In need of rowing inspiration...

This time of year is always an exciting, yet sad time of the year for me. Working in higher education, August signals the end of my rowing season and the beginning of school. Luckily for me, that also means my team returns. While I won't have much time to row myself, I get to work with a new crop of college rowers and also have a chance to push the rowers I have worked with even further.

As a part time coach you have to make the decision to invest time and energy into your own exercise regime or your teams'. For me, coaching does not mean living vicariously through my rowers. My accomplishments are my accomplishments, just as their accomplishments belong to them. Coaching comes from a desire to impart knowledge, love, and passion for the sport unto others. While I am still working on the knowledge part, I know that I have the love and passion part down pat.

Rowing is something that has the ability to suck you in, so deep that you cannot imagine life without it. Having lived without rowing for two years, I can tell you that it was a sad experience! Arriving to graduate school in fall 2005, my first day in Student Development Theory I, I announced to the class that a large part of my identity was that of a rower. While we often talked about the impact of race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, spirituality, socio-economic status, and ability, sometimes we failed to recognize that there are other experiences that really make us who we are.

Rowing has without a doubt informed my values system -- when it comes to health, leadership, teamwork, trust, integrity, work ethic, and so much more. The term "student athlete" became very important to me, even if I had never identified as that in high school. I can't express how much rowing has taught and influenced me. I'm going to attempt to compile a non-comprehensive list...

Balance. Harmony. Rhythm. Synergy. Laughter. Trust. Limitlessness. Passion. Technique. All about the two most important wrenches (7/16 and 3/4). How to change a tire and tighten a lug nut. Nutrition. Yoga. Pilates. Running. Frisbee. Sledding. Splits. Race plans. How hitting a buoy before a race can be good luck. How similar Susquehanna and Virginia Tech look on the water. Knowing that when someone is cheering for Virginia Tech, they are cheering for you. Always send someone to hold the cafeteria door or you will miss dinner. Spandex can be fashionable. Epsom salts are not just for the elderly. It is possible to fit six people in a two door car. Fresh new boat smell is better than new car smell. Always bring your own tissues or TP to the port-o-potty at the end of a race day. The weather will be as nasty as possible during a race. Oar locks can freeze shut. Lightweights usually travel with a practice scale. Teammates last forever. The races you win might not always be the most memorable. You are only as fast as you practice. Erging. Rowing is yoga on water. Head of the Charles is magical. Guts. Lactic acid hurts a lot less than giving up does. Switching sides is not the end of the world. Coaches never stop moving on race day. Bubbles under the hull can lift your spirits. Rowing looks effortless but is dirty, smelly, and not for the faint of heart. A real rower is a McGuiver. Good rowing is like meditating. I always know the height of the Susquehanna (usually the discharge too). I assess weather based on rowability. I watch people at the gym who are erging incorrectly. Sometimes that means I give them an impromptu lesson. I can raise my voice easily. I always wear layers and carry around a water bottle. I believe a group is stronger than an individual. I thrive when I am working toward the greater good. I used to have "race plans" for writing papers (writers block was always the "third 500"). I check Row2K almost daily. I am proud to have a strong work ethic for all that I do. I want to know your 2k time and I will judge accordingly. Good rowing gives me goose bumps.

The Sweet Single Life

My rowing confession of the day -- the only time (before last week) that I have rowed in a single was on Spring Break this past year. As a college rower, the emphasis was on team boats, and Susquehanna only had access to a training single that took on way too much water. It was orange and was so slow that we jokingly referred to it as the "Orange Blur," which somehow implied that it was fast. Pat Johnson '03 was the only person that I knew who rowed the Blur. Pat had excellent technique and as a Philly native, spent the summers rowing small boats with one of the clubs on Boat House Row.

I was always in awe of Brian Yocono '04, Pat Johnson '03, Joe Gibbons '03, and John Cerniglia '04. They rowed an amazing lightweight four that seemed to literally fly on water. As lightweight men, they understood that their strength stood in their technique and execution, rather than in raw power. They had a poetic grace, but could leave you in the dust on the race course.

I took out the "Bob Long" last Wednesday, a single bequeathed by a former CPRA member. I suspect that Bob takes on an awful lot of water too, since I picked it up there was water sloshing inside that made it incredibly difficult to handle. It wasn't too heavy, but the water shifted the balance of the boat while carrying it. Luckily I had a little help in lowering it into the water. It is an older boat, but is still very smooth.

My first experience in a single was so focused on not flipping (who wants to take a spill in early March?) that I wasn't able to fully appreciate the experience. With all of the coaches on the water helping with four Learn-to-Row boats and an additional four of experience CPRAers, I had the lower part of the Susquehanna all to myself. My first shove off of the dock wasn't exactly successful, but the wind and a little hand paddling helped me get back to the dock. Take two was much better.

