Rowing Teams Ready for Season's Start
March 6, 2008 | Women's Rowing
March 6, 2008
BOSTON - Rowing is not a sport for the faint of heart. Up before the world is awake and practicing on the partly frozen Charles River, rowing demands an incredible amount of time and dedication from its athletes.
After a long, cold winter of training, the men and women's teams are preparing for their upcoming spring break training camps, which will set them in good stride for their first races coming up in a few weeks.
The women's team usually makes the trip to Pennsylvania to train over spring break, but this year are staying in Boston and keeping everything crossed that the river remains open, the temperature remains warm and the wind stays manageable.
After months on the erg, in the pool, in the weight room and, recently, on the Charles, the women are aiming to get some valuable on-water time in preparation for their first race against Syracuse on March 29.
"Practicing twice a day, we will get some good mileage and give us a chance to really focus on the technique," said women's co-captain Elene Brett-Evans. "I am hoping the line-ups will get set. With our first race two weeks after break, it really gives us a chance to get the crews to mesh together and find their own rhythm."
With a solid winter of training under BU's belt, co-captain Rosemary O'Mara is confident that the training will pay off. "We have had significant personal improvement on testing across the board on the team," she said. "If we can translate this power effectively on the water, we have a great shot at putting one of the fastest boats on the water in the past few years I have been in this team."
The men are travelling to Clemson, S.C., to soak up the heat and go through nine days of training to prepare themselves for their battle against Brown on April 5.
"Spring break is a great opportunity for the team to get back into the swing of things," said men's co-captain Justin Martin. "After a long winter on the ergs, spring break allows us to regain the feel for being back in the boats."
Training camps for rowing are tough work, constantly challenging the athletes and pushing them beyond their comfort zone. Not only does it require a high level of physical fitness but constant concentration to push themselves beyond limits they thought possible.
"Spring break is simply rowing, eating and sleeping. We row twice a day for easily two hours each practice. The down time is used to nap or watch TV, as most are too exhausted to do anything else," said Martin.
He is confident that the team is physically and mentally prepared for the upcoming season. "After a very successful fall season, the team is optimistic about the spring season. Simply put, the goal is to be the fastest crew in the country, and we have the right ingredients," said Martin.
Rowing is a demanding sport on the body, with blistered hands, aching muscles and a constant feeling of exhaustion; it is the kind of sport that demands passion, dedication and hard work.
Not only is it taxing on the body, it requires a great deal of mental strength and time management to make sure that one is rowing to his or her best ability and keeping up with the academic course load.
"I find that rowing gives me structure to my days and helps me plan deadlines for school projects," said Brett-Evans. "Although rowing is a big commitment, when you are passionate about the sport, you look forward to going to practice."
Boston University's rowers can look forward to a new season with confidence, knowing they are fit and ready for the exhilaration and rewards of the races.
Cassie Rhodes is a senior at Boston University and a member of the Terrier women's rowing team. She can be reached at crhodes@bu.edu.
