THE SPORT OF ROWING The Age of Enlightenment was created and driven by migration, one of the four processes of change in population genetics. Coaches from Great Britain, from the former British Empire and from the Eastern Bloc, skilled and experienced coaches with open minds, many with professional educations, diffused around the entire world, invigorating the countries which received them, creating new hybrid techniques and rejuvenating the techniques of the past. In effect, these coaches were cross- pollinating. 116. Ernie Arlett Northeastern University – 1965 – Cal Coffey The man that British coach and visionary Colin Porter replaced at the helm of the National Provincial Bank Rowing Club5313 had been Ernie Arlett, a member of a family of professional scullers in the English village of Henley-on-Thames. Porter: “Arlett was part of a great tradition of professional waterman families. Several were rowing club boatmen, including Dick Phelps at Thames Rowing Club and his brother Tom Phelps at London Rowing Club. Many had won the Doggett’s Coat and Badge in the final year of their apprenticeship, and some, including Ernie Barry, Bert Barry and Ted Phelps, had won the World Sculling Championship.”5314 According to Jack Grinold, Northeast- ern University Sports Information Director: “[Ernie Arlett’s] grandfather had rowed for prize money. His father had been one of England’s great oarsmen, second only to Ernest Barry, the World Professional Single Sculls Champion, 1912-20. Arlett’s elder brother, Harry, had succeeded his father as one of England’s best, and Ernie himself had won a pound or two along the way.”5315 The family was well known around Henley. From 1930 to 1939, Ernie Arlett was the boatman at Leander Club, and Jack Arlett ran the family boat business, while Harry Arlett was a sought-after coach. All three Arlett brothers hired themselves out as finishing coaches during the annual Henley Regatta. Doug Stuart, 1957 captain of the National Provincial Bank Rowing Club:5316 “The Arletts were built for sculling, long legs, ape-like arms, a short body and a barrel chest. Harry, Ernie’s brother used to coach his Diamonds aspirants from a sculling boat wearing his ordinary clothes, and it’s said that if the aspirant was good – say Jack Guest of Canada, Harry would take off his jacket.”5317 Joe Burk, reminiscing about his race for the Diamond Sculls in 1939: “I had hired Harry Arlett to follow along on the bike path and watch my steering. There was a strong cross-wind, especially there at the 5313 See Chapter 78. 5314 Porter, personal correspondence, 2007 5315 Grinold, Cinderella Squad, www.neu.edu 5316 See Chapter 78. 5317 Stuart, personal correspondence, 2011 1466