The water was unsettled at first, so I stuck below the intake in order to quickly get back to the dock in case the conditions worsened. The Susquehanna is the type of river that can change quickly. I often watch the flags on the Rt. 61 bridge to determine the wind direction and watch for any strange cloud patterns. The longer I stayed out, the better the water became. It was a new experience having so much river all to myself and the calm quietness that comes with not having a launch or boatmates around.

The single offered me a chance to really listen and every so often I like to close my eyes to hear and feel what I am doing in the boat. Without a coach nearby, that is the easiest way I know to correct my own technique. I am much more technically proficient with my starboard blade, so I do have a tendency to pull slightly toward port. I have been focusing in the larger boats on cleaning up my port finishes and continued to do the same in the single. My only mishap of the day was squashing my left thumb between the handles, so I considered it a very successful row.

I still haven't decided if I am the type of person who rows a single. Everyone always talks about how it takes a special type of rower to be self-motivated enough to be able to push themselves in a single. Coach Steve Loaiza firmly believes that I am too social and chatty to be a single sculler. However, I love the freedom of spinning the boat around by myself and knowing that am the only one that needs to make corrections to make the boat fly. I can see how a single could be frustrating, but at this point I think it is a terrific training tool to help me become a better rower.

What's Been Going on at the River

CPRA (the Central Pennsylvania Rowing Association) is in full swing now, after starting the season strong with a week long intensive coaching program last week. For those of you unfamiliar with CPRA, it is a local rowing club that is geared toward adults in the community. We have three coached rows a week and also have the opportunity to train for races. Some members rowed in college, learned at a camp, or took a course. Each year, CPRA hosts two Learn-to-Row weeks for adults and also two Junior camps for high school students in addition to regular rowing.

Many Susquehanna University students have been involved with CPRA -- just to name a few: Chris Meharg '03, Kathy Wulderk '04, me '05, and Ang Weaver '09. This summer Jill (Sands) Martin '05 is serving as the Head Coxswain and we are also joined by current student Katie Messler '11.

My own CPRA experience began in the winter of 2003 coaching CPRA members on the ergs 2-3 times a week at SU. That is how I believe I met Coach Jim. Every Saturday morning, I would coach an erg workout -- which is also where I met my Chiropractor, Dr. Ed Kryzkwa who showed up every week without fail. After coaching, I could get my own workout in.

In the Summer of 2004, I coxed and rowed with CPRA. Most frequently, I coxed the "Edna M. Sheary." A bow coxed Vespoli DL, it was a heavy weight men's boat, and I coxed Jim Baker, Mike Domzalski, Jim Grose, and Marc. That was the summer that Steve Loaiza blew into town. I use that phrase because no one in CPRA was quite sure how to take him. He was full of gusto and I think he enjoyed ruffling people's feathers. I think that I coxed Steve in that boat too.

That fall (2004), Steve began coaching the Bucknell Men's Crew and Jim began Assistant Coaching at SU. The one memorable time that we all converged was at Head of the Charles. That is certainly a story I will have to share in a future post. I don't hesitate in saying that it was the best weekend ever!

Upon graduating in 2005, I moved to southwestern Ohio to attend gratuate school. My closest involvement to rowing there was supervising a Resident Assistant, Randy Fiedler who served as coxswain on the Miami University crew team. When I moved back to the area to begin work at Bucknell, I was certain that I would be involved in CPRA once more.

After settling in at Bucknell, I began to row again. In 2009, I joined the Board of Directors and became their Social Chair. Last summer I got to train a lot in a sweet Empacher Double with Bucknell grad student Renee Perry and also cox a quad for the Learn-to-Row sessions. I am also the hostess for our infamous "Thursday Night Socials." Every Thursday after rowing, we grill hamburgers and hotdogs (with the occasional veggie burger) and join each other for snacks and fun.

For the first two weeks of the season, I am coaching. I thought that I would be itching to get back into a boat, but I am really enjoying myself. My experience coaching in the past year has really challenged and stretched me. I think that rowing now saddens me a bit because I know that I will never probably train at the same level I did in college. It still gives me immense joy and satisfaction, but at least with coaching I am holding others accountable to reach that level I miss.

In the news lately, CPRA was in the Daily Item, with comments by Coach Steve. Also, Bucknell Assistant Women's/CPRA Youth Coach Dan Wolleben was voted as Mid-Atlantic Assistant Coach of the Year.

Coach Twins and Other Clothing Info

A funny thing happened on the way to the Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Crew Championships -- without planning it, myself (Coach Rachael) and Coach Jim dressed in nearly identical outfits.

Under normal circumstances, Coach Jim, Coach Steve, and I have the same Carhartt rain jacket. We've never gotten a photo though and this was all I could find.

I tend to bundle up before going on the water, so I routinely wear my "snowsuit" which consists of my Carhartt jacket, Under Amour Frosty Tights, rain pants, boots, and a hat. Luckily the weather smiled upon us at MACCCs and I could finally shed my layers.

When we go to races, I like to wear things that show my Susquehanna spirit - such as my SU Crew hat and then a maroon or orange top. That particular day, Jim and I must have been thinking on the same wavelength because we each had orange shirts, dark khaki shorts, sneakers, sunglasses, and our SU Crew hats on. Since it was so hot that day, I changed part way through after dripping with sweat. I did get a little guff suggesting that I merely changed to avoid being Coach Jim's twin.

Later in the season at our crew banquet, team members helped the coaching staff look even more cohesive by presenting Coach Steve and I with fake mustaches. I am just about dying with laughter in this photo.

Many of you have expressed interest in being able to purchase SU Crew apparrel. This fall, I would like to make sure that happens.



Here is what I would like to make available:

• Black and maroon traditional Susquehanna Crew jackets
• Orange and maroon rugby shirts
• SU Crew hats
• A nice polo with an embroidered logo or nice t-shirt for coaches and parents

Is there anything that you would like to see made available? Leave your suggestions on the comments section.

While we are on clothing, let me share a few of my favorite things good for coaching or rowing:

• Under Armour Frosty Tights
• Sew Sporty Racing Shirts
• Eddie Bauer Weather Edge clothes and accessories
• Lands End Performance Sport
• Tretorn Skerry boots

Having a full time job has certainly enabled me to buy a lot of things that I didn't have while in college. Actually, a lot of the clothing that I might wear now didn't even exist when I was in college. So, I mostly rowed in t-shirts and regular gym shorts. That definitely worked, but the nice thing I have found about the new wicking fabrics is that you can just rinse them out in the sink and let them air dry if you can't do laundry all that often. Cotton can also get really cold on the water if you get wet, but a good racing shirt or pair of spandex tights pulls the water or sweat away from your body.

Remember, "it is all about layers." Think it is too hot for pants but too cool for shorts? Try a pair of soccer socks and push them down if you get hot. They can also help with track bites. A cheap way to protect your legs from track bites is to cut the feet out of nice, thick socks -- pull the band up to your calf and bingo, no more track wounds. I still have scars from rowing the Empacher last summer until I got smart and used something a little thicker than just a band-aid. Vests are a great way to regulate body heat, and a lot easier to get out of than a pull-over jacket.

Looking to pick up a few must have for rowing pieces? Try a local outlet shopping center. They often have brand outlets like Adidas, Nike, Under Armour, and more. If you have a Triple A membership, you can often get a discount coupon book and if you shop on a national holiday weekend like Memorial Day or 4th of July, there are often extra deals to be had.

SU In the Papers!

Today, the SU Crew team was featured in The Daily Item, the local newspaper of Sunbury, PA. Last week a reporter and photographer/videographer came to check out our team. They took some great photos and video of our team, that can be found at the links below.

Rowing Provides a Full Body Workout by Gina Morton

Local Video - Full Body Workout

Please excuse the fact that I sound like a total airhead on the video, but I was really nervous! When I first started coaching, I told Coach Jim that I would do anything but drive the trailer. Coach Jim has kept to his word, but is happy to have an assistant around to do things that he doesn't like. Apparently "other duties as assigned," includes being on camera, because Coach Jim is camera shy. (Jim, don't worry, I'm just razzing you).

The video features glimpses of our boat house, the novice women carrying their boat to the water, and the men's varsity four in action.

Unveiling of the "Coach Tomko"

Saturday was a proud day for Susquehanna University Crew. On April 24th, we christened the "Coach Tomko," after our beloved former crew coach who brought the team to where it stands today. In the works since fall of 2009, it was amazing that we could keep the secret, but asked "Coach" Brian Tomko down to the river to help with our dual meet against the Universityty of Scranton.

Coach Brian Tomko and Coxswain Jill Martin '05 having a pep talk before Head of the Charles 2004.

The "Lite 8:" Alyssa, Kate, Dawn, Sara, Jill, Ashley, Jess, Rachael, and Coach

Coach Jim began by introducing "Coach" to the newer team members and crew families. I suppose that Coach began to become suspicious once Jim mentioned how big of an impact that he had on our team and how he was such a great mentor. I wanted to share a few words about my "Coach" and got to unveil the name on the new Vespoli ES V1, the "Coach Tomko."

How could I put into words the impact that my Coach had not only on my collegiate rowing career, but also on the person that I have become today.

Brian Tomko and the SU Crew Team taught me more about my personal values, teamwork and trust, care and concern, and leadership than I have ever learned anywhere else.

Upon graduation and to this day, it is hard to think of Brian as anything but "Coach."

Just when I had thought I lost my faith in rowing during my junior year, I had an amazing opportunity to join the Varsity Lightweight 8. With the help of Coach, our Lite 8 learned to fly, with him right by our side. Nothing excited Coach more than to see us reach our goals, and it was always clear by the wide grin he wore on his face. That is why we are here today, in this moment to celebrate and thank our coach for giving so much to his team and rowers.

As the SU Crew family, new and old, we are eternally grateful for the hard word, dedication, and perseverance Brian Tomko committed to our team.

As a small gesture, without words, his spirit, commitment, and love of the sport will carry on -- in the dedication of the "Coach Tomko."

I'm a little bit happy to say that we made him turn red and shed a few tears, but I think that is just another testament to how big of a heart he has, and how much he has cared about our team over the years.

President L. Jay Lemons was on hand to further congratulate Brian. It was especially touching that he mentioned that so many current students and alumni have shared with him that crew has touched their lives in innumerable ways, as well as their admiration of Coach Tomko.

President Lemons, Coach Brian Tomko, Rachael Gebely, and Jim Gross

Varsity 8 Ladies in the "Coach Tomko"

I'd ask that if you have any memories about Coach that you would like to share or well wishes, please post them under the "Comments" section.

Knecht Cup and Foam Steve

This past weekend, SU Crew traveled to the Cooper River in Pennsauken, NJ for Knecht Cup. Knecht Cup is one of the largest mid-season regattas across the country, attracting crews from Florida, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Indiana, Georgia, and more! We got to see a number of parents and SU Crew supporters, which makes racing even more fun.

One person that was not able to travel with us was Asst. Coach Steve Loaiza. In his spirit, we brought "Foam Steve," to watch the races.

Steve had a busy weekend, fraternizing with his coaching colleague Derek Updegraff. Derek was surprised this weekend by the Bucknell Men's Crew Team, who named their new Resolute 8 after him ("Derek Updegraff Jr. '93). Derek rowed on the team as a student at BU, and later came back to coach the men's and women's teams. This is a tremendous honor that speaks to the impact that he has made on their team!

Steve is also posing with Head Coach Jim Grose and Asst. Coach Rachael Gebely waiting for the Men's Varsity Eight DII/DIII to come down river.

Since the team had to meet the bus at 2:15am on Saturday morning, some of the rowers took the opportunity to catch a nap underneath the crew tent.

The team was hosted overnight by the friends and family of Christine Magee '10. We were welcomed by an amazing dinner of meatball sandwiches, pasta, chicken fingers, chicken Parmesan, pasta salad, salad, and cookies. Sarah Hawk's Mom also contributed delicious brownies. Christine's Mom and friends were kind enough to pack the extra food to-go so that we could enjoy it once again on Sunday. We are so lucky to be supported by such wonderful people. The team was able to stay overnight at two homes in Lansdowne, which was a short trip to the race course.

I'm pretty sure that the rowers avoid eating the mushy sandwiches provided by the cafe at all costs. Since we had so many parents say that they were interested in bringing goodies to our next races, the team has made up a sign up website. The site can always be reached under the "SU Crew News and Events" section of the blog. By no means are you required to sign up ahead of time (or bring anything at all), but the site will give you an indication of what we typically bring and what the team loves to eat.

This weekend we saw teams with full out tent restaurants: complete with coffee, breakfast burritos made on site, grills, and much more. While we don't necessarily need that kind of production, the team has always appreciated support from families. I still remember the Johnsons' bringing fresh Philly pretzels to Knecht and Dad Vails, Mrs. Jensen's Mandarin Orange spinach salad and lasagna at our Occoquan races, and Mrs. Meharg's homemade brownie muffins. I later learned that the brownies were really store bought, but boy were they delicious!

We ended up having a successful weekend, seeing a lot of positive improvements in each of our boats. Since this was our first big race of the season, we also have learned a lot about where we need to go from here. You can find the results here or on our "News" section of the blog.

The Immortal Words of Coach Steve

"Row like you stole the boat and the sheriff is hot on your tail!" Don't let them catch you! - Coach Steve Loaiza

Coach Steve wishes the SU Crew team the best of luck at Knecht Cup this weekend!

CPRA Octuple - Summer 2009 - Carol Graybeal (1), Susquehanna Provost Linda McMillian, Sally Thomas, Jim Baker, Derek Updegraft, SU Professor Rich Orwig, Kim Daubman, SU Assistant Coach Steve Loaiza, and former SU rower/CPRA coxswain Ang Weaver

Good Luck Charms and Rowing Unity

I loved racing. Nothing was more exhilarating than going into battle with my boat. I was always a nervous wreck beforehand, but after our boat pep talk from our coach and our boat showing of solidarity, I was ready to go.

I'm a superstitious rower. I can't count the number of times that I have "knocked on wood" to prevent disaster befalling SU equipment (unfortunately it happens anyway) and I had my good luck charms and rituals in order to ensure a good race.

Dad Vails 2005 - Varsity Lightweight 4 - Bow Alyssa Russo, Rachael Gebely, Allison Bankus, Jess Hibbard, and coxswain Lauren Fasnaught

Superstition exists on some level in every sport as a way to demonstrate the belief and confidence an athlete has. Athletes playing on the college or professional levels are competing at the maximum level against others that possess the same skills. Superstitions provide athletes with confidence in their edge over the skills of their opponents.

Michael Jordan always wore his blue UNC shorts under his Bulls uniform for good luck. Pitcher Mark Fidrych used to play with the dirt on the mound and talk to himself before every inning. Carl Yastrzemski wore the same pair of socks for seven years. Bruce Gardiner of the Ottawa Sentators ice hockey team used to dip his stick into the toilet before games to teach it respect.

The most memorable good luck charm I had was given to our "Lite 8" by our coxswain Kathy Wulderk.

Knecht Cup 2004 - Lite 8 coxswain Kathy Wulderk

Kathy presented each boat member with "power beads," which were essentially girl's hair ties from Walmart. They were neon hair bands with four colored beads on them. We wore them on our wrists (our outside wrist) for good luck.

Spring 2004 - Rachael Gebely and Alyssa Russo

The elastic is worn out of my two power bead bracelets (one from junior and one from senior year), but I still took one in the boat with me when I raced at Navy Day last fall. We also had orange and maroon hair ribbons. Those were more for team spirit, rather than good luck.

My stroke, Jess Hibbard had this crazy pair of blue tinted Oakley-esque sunglasses. I eventually came to wear an orange tinted pair. I think we wore them regardless of sun, but they were great for making us feel more intense and ready to go into battle. I kind of likened them to horse blinders. I never wore them outside of crew, and they always make me focused and ready to go.

Knecht Cup 2004 - Lite 8 stroke Jess Hibbard

Before every race, our coxswain would start a fist bump from the stern that would travel towards bow, and then switch directions to end back in the stern. It was our way of passing good energy to one another and get in the mood to race.

Often you will see crews wearing matching outfits, homemade individualized t-shirts, nicknames, or selecting a boat name. Be it the "Lite 8," the "FFF's" (Fat Fat Fatties), or the HMSCF - there is no shortage of creative crew names or slogans that embody the spirit of their crews.

Knect Cup 2004 - "We Weigh Enough," Varsity Open 8 - Kimmie Graham, Marisa Chamberlain, Lauren Tanis, Shannon Jolly, and Cate Eytel

Philadelphia Tri-Meet 2010 - Lauren Seamon and "First to the Dock, First to Dinner," Christine Magee

Busfield Regatta 2009 - Joe Klass, Justin Chambers, James Hendershot, Samantha Gromek, and Nick Corridoni

Fall 2009 - Justin Yedibalian, Jon Fellin, and Nick Fritz

Masters of the Susquehanna 2009 - "HMSCF" - Nick Corridoni (captain), Tom Joyce, Chris Chidzik, John Adams, Stephen Hyde, Joe Klass, Tomas Prestamo, Devin Thomas, and Nick Fritz

Whatever the good luck charm or ritual, it can increase both your level of confidence in your preparation and the level of unity you can achieve in your boat. Good luck at Knecht this weekend!

“There’s no right or wrong, but there’s together and not together. And eight guys working together is always going to be faster than eight individuals who are rowing their own race.” – National Team Rower Matt Muffelman

Victory Squat Tuesday

Today we logged a lot of excellent miles on the water. This morning I had an opportunity to cox a mixed four, which is the first time I have been in the John M. Thumm. As a Vespoli DL, the coxswain's seat is nice and roomy to accommodate the snow suit I have been decked out in this week. Although the weather has been fantastic, it always feels colder as a coach or coxswain. While the rowers are dressed in shorts and tshirts, the coaches really layer up and in some cases can be seen sporting brightly colored survival suits. I really do miss being in a boat, and if coxing is what gets me one back into one, I will happily comply!

Speaking of coaches: yesterday Coach Jim dropped his megaphone in the water and I am happy to report after letting it dry out, it is working just fine. My megaphone is still on the fritz, but it usually straightens out after a good bump or two in the launch. Between the megaphones and the motors, there is always something to worry about. It is easy to miss the simplicity of powering your own boat that rowing affords.

"I think that's why I coach... I used to get up early every morning with a clear goal in mind of how fast I was going to be. When I stopped rowing, there was a void in my daily routine. Now I go to bed at night and get up morning with a clear goal in mind of how fast you are going to be." -- Chris Allsopp, freshman coach, United States Military Academy

We have been spending a lot of time in small boats such as the fours and double, in an effort to hone our technique. While the beginning of the week focused primarily on drills, we are now moving into more power pieces. We sent seven rowers, one coxswain, and an observer out during our optional 11:30am pratice. Everyone is itching to try out the double or single and making great progress at that! The afternoon was spent practicing racing starts and longer power pieces.

We finished up with an extended yoga and stretch session, as everyone is starting to really feel the week's efforts. Although some of our teammates thought it looked a little awkward to outsiders, it was much needed. Pictures are definitely to come once they get uploaded! We stuck with the usual -- victory squat, tree, plank, and chair and added some new twists, such as the mermaid and egg. Although thoroughly grass covered, I can say that we all benefited from our poses. A few team members headed to the gym before dinner to get some lifting in.

We ate dinner at Olive Garden and went through many baskets of breadsticks and bowls of salad. Everyone was full and tired by the ride home. Wednesday is our "fun day," which means that we will row in the morning and then take the afternoon off in favor of a fun activity. Until then, SLEEP!

Sounds Like Somebody has a Case of the Mondays

On Sunday we finished the day with a team pizza party and videotape viewing in the hotel banquet room. It gave us a great opportunity to step back and see the coach's perspective from a launch and focus on the improvements we can make in the coming days. Already today I noticed rowers making small changes and adjustments based on the feedback they received yesterday. Our goal is to videotape one more time and compare/contrast our performance once they week is through. I will post videos once I return to a better internet connection.

We completed our second full day on the water today. You might ask, what does a typical day look like?

• 6:30am: Wake up, get dressed, and eat breakfast at the hotel
• 7:00am-9:30am: Load the bus to drive to the river. Rowers take oars down to the docks and return to carry the boats while the coaches fire up the launches. Practice drills by pairs and full boats. Watch coaches' motors die (several times) and hope they can get started back up.
• 9:30am: Load the bus to drive to the hotel. Eat second breakfast. Thank our hostess who always makes sure we have plenty to eat. Play Frisbee/take a nap/work on homework.
• Optional 11:30am: Drive in the van to the river to take out small sculling boats (double and single). Stay out until 1:15pm, dock, and return to the hotel for a quick change or snack.
• 2:00pm-5:30pm: Load the bus and get ready for a second (or third) row of the day. Fill the launch gas tanks. Change line ups. Begin by practicing drills and get into racing pieces. Watch coaches' motors die (several times). Watch coach's megaphone die and have to shout over the motor roar. Stop to observe a large dead fish. Turn, race some more and then dock. Strap all of the gear down, secure the launches for the day.
• 5:30pm: Return to the hotel, shower up and get ready for dinner.
• 7:00pm: Eat dinner as a team. Copious amounts of food are always appreciated and expected. Congregate in the lobby to play cards, games, or just hang out. Have coaches check hands for blisters. Sleep.

We take rowing, eating, and sleeping very seriously. Often times in that order. Even if we are serious on the water we also always try to have a good time. That is usually accomplished through humor. Rower Chris Chizeck wants to share a joke with you that he created today. What do motorboats and coffee have in common? They wake you. The only down side to rowing on a beautiful stretch of water is that others find it attractive too -- such as fishermen and recreational boaters. Traveling a great speeds, they create large wakes that can make it difficult (or sometimes impossible) to row through.

Back to the eating part. We ate at Ryan's Steakhouse this evening which is an all-you-can-eat buffet. As a crew team, the restaurant presented us with a boat paddle (like the kind the coaches use when their motors die) to sign as a team and hang on the wall. "Ryan's Appreciates Rowers" and proudly displays a paddle of each team that eats there.

Sunday Morning Row

We just completed our first row of Spring Break 2010. We wanted to send a message to all of you out there, so check out the video below:



We spent the morning exploring the water and video taping. Tonight we will dissect it to see what improvements we can make as the week and season go on.

Preparing for the Races

Row2K just posted an awesome video of the CRASH-B World Indoor Rowing Championships. Originally started in 1980 by several former US Olympic Rowers, the "Charles River All Star Has-Beens" are still the official governing body of indoor rowing.

We see the SU records almost every day, but have you ever been curious about the world records in our sport? The current record holder for the fastest 2k time is Rob Waddell of New Zealand, who posted a 5:36.6 and he won the CRASH B Sprints 3 times.

