top of page
KSBC_Tanks.jpg

About Kent School Boat Club

Kent School Boat Club is one of the longest-standing and most accomplished scholastic rowing programs in the country. Founded in the early 1920s on the Housatonic River, rowing has, for more than a century, been an integral part of life at Kent and a defining expression of the school’s values. From its inception, the program has emphasized discipline, teamwork, and personal responsibility, treating rowing not simply as an athletic pursuit, but as a formative educational experience.

​

Kent rowing established itself early as a leader in interscholastic competition. In 1927, Kent became the first American secondary school to compete at Henley Royal Regatta, reflecting an outward-looking perspective that would shape the program for generations. Over the decades, Kent crews have earned New England championships, national titles, and significant competitive success both domestically and internationally. These achievements have been sustained through consistent standards, thoughtful coaching, and a deeply rooted program culture.

​

The Kent Girls Boat Club (KGBC) was established in the early 1970s, following Kent’s transition to coeducation. From the outset, the girls’ program quickly developed into a nationally respected force, earning New England championships, national titles, and international racing experience. Over time, and as the structure of scholastic athletics evolved, the boys’ and girls’ rowing programs were brought together under a unified program framework, ensuring shared standards, resources, and a cohesive vision for rowing at Kent. This integration strengthened both programs while preserving their distinct histories and traditions.

​

Central to the success of Kent School Boat Club is a clear and enduring philosophy that applies across both the boys’ and girls’ programs. The program has been shaped by a lineage of coaches who placed equal emphasis on character and performance, and who expected students to approach their training with humility, focus, and respect for the sport. Competition at Kent has always been rigorous, but it has also been grounded in sportsmanship and integrity. This balance has allowed the program to adapt and thrive across generations.

​

The influence of Kent rowing extends well beyond the school years. Alumni from both the boys’ and girls’ programs have gone on to compete at the highest levels of the sport, to coach and lead rowing programs throughout the country, and to remain actively engaged in rowing in a wide range of roles. For many, the lessons learned through rowing at Kent continue to shape how they approach leadership, collaboration, and challenge long after graduation.

​

Today, Kent School Boat Club represents a unified rowing program that honors its full history while continuing to evolve. It prepares students to meet the demands of competition and leadership with seriousness of purpose and respect for tradition. As KSBC moves forward into its second century, it remains guided by the same principles that defined its earliest crews: commitment to excellence, shared responsibility, and the enduring value of hard work done well.

Kent School Boat Club: A Century of Rowing Excellence

Historical Timeline (1922–Present)

​

  • 1922 – Founding of KSBC: Father Frederick H. Sill, Kent School’s founder (and a former Columbia University coxswain), established the Kent School Boat Club in 1922. He purchased the school’s first eight-oared shell for $800, laying the groundwork for a rowing program guided by Kent’s ethos of simplicity, self-reliance, and sportsmanship. Early Kent crews saw quick success, nurturing an unpretentious “humility” in victory or defeat that became a hallmark of KSBC’s culture.
     

  • 1927 – Henley Royal Regatta Debut: Kent became the first American secondary school invited to compete at the Henley Royal Regatta in England. The New York Times covered the excitement of a U.S. prep school eight racing at Henley, noting the “glamour and glory” of the occasion. Father Sill’s crew raced in the Thames Challenge Cup, narrowly losing their first heat by a quarter-length to Thames RC (the eventual 1927 winner). This pioneering appearance forged transatlantic ties and started Kent’s Henley tradition.
     

  • Early 1930s – International Triumphs: Kent returned to Henley in 1930 and again in 1933, when the KSBC won its first Henley championship. Racing in the Thames Challenge Cup, the 1933 Kent crew claimed the title – a feat even acknowledged by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who sent Father Sill a letter of support and good wishes for that Henley trip. British press lauded Kent’s performance, calling them “almost certainly the best crew that ever rowed in the Thames Cup”. These victories put Kent on the map internationally.
     

  • Late 1930s–1950 – Henley Dominance: Under coach Thomas “Tote” Walker (Father Sill’s successor), Kent crews continued to excel. KSBC won the Thames Challenge Cup again in 1938, and after World War II they triumphed in 1947 and 1950 at Henley. Kent’s four Thames Cup victories in this era solidified its reputation as a powerhouse – five Henley wins in total by mid-century (the only American school to achieve this at the time). The school’s rowing exploits even drew popular media attention: Life magazine featured Kent’s crew in May 1937 and again in June 1948 (with Kent oarsman Stuart Auchincloss ’48 on the cover).
     

