My daughter's best friend is the coxswain for George Washington University. She is so tiny (like maybe 90 pounds) that they have to put sandbags in the boat. Apparently the coxswain has to weigh at least 125# or some such.
Well, it appears the rowing career is complete. Unless Anthony and a few other members of the team decide to go to the national championships next month (I'm doubting it), he rowed his final competition yesterday, the Southern Intercollegiate. His 4-man boat just missed the semifinals in time trials; Auburn beat them out for the final spot by 2 seconds. In the D final, they were beaten by Embry-Riddle by .9 seconds for first. What sucked was my wife and I not being able to go, and what sucked worse was that for the first time since he's been there, that regatta was not webcast, so we couldn't see it at all. But Anthony was very happy with the outcome. They've been clobbered at that meet in all 3 previous attempts. But its been an incredible experience for him....I think being on that team has been the most positive influence of his life. Its been great for my wife and me as well, especially this last season. We've gotten close to quite a few of the team members, and its going to be very difficult not seeing them any more.
Then make an effort to not let it come to that. Pretty much the only way to not keep in touch these days is by design.
Forgot to do a follow up on John Hunter from last month. The weather turned out to be perfect, and we had a fantastic time. Anthony's 4-man finished 14th out of 28, and were matched up in heat race against 4 of the top 5 in the class. Virtually no chance to advance. But we had a lot of fun hanging out with the kids. Also went down to the staging area before my son's race, and got the meet director to let me give the first call over the PA for his class to launch. Tulane 2 weeks ago...went down to New Orleans and scrimmaged one-on-one, and for the first time, Anthony's 4-man boat beat the Greenies! Beat them bad too; at least 2 boat lengths. Was talking to Tulane's coach afterward...he's a former Olympic coxswain and had asked NSU's coach about Anthony's erg times. There's an exhibition regatta in London this summer, and he's putting together an area team to compete. Anthony's technique caught his eye, but he doesn't have the prerequisite times. He did tell me that he's been noticing Anthony since they started, and is very impressed with how he's improved over the years.
Tonight was the crew awards night. Anthony won erg king (the rower with the fastest time of the year on the computerized machine) for the 3rd year in a row, and was voted oarsman of the year by the team for the 2nd time. He's the first rower in NSU history to win both of those awards in the same year twice. Speaking of erg times, he also accomplished one of his goals for the season, by beating the best time his coach ever posted....beat him by about 3 seconds, too.
Without going back through your thread, why was I thinking your son was a coxswain? I guess I'm just thinking of my daughter's friend. Congrats to him for his rapid improvement and accomplishments.
This will be the final bump before this thread fades into Bolivia. The Demons travel back to Gainesville, GA this weekend for the American Collegiate Rowing Association (ACRA) national championships. Only 2 boats are going for NSU, my son's varsity 4, and the women's varsity 4, which won the regional championship and probably has a legit shot at the national championship. My son's group is going mostly for the experience...they're in a group with 31 schools, including Bama, UF, UGA, Penn St, Oregon (GDF has been alerted), Michigan (powerhouse program), Colorado, Kansas St, Purdue, Boston College, and the list goes on and on. Prelims Saturday and finals Sunday, can't wait to get there.
Before this thread I never knew that crew was so widespread. I always thought it was pretty much confined to Ivy League schools. One time I drove across a bridge over the Charles River and I could see the Hahvahd teams practicing.
Very big on the east coast. And in Georgia and Tennessee, there are several independent rowing clubs. Many of the big southeastern regattas have divisions for youth and masters teams. Oak Ridge, TN, in particular, has a very good program. http://www.orra.org/atomic-novice-rowing
