I started rowing at UCLA when they 1st began Women's rowing - we got the worst oars, the worst boats (you know what I'm talking about - the equipment that was so bad, the men's teams wouldn't dream of touching it), and no access to the locker room to change after a workout. I think it is so exciting that so many of the teams listed are women and girls I can't begin to find words. I'm voting for Washington-Lee because I'd like to see more High School girls teams, and think this will help put it on more people's radars. GO GIRLS!
port-o-static;
just because these 14/15 year olds are nearly half the size of collage students doesn't mean that they shouldn't deserve this as much as any one should. half the size doesn't mean that they should be left behind out of this poll. everyone has there own ideas who should win this. However, these freshman girls have come a long way from not knowing anything about the sport, to becoming state champions. The W-L girls have worked hard, and they deserve this just as much as any collage team, even if they are half the size of them.
Wait a minute... that's my exact argument. I'm on your side here Linds! I may be rooting for a different high school squad, but we're fighting the same battle here. Good luck this season WL & RGCC!
If you are going to apply that perspective, who cares about any of this? How can we even begin to compare the experiences between a group of 100 lb 14 year-old girls and some 215 lb college men? I was simply trying to inject some perspective here that not everyone readily knows.
Otherwise, who are we kidding? Why even have a poll between these varying crews? A college Men's Varsity 8 has "won" this poll every week so far. Let's open up our minds a little and be somewhat objective here... in the name of fun, of course.
If MIT's guys were actually 215lbs on average, their (not "there") win wouldn't be that big of a deal. But they're not, and that's why they've been counted out for so long and why this is a big deal for them.
With all due respect to the other crews - can we really argue any one of these winning crews worked harder than other? - it should be pointed out that, with regards to the Radnor Frosh Girls accomplishment, the Philadelphia/Southern Jersey region scholastic rowing scene (especially for the girls) is by far the most competitive and deep in the entire country. Case in point, FOUR crews (out of a national field of 36) from the 2007 SRAA Nationals GV8 FINAL, competed in the 2007 Phila City Champs final - 2/3 of the Nationals final were from the Philly/SoNJ region! And that stretches down into the frosh ranks as well. That said, what this underdog Radnor Frosh Crew pulled off last weekend, is really quite spectacular.
This win for the Radnor Girls is the FIRST win in the history of the entire program at city championships.
Not only that it is the first race all season they had won in both the 8 and 4+, the only other race won by a radnor freshman crew was the novice 4+ event that the freshman 4+ raced in the previous week at New Jersey state championships.
After weeks and weeks of refining and very hard work, these girls have managed to make history as the first crews at radnor to win a championship race.
These young women have worked exceptionally hard to get here and have done so with humility and commitment.
words mean something, as we know from the national scene, and rower illustrated that rower just doesn't understand the selection criteria for this poll. On reading the defense by rowerrower (wonder if they might be related?) it sounds like rowerrower might not be aware of the illustrious history of the W-L Crew program with over 30 National Championships, 8 competitions at Royal Henley winning the Princess Elizabeth Cup for High School 8's twice and 54 wins at Stotesbury. Cheers for MIT and theiraccomplishment, but the accomplishment of these W-L Frosh Women winning a State Championship to get to Nationals is dwarfed by no one on this list.
Colleges, take note: Recruit these freshmen now. Not only can they skim the water, they will be assets to any college campus lucky enough to attract them. How many members of your teams were had similar records as high school freshmen? Make them Crew of the Week now and send your scouts out to see them!
I agree, The Washington-Lee Girls deserve to win!!!!!!! The Novice/Freshman boat has worked there butts off all season, and because of that they got 1st in the state!!!! and are going to NATIONALS!!!!!
GOOOO GENERALS
I think that the Brown women and the Stanford Men certainly have a case. Yale women and Cal men are great crews. But both MIT Varsity LW and HW 8's beat top-ranked crews that they have not beaten in recent history (Penn and BU) in one weekend. When was the last time MIT was the crew of the week?
I agree, after a very rocky start to their season which saw them lose to Princeton and MSU the Brown women found some major speed and beat the #1 crew in the nation by open water. In the process they turned the tables on Yale who last year beat Brown for their only loss in the final dual meet of the season.
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