Category	Time	Split	Nation	Year	Name
Open Men	5:36.6	1:24.1	NZL	2007	Rob Waddell
Lwt Men	5:58.5	1:29.6	DEN	2009	Henrik Stephansen
Open Women	6:28.4	1:37.1	FRA	2005	Sophie Balmary
Lwt Women	6:56.7	1:44.1	USA	2000	Lisa Schlenker

This year, the talk of the town was 18 year-old Felix Bach of Germany who broke his erg during the start of his heat with the junior men. He broke the chain and his machine was lifting off the ground, so he was forced to join a later heat with the lightweight junior women. He ultimately posted a 5:51.8, which was 25 seconds faster than the second place Junior Men's finisher. It looks nearly effortless. (Please note that the lightweight woman in the green shirt and pink shorts next to Felix is dipping her hands after she gets past the knees and it becomes particularly pronounced toward the end of the video.)

You can also see from the video that Felix has chosen a coach or friend to motivate him through the piece, especially in the last 300m or so. As you are thinking about Erg Armageddon, think about who you would like your coxswain or motivator to be. It can be a fellow rower, coxswain, or coach. Just remember that the heats quickly follow one another, so it would not be wise to choose someone in a heat before or directly after yours. Think about the key points in your piece that you need extra encouragement, share your race plan with that person, and also think about words or phrases that you really want to hear.

Everyone gets their motivation from a different place. Maybe you just want your iPod. Maybe you just want someone to sit quietly behind you saying encouraging words every now and then. Maybe you want someone to sit there an be quiet until the sprint. Maybe you want someone there shouting in you ear every second of the way. Maybe you want a whole bunch of people cheering for you. Think about what you need and don't be afraid to communicate that with your teammates, family, friends, or others attending the race.

Also, don't forget that our friendly neighborhood rowing association, the CPRA (Central Pennsylvania Rowing Association) is sending members to race. Please be sure to cheer them on as you would your own teammates! They still say glowing things about SU crew since we raced with them at Navy Day in Philly.

The Legend of the Ergman

In the summer of 2004, something strange blew in from the Pacific Northwest. Many did not know what it was. Some feared the river would never be the same. Low and behold, it was "ERGMAN!"

You may not be familiar with the legend of the Ergman, but you have certainly met the man behind the cape, Mr. Steve Loaiza (if you spell his last name incorrectly, he might threaten to take away your Bow Certification). The cape first debuted on the East Coast at the Spring 2005 Erg Armageddon at Bucknell University. He claimed second place in the Master's 1000m competition.

Our fearless coach is currently recuperating from an ankle operation, so we wish him a speedy recovery and hope to see him out on the water as soon as possible!

Since I've just rejoined the team in the Fall of '09, someone will have to explain the significance of the Ergman cape being passed down to a new generation.

Speaking of medals, Susquehanna University has a long history of greatness when it comes to competing at Erg Armageddon. Chris Meharg '03 and Cait Eytel '07 routinely smashed records in both the 2k and 500m dash -- which can still be seen on the Erg Record Board in the Susquehanna Green Room.

Alumni medalists include Jen Brunnet '03, Brian Card '04, Jen Murphy '04, Elaine Wood '05, Laura Jagielski '06, Jasmine Wright '06, Andy DeBrunner '06, Marissa Chamberlain '07, Brad Biondi '07, Brendan Wirth '07, Chris Pfaff '07, Brian Nalls '07, Josh Gregoire '08, Rachel Fetrow '08, and Coach Brian Tomko.

Some of our more recent medalists include James Hendershot, Zach Ross, and coxswain Sarah McGill.

I wanted to take some time to recognize some of the amazing accomplishments of our team in the past, but am looking forward to what the future holds. The most important goal that you as a rower can concentrate on at this point in the season is working toward a personal record at each time you test!

Coxswain Shortage

Winter Training is that time of year where we log more meters on the ergs than we care to remember, and make those nice, warm afternoons on the water seem like more than a distant memory. One thing that we can also forget is the need for coxswains!

I encourage you to talk to your friends, hall mates, and classmates about joining the Susquehanna Crew Team. Being a coxswain is an excellent way to practice public speaking and leadership skills, gain coaching experience and first hand observation of psychological principles, and so much more! And don't forget that joining crew is like getting a new family too.

A cautionary tale...


Having too few coxswains can result in your 200+lb, ex-elite rower of a coach trying to squeeze himself into a lightweight women's coxswain seat!


Talk about check! You have no idea...

A Story of my Life...

