be presented November 14 at the Golden Oars Dinner including the USRowing Medal of Honor, awarded to Stan Pocock; Male Athlete of the Year, awarded to Glenn Ochal; Female Athlete of the Year, awarded to Oksana Masters; Jack Franklin Lifetime Achievement Award, awarded to Kate Godwin; Jack Kelly Award, awarded to Mike Knopp; Anita DeFrantz Award for Advancing Diversity in Rowing, awarded to RowLA; and the Isabel Bohn Award for Achievement in Adaptive Rowing, awarded to Oksana Masters and Rob Jones.

Seven additional USRowing Awards will be presented Saturday, December 1 at the 2012 USRowing Annual Convention in Oklahoma City, Okla., including the John J. Carlin Service Award; Clayton W. Chapman Award; Joan Zandbergen “Mama Z” Award, awarded to Elaine Roden; Julian Wolf Award, awarded to Lloyd McDonald; Man of the Year Award; Ernestine Bayer Award (formerly Woman of the Year); and the Club of the Year Award.

Seven Fan’s Choice Awards also will be presented at the Golden Oars Awards Dinner. They include the National Team Rower of the Year; Junior Rower of the Year; Masters Rower of the Year, Collegiate Rower of the Year; Junior Coach of the Year; Masters Coach of the Year; and Collegiate Coach of the Year. All seven winners will be announced Oct. 24.

For more information about the Golden Oars Awards Dinner in New York City, visit www.usrowing.org. To purchase a ticket or secure a table, visit http://usrowing.tix.com.

The 2012 USRowing Annual Convention and Advanced Coaches Conference is open to all individual members of USRowing. Information for membership and convention registration can be found at http://www.usrowing.org/Events/AnnualConvention.aspx.

About USRowing

USRowing is a nonprofit organization recognized by the United States Olympic Committee as the governing body for the sport of rowing in the United States. USRowing’s official suppliers include Boathouse Sports, Vespoli, WinTech, Filippi, Croker Oars, Rudy Project, Concept2, Nielsen Kellerman, PowerHTV and Ludus Tours. USRowing also receives generous support from the National Rowing Foundation and its corporate sponsors and partners ANXeBusiness Corp, Voxer, EZ Dock, EMCVenues and Whole Foods. For more information, visit www.usrowing.org. The USRowing National Team program relies on strong partnerships to enable continued success. New opportunities exist to support the teams through the next quadrennial, culminating with the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. America Rows, which supports diversity in rowing and the USRowing adaptive programs also benefit from corporate support. For more information, please contact Beth Kohl at beth@usrowing.org.

Ed Moran

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