1. What inspired you to go to your first rowing practice; was there anything memorable about it?
I first went rowing when I was 7 with my father. I don't really remember that I was inspired so much as dragged along but I enjoyed it all the same. We tied a rope to the end of a flat bottom single and I rowed out 50 meters from the dock before I was dragged back for another run. I do remember that I managed to get through the afternoon without flipping over.
2. Was there a practice, race or other event when you fell in love with the sport, or when you knew you might not be too bad at rowing? When you thought you could make the national team?
After my freshman year in college I went to a selection camp for the national team. Early in the camp I was seat-raced against several veterans from previous years' teams. I managed to hold my own and after that I thought I had a shot.
3. Best race/practice, worst race/practice?
My worst race was the 1998 Eastern Sprints in my senior year in college. In my opinion we had the best team and we still managed to lose. I had tried so hard that year, yet when it mattered most I had failed. Unlike other losses, I knew I would never have a chance to win that regatta again.
Perhaps because I was so low after the Sprints, my favorite race was the 1998 Varsity 8+ final at the IRA regatta. We battled with Washington the whole way down the course and won by a small margin. The JV and the Lightweight Varsity also won. The Freshman were 3rd. We returned home that night for a huge party at the Princeton reunions. The next afternoon (when I woke up), my classmates and I organized a barbeque for our families at the boathouse. After devouring a fantastic spread and polishing off some champagne, someone had the idea to take our girlfriends, brothers, sisters, moms and dads out rowing. Among other crews, Marty Crotty's 6 brothers and sisters joined him in a 8+ stroked by his mom and coxed by his dad. The boat looked great. After everyone's family left, we sat around telling stories from our 4 years together until early the next morning. I don't think that life can get much better. After a few hours sleep, we all graduated and went our separate ways.
4. Best/Anything you've done in the sport no one knows about?
After my first race when I was 14, we rowed our 8+ up to the dock to get our medals and flipped it right over when the port side tried to check it down. I still don't believe that it's possible to flip an eight but we did it some how.
5. Any/Most important advice for young rowers?
Have Fun. There's plenty of time to be serious later.
Comments | Log in to comment |
There are no Comments yet
|
row2k's Olympics coverage is brought to you by:
row2k's Olympics coverage is brought to you by: