Longtime crew coach Craig Hoffman starts another year at the helm of Malvern rowing. This one, however, is special for him and the many Malvern men he’s encountered over his tenure.

For many years, Malvern rowing has consistently been one of the winningest sports at Malvern, doing so at some of the top races in the US and the world. This is largely due to the influence of Coach Craig Hoffman.

Before coming to Malvern, Hoffman rowed for and coached as an assistant at The Haverford School. One of his biggest influences was his high school coach Jim Barker, who coached at Haverford until around five years ago.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“Hoffman brought a level of discipline that was unexpected at the time. One could say it was a rough but fantastic transition.”

-William O’Neill ’00[/perfectpullquote]

“What I learned from rowing at The Haverford School was that it was important to give back. As part of growth, I decided to move on and coach at another program,” Hoffman said. “I was very excited about Malvern Prep. Plus, Malvern competes against Haverford, so there was a certain symmetry about coming here.”

Hoffman started his job here in the fall of 1997. He took over for Greg Pesot, who was a huge contributor in starting Malvern’s rowing program.

“As I was getting ready to leave Haverford, Coach Pesot was getting ready to step down here at Malvern,” Hoffman said. “It was a nice opportunity for both of us to achieve what we wanted.”

When Hoffman started, Malvern did not have many facilities dedicated to rowing. The team started from humble beginnings but developed as the years went on.

“When I began here, our kids rowed out of 44 foot truck trailers on a parking lot in Bridgeport by the Schuylkill River,” Hoffman said. “Our kids walked 100 yards to get to the water. Then around 14 years ago, we transitioned to a warehouse in Conshohocken, which had not been used in 30-40 years. The boys were so proud that we had a roof over our heads. Now, we have a brand new boat house that we share as a public private partnership with the borough of Conshohocken and The Haverford School.”

Captain William O’Neill ’00 was a sophomore when Hoffman came to Malvern.  He and the rest of his team were blown away about how much of an immediate culture change Hoffman brought to Malvern.

“Hoffman brought a level of discipline that was unexpected at the time,” O’Neill said. “One could say it was a rough but fantastic transition. We went from almost a club sport to something that is comparable to a Division 1 collegiate rowing program.”

Before Hoffman, O’Neill said the team was just happy to participate.

“With [Coach Hoffman], we started winning and almost dominating,” O’Neill said.

[perfectpullquote align=”left” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“The college I went to, how I spent my years, and where my focus was were all affected by crew. The level of effort I put into crew and what I was able to accomplish allowed me to believe that things that seemed unattainable were actually within me and my boatmates.”

-Ryan Coyne ’06[/perfectpullquote]

Like O’Neill, Mr. Ryan Coyne, ’06, agreed that Coach Hoffman made a significant impact on Malvern’s crew program.

“Hoffman led the charge in getting the boathouse built in Conshohocken,” Coyne said. “He led the process from fundraising.”

Rowing did not only affect Coyne’s high school experience, it changed his life entirely.

“It set my life on a different trajectory,” Coyne said. “The college I went to, how I spent my years, and where my focus was were all affected by crew. The level of effort I put into crew and what I was able to accomplish allowed me to believe that things that seemed unattainable were actually within me and my boatmates.”

Crew, like any varsity sport, requires great time and effort.

“It takes great work ethic, the willingness to test your limits, and the love of sport more than anything,” Hoffman said. “If you work continuously, then you will enjoy success.”

What makes crew stand out from other sports is how quickly it can be picked up. In most sports, parents have their children start as early as six-years-old. However in crew, things are different.

“With rowing, kids have the chance to jump into the sport when they are in eighth, ninth, tenth, or eleventh grade,” Hoffman said, “and they go on to row in college.”

Hoffman pushes all of his rowers to be their best, and because of this, Captain William O’Neill and Mr. Ryan Coyne both went on to row at the University of Cornell.

“The time and dedication put in throughout my high school years put me in a very competitive position. I would point to Coach Hoffman as one of the most impactful people of my life,” Coyne said.

Like Coyne, O’Neill directs his success in college and beyond towards Coach Hoffman’s rowing program.

“Rowing changed my mindset on how I approached fun and professional tasks,” O’Neill said. “I would contribute the hard work that I have put towards things to that program.”

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“Rowing is not for everybody. It is all about the kids who have been here, rowed here, and what they have given back. My stories are their stories.”

-Coach Craig Hoffman[/perfectpullquote]

O’Neill is very appreciative of all that Hoffman did for him and his teammates.

“He cared so much,” O’Neill said. “All of the opportunities that he gave us were out of love for his program and rowers. He was there for the team, and he put in his all for us.”

Part of Hoffman’s great care for his Malvern rowers was inspired by Rev. John H. Melton, O.S.A., founder of Malvern’s rowing program.

The plaque in the Melton Rowing Center states, “In 1988, Fr. Melton was assigned to Malvern after a distinguished 32-year career at Monsignor Bonner High School. He became a much-loved member of the Malvern community. His warm smile, Irish wit, strong handshake and bottomless candy jar were always waiting for the students he cared for so deeply.”

“[Melton] helped me understand the kids at Malvern and what a great group of hardworking kids there are here,” Hoffman said. “He also was very passionate with helping kids get into colleges.”

Like Father Melton, Hoffman enjoys helping his rowers get into the colleges of their choice. He also cares much about winning.

“Hoffman brought us into a world where winning is everything,” O’Neill said. “Oftentimes, results do not match up with what you have been training for.”

Coach Hoffman realizes that his team cannot win every game, but they can outwork other teams.

“We are driven to win although we do not always win,” Hoffman said. “We never lose sight of our goal to win national championships. The only way to get there is the consistency of work.”

Coach Hoffman’s 20 years at Malvern have been a true inspiration, and he credits his success to the rowers he has coached.

“Rowing is not for everybody. It is all about the kids who have been here, rowed here, and what they have given back. My stories are their stories,” he said. “I have been lucky to coach a wonderful group of athletes from 1997 until now. They continue to give back.”