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.

They Say a Picture Says a Thousand Words...

Another part of our banquet was a lovely slide show that senior Sarah Hawk put together. Since I don't have the photos or the slide show, I thought that I would treat you to my own version of the slide show showcasing the many faces of SU Crew...

Sulking Christine and sad Sarah say goodbye to the rowing season, while ecstatic James is just happy that he could row in the final race of the season.


Chris and John Adams ponder the mysteries of the universe and the future of the SU Crew Team,

while Tess shows them some serious attitude.

Stephen and Sarah want to know if Tess is kidding because...

Sarah thinks that attitude comes from new accessories.

Paula is trying her best to be a monster, regardless of accessories.

Krissy, Amanda, and Chris B. are ready to row again because

Rob and Devin have some secret moves planned for the team.

Poor Paula is lost without her teammates,

but Nick F. tells Paula to play it cool and wait for next semester.

Nick C. and Amanda might not look that enthused, but

Megan shows them how to put their game faces on.

Lauren S. decided to give up her dream to be the next pageant queen hoping for world peace, and settled on rowing instead.

Erika, her pageant hairstylist was disappointed, but decided to experiment on Rob.

While a successful hairstylist, Erika fails in the pageant coaching business, as Tomas (her only other hope) took second place in the Little Mr. Gym Time pageant.

Kate is rarely ever not smiling, but she too is disappointed that crew is over.

Jon F. told her that she can still work on her muscles by picking up/throwing large objects.

Christine encourages everyone to eat their fruits and vegetables over the summer and

told Jon Adams to enjoy his delicious desserts in moderation.

Joe and Lauren M.think that you can learn a lesson from wildlife, suggesting that swimming is a great summer time activity that will keep you in shape like the fishies.

James said that you should be careful exercising in the wilderness or you might get bitten.

Devin suggests that working out is easier in a team and there will be plenty of other training tips on the blog this summer.

In the wise words of "Mr. T" the SU Crew girls "pity the fool[s]" who don't stay in shape and continue to train for crew over the summer.

Haley is in shock that the year is over,

Erika just can't believe it either!

Devin said that he is already ready for next year!

Chris C. said, "You are going to be as surprised as the look on my face because..."

"I really plan to bulk up!"

Have a safe and enjoyable summer!

Colleen approves this message.

Tradition, Tradition!

Tuesday, just one week ago marked our end of the year celebration banquet. Our banquet is an event where we get to look back on the year and pass on our traditions. Part of that tradition is giving team awards.

The Brass Oarlock Award

In old wooden shells, the riggers had brass oarlocks. The sleeve of the oar was covered in leather (called oar leathers) which would rub against the inside of the brass oarlock with each stroke. Over time, the outside part of the oarlock would become rough or pitted and develop a patina, but the inside of the oarlock stayed shiny and beautiful. "Brass Oarlock" is given to the man and woman on the team who may not be the most showy, but prove their devotion and commitment to the team through hard work, persistence, and tenacity.
2010 Woman - Samantha Gromek
2010 Man - Devin Thomas

Most Improved Novice Woman Award (MINOW) - Lauren Seamon
Most Improved Novice Man Award (MINOM) - Rob Penneherrara

The Broken Fin Award
The "Broken Fin" is given to an outstanding Susquehanna coxswain each year. This year in particular, it was given also to a rower turned coxswain that actually had a "broken fin" (his elbow).
2010 - James Hendershot

The Shaft
The "Shaft" is a broken old Susquehanna oar which is passed down each year - rower to rower - to someone who "gets the shaft." Essentially through bad luck or circumstance, this person may not have the best year, but who is still commitment to the team and also has an outstanding attitude.
2010 - John Adams

The Green Sweatpants Award
The "green sweatpants" used to be passed down to a rower with an awesome fashion sense and attitude. During my time on the team, a pair of lime green sweatpants actually existed, but most have fallen a part in recent years. In place of the sweat pants, Courtney Jean Lippincott surrendered her famous yellow rain boot (before rain boots ever became so popular).
2010 - Haley Murphy passed down the award to Paula Trinchera, whose funky/bright spandex and outlook always keep us entertained!

The Ergman Award
The "Ergman" was created by Coach Steve's wife Patty. It is passed down from rower to rower and symbolizes someone who attacks the ergs.
2010 - Devin Thomas passed the cape on to Rob Pennaherrara

The Hammer Award
Hammers are given to the members of the team with the best erg performance.
2010 - James Hendershot, Nick Corridoni, and Christine Magee

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.

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