Cornell University Athletics

As an undergraduate, he was a lightweight oarsman, rowing occasionally with the varsity. From 1964-69 he was head coach of the lightweight crew, and coach of the varsity heavyweights from 1971-73. His varsity heavyweight crew won the IRA title in 1971. In strictly lightweight competition, his varsities won 31 of 36 races, including the Eastern championship in 1964, 1965, and 1967. In 1967, the varsity eight swept five races to win the Thames Cup at the Henley Royal Regatta. The 1968 crew again reached the Thames Cup final but lost to the heavyweight Leander Club of England. He was coach of the U.S. small boats in the 1971 Pan American Games in Calif., Colombia. In 1962 and ’63 he coached Cornell’s lightweight freshman crew and the heavyweight frosh in 1970. A graduate of Winchester, Mass., High School, Jesdale was a teacher and coach of crew at The Groton School in Groton, Mass.