Our History
The FM Crew Club was founded in the spring of 2004 when a small but growing group of interested athletes, supported by their enthusiastic parents, formed a new rowing club. The team quickly became a recognized force on the New York State scholastic rowing scene.
The idea for a Fayetteville-Manlius High School Crew program began in 2001 when parent, Bob O’Leary, became aware of the success of the sport enjoyed at other high schools. He believed a Crew program would help connect students with their school and each other in a new way and provide positive opportunities for those not currently involved in a high school sport. At that time, only a handful of FM students had tried rowing. Early skeptics wondered whether enough interest existed to fill one eight-person shell.
In May 2002, Judge O’Leary organized an information meeting to introduce more FM students and parents to the sport of rowing. Joined by a determined group of parents and students, supported by the Saratoga Rowing Association’s coach, Chris Chase, FM Athletic Director, Rich Roy, and the Syracuse Chargers Rowing Club, the foundation of the FM rowing club began to emerge. In the spring of 2004, with the support of Fayetteville-Manlius Superintendent, Philip Martin and the School Board members, the Fayetteville-Manlius Crew program was created.
And the rest is history.
The idea for a Fayetteville-Manlius High School Crew program began in 2001 when parent, Bob O’Leary, became aware of the success of the sport enjoyed at other high schools. He believed a Crew program would help connect students with their school and each other in a new way and provide positive opportunities for those not currently involved in a high school sport. At that time, only a handful of FM students had tried rowing. Early skeptics wondered whether enough interest existed to fill one eight-person shell.
In May 2002, Judge O’Leary organized an information meeting to introduce more FM students and parents to the sport of rowing. Joined by a determined group of parents and students, supported by the Saratoga Rowing Association’s coach, Chris Chase, FM Athletic Director, Rich Roy, and the Syracuse Chargers Rowing Club, the foundation of the FM rowing club began to emerge. In the spring of 2004, with the support of Fayetteville-Manlius Superintendent, Philip Martin and the School Board members, the Fayetteville-Manlius Crew program was created.
And the rest is history.