I am the maintainer of this blog, Rachael Gebely. Ever since I was a small child, I have been terribly klutzy. My Mom says that given an opportunity to take a clear path or a cluttered one, I would always choose the one with the most toys in the way, inevitably tumble, pick myself back up, and continue on my way. I quit dance lessons as a kindergartner because I was an awful dancer and always got stuck in the back of the line. I couldn't master the "step-ball-change" and I had the wrong color shoes (totally different story). I played soccer starting in third grade, the only goal that I can claim was in our indoor season, where I scored in my own goal due to a slick floor. I almost made a goal later in my career, but took a tumble on a breakaway right before I could get the shot off. After spraining my ankle at the end of my sophomore year in high school, I quit soccer to spend time on other interests.

During my search for college, I fell in love with Susquehanna and was drawn to crew, despite being uncoordinated and being a bit out of shape. It was something that challenged me, but that I always came back to. I can remember my first 2k test after my freshman winter break, where I went out too fast and died, posting terrible numbers (9:05). I still soldiered on, and came back to post an 8:20.0 a month later. Hitting 8:01.5 in the fall of my sophomore year, I was more determined than ever to go sub-8. It happened that Spring when I hit 7:57.1 and I was so ecstatic! The reason that I can tell you all of these numbers, is that I kept a workout log with my erg times, lifting weights, and general comments. It is something that I always encourage rowers to do.

Sub-8 (or sub 7 for guys) seemed like this special club, and with a little bit of hard work, I became a member. I lifted, I worked out, and I had a great support system (thanks to my coach, my boyfriend, and teammates) but I can't say that there was anything special I had to do to be fast. I suppose my own personal experience has led me to believe that with enough effort, anyone can be fast, and that doesn't mean living at the gym or abandoning all of your other priorities. I ended my senior year at 7:49.8 and 1.46.5 as a lightweight. Trust me, it is all about the mental toughness.

I have rowed with many different boats and in many different seats. My junior year I decided that I wanted to compete as a lightweight for Erg Armageddon and just continued on that way for the rest of my career. I like to tell people that it was the best decision that I ever made, mainly because I got to row with the most INCREDIBLE women, whom I owe so much to. The picture below is the original "Lite 8," who I feel taught me how to be a true teammate. Our erg scores were wildly varied, but we could really move a boat. I was connected to my crew and started to feel an overwhelming sense of trust and commitment like never before.


This was us racing at the 2004 Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Crew Championships. It was easily one of the most exhilarating races of my career.

We took home the gold and had recently been recognized on US Rowing's Best Lightweight Eights poll. We worked hard, but we had so much fun!


We worked hard enough to earn a new boat, Annalia. Annalia's namesake is the African Goddess of the River. She was delivered in the wrapper, with that fresh new boat smell, to Head of the Charles, where she had her inaugural row.

Racing at Head of the Charles was where I felt we finally "made it." After years of equipment malfunctions, boat disasters, being yelled at by officials, almost missing races, and so much more, it did not feel out of place to be sitting on the Charles surrounded by Ivy and Olympic crews in millions of dollars worth of equipment. We may have placed second to last, but we could not have been prouder. That was also the day that our neighborhood rival school's Mens' and Women's teams had lost their skegs in the race.


I get the impression that most people think that the races you win or the medals you collect are the most memorable. My deepest and fondest memories are these sheer seconds or moments of perfection that I have ever since been chasing. One such memory is of my Freshman four and one amazing practice were I never wanted to leave the water. The second such memory was one of the last of my career, my lightweight four in a meet against the heavies of Bucknell, Loyola, and George Mason. It was a rainy Saturday on Spring Weekend. It was damp and chilly with just enough misty rain to make gripping the oar a nightmare. I was in a mixed kind of mood that day. Our race false started and we had to row up and around the intake to restart. It just seemed like a bad omen, or a nice morning to stay in bed. Our second start was a miracle. Strong words, yes, but we jumped off the block like none other, leaving all three boats in our wake. There was just enough exposed shore for our coach (the only "Coach" I know), Brian Tomko to sprint alongside of the boat with the most enormous grin on his face just cheering us on. In the middle of the race, I had a transcendental experience, which seems too personal to share on a blog, but not unheard of in the rowing world. We ended up taking third, but this was my favorite race EVER.


The love I have for rowing and Susquehanna Crew is immeasurable.


One of the saddest things I will ever have to do was to say goodbye to rowing to attend graduate school.


The Susquehanna team was my family and crew is always a part of my life. Special thanks to Liz Remmel, Robin Atkins, Stacie Naugle, Kristen Hoar, Chris Meharg, Greg Giuntini, Pete Habercost, Brian Card, Pat Johnson, Jill "Jilly" Sands (Martin), Kathy Wulderk, Jess "J" Hibbard, Allison Bankus, Erica Garland, Erin Toenebohen (Haberkost), Alyssa Russo, Dawn Raszcewski, Katie Meyer, Kate Jensen, Ashley McConnaughhay, Sara Jane Luley (Baublitz), Coach Jim Grose, and "Coach" Brian Tomko.