For the first female president of the Dad Vail, the regatta is all about family

Kirsten Morasco grew up at the Dad Vail Regatta.

The Dad Vail had been held on the Schuylkill annually since 1939, but it moved to the Cooper River in Pennsauken, N.J., last year. Morasco has been attending the event since she was 5 years old; her father volunteered every year, and he would bring Morasco and her four siblings along with him to help out.

“It’s a fun, festive atmosphere, and it’s always been that way,” Morasco said. “We had many years of rains, terrible weather half the time, but everybody’s happy to be there.”

When Morasco was a kid, Dad Vail was a little smaller and a little bit more informal. People could show up and sit on the Schuylkill banks to watch the boats pass by. Now, it’s the largest collegiate regatta in North America, attracting talent from across the country and even internationally to compete in its races each May. And as the Dad Vail’s 85th anniversary approaches in 2024, Morasco is president of the entire thing and is the first female president in Dad Vail history.

Dad Vail has always been a family event for Morasco. Rowing is in her blood; her father, Matthew Ledwith, rowed at La Salle College High School and later La Salle College (now University).

Her three brothers, all former rowers themselves, still are involved in the regatta. And just as her father did, Morasco now brings her own children with her to the event. They help drive the launch boats that carry the race referees or hand out awards to winners.

“My dad passed away, now it’s been 18 years, so every time I do this, it’s a reminder of him. And now my children are involved,” Morasco said. “It drives home how special this is, and this allows us to do something together as a family, no matter how busy our lives are.”

But that sense of family extends past just blood relatives. The volunteers who help the regatta run every year make the event feel like its own family, Morasco said. This year’s event is set for May 10-11, 2024, again on the Cooper River.

“The regatta itself is run by a lot of very committed people and their families, and we feel like a family,” she said. “No matter how much work, no matter how bad the weather is, it’s always just a fun, festive feeling.”

Another key component of Dad Vail is its inclusivity. It’s an open event, which allows even the smallest teams to compete. Sponsors also help keep costs down. That’s important to Morasco, who rowed in college for Catholic University when its women’s rowing team was just starting out. Her team, which has since become a Division III varsity program, didn’t even have any rowing equipment back then, and resorted to buying castoff shells from La Salle University.

“It doesn’t exclude anybody in terms of talent. We are open, and we want people to come,” Morasco said. “We want them to have a safe, fun, competitive experience when they’re at the Dad Vail, and we do everything we can to make that happen. ... Our goal is to really put the athletes first, and to make their experience something that they’ll remember.”

» READ MORE: Why did Dad Vail choose the Cooper River again for 2024?

Dad Vail first began inviting women to compete in 1976, and now almost half of the competitors are women. Morasco was elected president of Dad Vail in June, illustrating how the sport of rowing is moving forward in the Philadelphia area.

“It makes me happy that there are other regattas in the Philadelphia area that are run by women,” Morasco said. “Even the Schuylkill Navy has women in leadership roles, which I think is phenomenal. I think it’s a great example for women who are getting involved, and really just shows them that it’s not just a man’s sport anymore. It really is a sport that they can compete in and engage in, and it builds such camaraderie and sportsmanship and a team mindset.”

Morasco joined Dad Vail’s board in 1990, when there was only one other woman on the board.

“I also hope that it becomes completely commonplace and nobody notices,” she said. “I’m honored and flattered to be the president, not only because I am a female, but I’m just excited to be able to lead such a great organization.”