By SARA CASLER
With their sights set on winning a national title, 15 members of the crew team are continuing to practice for the annual Stotesbury Cup Regatta on May 20-21, in Philadelphia, Penn.
Stotesbury is the largest high school regatta in the world.
“I am most excited about getting a chance to race against some of the best boats in the country and to see how we compare next to them. Also, getting this chance to go since the race is so prestigious,” coxswain of the Women’s Junior 4 Blaine Weinmann, freshman, said.
The team is taking four boats: the Women’s Junior 4, Men’s Lightweight 4 and Junior Double.
Junior Michael Merwin and freshman Luiz Andrade are racing in the Junior Double that the coach created specifically for this race. Merwin really wanted to compete at this national race, so coach David Dojcsak told him to pick a novice to compete with him.
“I feel great that I was picked because other guys could have been picked or maybe had better technique than me. It was cool Merwin picked me,” Andrade said.
To prepare for this race, they have been learning about the Schuylkill River to establish a game plan.
“You have to have strategy on how you cox this race. We want to go in the middle since that’s where the strongest current is. I also need to keep the boat on the straightest course to have the best time possible,” Weinmann said.
According to Weinmann, if they get stuck on the outside edges of the river where there is no current, it will be devastating to their race.
On average, the team spends 18 hours a week at Turkey Lake Park, practicing. While regular scholastic sports are a single season each school year, crew has fall and spring, so they have been practicing since August.
“[Crew is] the most intense sport ever, in every sense of the word. Crew is a combination of individual accomplishment and superb teamwork, and to get the balance perfect takes a lot because it combines those elements like no other sport can,” Men’s Varsity captain Sean Treiber said.
In this spring season the Men’s Lightweight 4 was successful, placing first in the Miami International Regatta and second at both the OARS Invitational Regatta and the Florida State Rowing Association State Championships.
The varsity women also had a successful run. At States, both the Freshman 4 and Lightweight 4 placed third and the LW4 also brought home the Scholastic Champ Trophy.
At the Miami International Regatta, the Varsity 4 placed first, the Freshman 4 placed second and the Lightweight 4 placed third.
Even with victory under their belts, the team has had a hard year. Michael Sanchez, junior, however, says that the team never let their low numbers get in the way of working hard.
“Right now, we have only 23 people on the team, which is way below average. The varsity guys only has seven or eight [rowers], but we still managed to get some gold medals [despite that],” Sanchez said.
Head coach David Dojcsak is proud of the team’s drive to succeed, but he does not consider their skills their only reason for success.
“[What makes the crew team special is] the camaraderie and the family aspect. Watching my boys mature and grow over all of the [personal] conflict and watching them come out on top and grow closer as a team [is the highlight of the season],” Dojcsak said.
One of the rower’s favorite things to do is throw the coxswain in the water every time a boat finishes first.
“We try to give [our coxswain, Kendal Martinez] as much air as possible,” Treiber said.
But probably their biggest and most memorable tradition is their personalized battle drum.
“We beat a battle drum at the middle of each race so that the boat can power through the middle, which is critical,” Treiber said.
Crew is currently recruiting for the summer rowing program. There are two week sessions from June 13-Aug. 19 from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. weekdays. Each session is $250 for those who register before May 20 and $350 after that date. To receive a discount, recruit a friend new to the program.
For those interested in participating in crew, go to boonecrew.com for more information.