  • 1960s – A New Coaching Era: In 1964, William “Hart” Perry Jr. was appointed head coach of KSBC. Perry – a former Dartmouth oarsman – would lead Kent’s program for the next three decades, instilling rigorous standards and a passion for rowing in thousands of students. Under his guidance, Kent crews continued a streak of winning seasons and prepared for their next historic milestone.
     

  • 1972 – Princess Elizabeth Cup Victory: Kent’s boys eight had an extraordinary undefeated season in 1972, winning the New England Championship (NEIRA) and earning a trip to Henley. At Henley, the crew swept through the bracket – notably defeating English favorites (Pangbourne in the semifinal and Brentwood in the final) – to win the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup (the prestigious Henley trophy for schoolboy eights). This victory marked Kent as the first American school to win the Princess Elizabeth Cup, and it remains the last time (to date) a Kent boat won at Henley Royal Regatta. The 1972 crew’s story is legendary at Kent, later chronicled in the book Men of Kent.
     

  • 1973 – Founding of Girls’ Program: Kent introduced girls’ rowing in 1973, soon after the school became co-educational. The Kent Girls Boat Club (KGBC) quickly found success – in their early years competing at NEIRA, Kent’s girls won four of the first five New England titles contested. The program grew into a national force by the 1980s, complementing the boys’ longstanding tradition.
     

  • 1980s – New England and National Titles: Throughout the post-war decades, Kent’s boys continued to dominate New England rowing, and by the 1980s the girls did as well. (Overall, Kent boys have won the New England Interscholastic Championship 25 times since 1947, while Kent girls have won 7 NEIRA titles as of the 2000s.) In 1986 and 1987, the Kent girls’ 1st eight were National Schoolboy/Schoolgirl Champions, winning back-to-back titles at the highest level of scholastic competition. The late 1980s also saw Kent crews regularly medal or win at the Stotesbury Cup (considered a national championship regatta). These achievements further cemented KSBC’s supremacy in scholastic rowing.
     

  • 1990s–2000s – Continuity and Coached Success: After Hart Perry’s retirement in 1995, Coach Eric Houston (Kent class of 1979) took the helm of the boys program. Houston, who had rowed for Perry and won NEIRA and Stotesbury gold as a Kent student, carried on the winning tradition. The girls program likewise saw dedicated coaches maintain its competitiveness (with multiple NEIRA team championships in the 1990s and 2000s). KSBC crews regularly qualified for the U.S. Youth Nationals once that became the norm, and Kent’s boathouse trophy room kept filling with new hardware.
     

  • 2010 – Modern Glory: A pinnacle of the modern era came in 2010, when Kent’s boys won the overall New England points trophy and then went on to win the USRowing Youth National Championship in the boys 8+. That summer, Kent sent its crew to Henley and made the Princess Elizabeth Cup final, nearly upsetting Eton College before finishing as runners-up. This marked the strongest Henley performance by a Kent boat since 1972 and demonstrated that KSBC remained at an elite level into the 21st century.
     

  • 2016 – Another milestone: Kent’s girls 1V eight won the NEIRA championship and then clinched the Youth National Championship in 2016, underscoring the depth of the girls’ program. This added to the 14 undefeated crew seasons and multiple national titles that KSBC has accumulated in its history.
     

  • 2019–2022 – Centennial Celebrations: The late 2010s marked roughly 100 years of rowing at Kent. (Some alumni initially eyed 2019–2020 for the centennial, but the official 100th anniversary observances took place in 2022, aligning with the 1922 founding.) In June 2022, several hundred KSBC alumni gathered at Kent to celebrate “100 Years of Rowing”. That summer at Henley Royal Regatta 2022, Kent commemorated its legacy by reuniting the 1972 boys and 2002 girls championship crews for a special exhibition row on the Thames. The centennial also saw the publication of More Than Rowing: Kent School Boat Club, The First 100 Years, a two-volume history by renowned rowing author Peter Mallory.
     

  • 2020s and Beyond – Entering its second century, the Kent School Boat Club continues to be a national leader in high school rowing. With a home fleet on the Housatonic River and a state-of-the-art training center, Kent’s rowers uphold an astounding 80% winning percentage across all races. The program’s consistent success – 117 consecutive winning seasons (boys and girls combined) and dozens of championships – shows no sign of abating as KSBC charts its next hundred years. 2027 looms as another special milestone: it will be 100 years since Kent’s first appearance at Henley, and the school is poised to celebrate “100 Years at Henley” by potentially sending new or alumni crews to compete on the famous course.

bottom of page