Jillian “Jill” Weinkauf Costello (1987–2010) was a seventh generation San Franciscan, who joined The Olympic Club as a junior member in 2003. She enjoyed Father/Daughter dances, as well as playing basketball in the OC summer camps and junior leagues. Always on the small side, she became a coxswain for the St. Ignatius College Prep crew team when she was in high school.
Dave O’Neill, her coach at the University of California, Berkeley, liked to say that being on the crew team at Cal was, “In one word: hard. In two words: really hard.” Costello’s response? “That’s the kind of team I want to be on.” She trained with the other rowers, learned strategy, and motivated her teammates. Her junior year, she coxed Cal’s third boat at nationals, where the team finished second. She was well-placed to cox the top varsity boat her senior year.
And then, just a week after the 2009 nationals, at 21 years old, she was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. Later, in her blog, she wrote, “Your life is happening right now and this is the only moment you can control… Do what makes you happy in this moment and your life will be full.” She underwent treatment, but still went back to school in the fall. In the spring, she began attending practices again. Her teammates rallied behind her, and discovered that her journey had made her a better coxswain.
They offered her the opportunity to cox the top varsity eight boat at the (then) Pac-10 Championships. She took it. Her boat won their event, and her team won the 2010 Pac-10 title. She graduated and was named Pac-10 Women’s Rowing Athlete of the Year, was recognized as Pac-10 All-Academic Second Team and a Cal Athletic Scholar, and also received the Joseph M. Kavanaugh Award, presented to the most inspirational athlete.
At NCAA Div. I Nationals, her team wore her favorite color (turquoise) and raced as “Team Jill.” Despite a valiant comeback attempt, her boat finished fourth. Cal took second place at nationals. And Jill? She could not have been happier.
Her courage and compassion live on through her family, friends and the Jill’s Legacy foundation.
