Cornell Business

Issue date: 5/3/00 Section: Sports

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If you think you know something about team sports, but haven't yet tried to set an eight-oar boat in motion, think again. This is the ultimate team sport! Ultimate because just getting the boat to water dwarfs the JOE "lower-the-bar" experience. First you've got to lift it, walk with it (all in the same direction, please), maintain balance on top of a wobbly dock, and finally put the thing in water. It weights over 250 lbs and measures some 60ft in length. And if you're intent on effectively moving the boat on water, you'd better be rowing in sync. Otherwise, it looks rather ridiculous, and as punishment for that, the oars(wo)man behind you will likely hit you in the back of the head with his or her oar. That can hurt.

The real test of this year's JS Rowing team proved to be nothing less than the fight for survival. We are proud to say that no casualties were suffered. It was a fierce battle against the elements. At 5:45 am (this is not a typo) we were out on Cayuga Lake, air temperature around 30 and water just above freezing point. It took more than several strokes to get warm. But the upside is high, very high...That feeling that words cannot capture when you're in one of those long, sleek, graceful boats racing along the flat water. The thrill of speeding along a mirror-like lake surface, just you and nature and seven other people rowing in harmony...

Happily, we found an inspiring head coach in Mike Bevans: "Getting in shape is easy, it comes with the practices. It's unavoidable." or "My advice to runners, stop running." These are just a few of his more memorable words of wisdom. And so after technique corrections by the experienced and infinitely patient Uresh Sheth and Ryan Dutcher, treacherous workouts, and chilly practices, the team descended on Philadelphia. Clearly, the city has not seen a crew in such first-class shape since the Rocky filming crew was in town. Coxswains Michelle Mason and Mike West took command of the boats and steered our fearless charge while Connie Kim and Chris Patterson set the pace as we reached an amazing third place in both races we entered! (of course, there were only three boats in each race, ahem.)

Considering our giant leaps down the learning curve, the best is yet to come. On May 6th the Johnson School Crew will once again hit water, this time on the Charles River. Everyone is invited to come (we plan to be back in time for the Formal.) cheer-on a daring team, and just have a fun, riverside day (and oh by the way, we are told they have shops in Boston). To join the crew or get more details about the "Harvard Sprints" all you have to know is an email address (ek67@cornell.edu) and the meaning of the technical rowing term "Weigh Enough": It means stop rowing. It is NOT a description of anybody on the boat.

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