FINALLY!

I am absolutely thrilled to be able to be the first one to say that . . . (drumroll, please . . .) we have FINALLY made it out on the water! 

On Friday of last week we wrapped up our three weeks of indoor winter training, knowing that come Saturday, we would load, rig, and ROW our boats (regardless of the weather we might face). 

Thus, although our boat loading was slightly postponed due to the snowstorm that swept through Boston on Friday afternoon, the inches of powder that coated the ground on Saturday morning did little to impede our efforts to get the shells back to our boathouse.  Once there, we persevered through the freezing temperatures to tighten bolts and secure riggers, we stomped through mudslush and kept from slipping with the boats on our shoulders, and we cautiously walked out on the iciest (but also the cleanest) dock that I had ever seen. 

Ultimately, we made it out onto the water, and I am excited to say that I believe my new favorite winter sport is rowing on the Charles River ;).  I have also decided that rowing while surrounded by a winter wonderland about as fabulous as rowing while surrounded by Northeastern fall foliage.   

I think that I can speak for everyone in saying that life is a lot better knowing that every morning I’ll be on the river, enjoying the company of the best teammates anyone could ever ask for, honing in on technical changes, and striving towards one of the greatest seasons Blue Crew has ever had.

It is crazy to think that there are less than four days before we depart for our spring break training trip to Chestertown, MD, and less than two weeks before our first race of the 2K13 season.  Based on the work and focus evident during these past few weeks from novice and varsity members alike, excited anticipation is my only sentiment towards the impending 2K13 racing season.

We are going to fly.

Loren Lock '15

Power Moves

Blue Crew was a force to be reckoned with this week. We executed several power workouts on the erg during practice with focus, drive and intention. These workouts involve rowing short, hard pieces that train the rowers to use their explosive drive without any inhibitions, pouring all their energy into every single piece and leaving nothing on the water (or in the erg loft, as the case may be). The best part of Blue Crew’s determination to take our winter training regimen by storm is that the high intensity could be seen not just during the power workouts, but also in other aspects of our practice schedule: during steady state pieces, stair runs, and even yoga. I have been ever impressed by the team’s collective determination and relentlessness.

            Another task the team tackled on recently was laying out a specific mission for the year, and detailing the steps and attitudes it’s achievement will require. Eric Hoffer, an American Philosopher, once said, “it is the awareness of unfulfilled desires which gives a nation the feeling that it has a mission and a destiny.” From our team discussions, it is clear that every member has unfulfilled desires, goals they feel a burning desire to achieve. Nonetheless, not a single teammate allows herself to feel dragged down by the fact that they remain unfulfilled, or by an overwhelming sense of apparent unattainability. Instead, these desires to achieve greatness fill us with a sense of purpose and fuel our thirst for success. We have united around our common goals and created a mission, our destiny, which we will stop at nothing to attain.

            Our mission structure consisted of three components: our goals for the season, their support system, consisting of several pillars that establish a mindset and purpose behind achieving our goals, and commitments each teammate makes to adhere to each pillar. We agreed on four goals to comprise our mission.  In addition, we selected eleven pillars to support to our mission: Tenacity, Unity, Trust, Motivation, Confidence, Intention, Accountability, Risk, Respect, Positivity and Fun. Finally, each teammate made eleven commitments to her teammates, each relating to one of the pillars. In making these commitments, we promise to honor the mission we have collectively agreed upon.

            Watching the team make such a direct statement of intent, agreed upon and reaffirmed by each individual teammate, really inspired me. As a newcomer to the team, I am floored by the passion and devotion each rower brings to the table. Starting out the season with unparalleled purpose has made me really optimistic to see how each rower and the team as a whole will improve over the course of this season.

Meg Roberts '16

And so it begins!

As Sierra mentioned last week, we’ve all been eager and anxious to get started with the Spring 2013 season. A week and a half ago we had our first official practice of the season, beginning at 12:01 am. We call this practice Midnight Madness, and even though we are practicing in the middle of the night we run on adrenaline and excitement for the coming season. Two days later we had our annual ergothon to fundraise for Partners in Health and for our spring break training trip to Chestertown, Maryland. We moved five ergs to the entrance of the campus center and we each took two one-hour shifts erging. Many stuck around to cheer on teammates and make posters! For the rest of our first week together we completed our fitness testing. Then, this week, we have been digging into our indoor training workouts and secondaries.

I stayed on campus over Wintersession, and even though I had a few friends on campus with me, the erg loft was pretty lonely. It made me so excited the first day back on campus when the erg loft was full--I couldn’t stop smiling!  Luckily one of our captains Jess Frey took a video, enhanced by some joyous comments. Now, during the past week and a half of winter training we have been pulling from each of our teammates’ energy and becoming inspired by each other’s drive. Even when we’re not in boats we still pull for each other. But speaking of boats, the countdown until we get on the water is getting shorter and shorter! 

Maggie West '14

The FINAL Countdown!

Although crew is a water sport and I’ve probably spent considerable time surrounded by marine life, let’s just say I was a bit unprepared for the arrival of everyone’s favorite misplaced aquatic animal/Blizzard’s namesake, Nemo.

As Wellesley canceled Friday classes, eventually closing for the second time this academic year, campus was "dusted" with over 24 inches of snow. I personally have never really experienced this much snow, but thankfully had helpful teammates texting me helpful tidbits about layering multiple pairs of socks and making sure to wear a hat and gloves at all times -a somewhat foreign concepts for a native Floridian.  

However, instead of hiding from Nemo, Blue Crew’s own Ali Pierson ‘13 searched for reasons to find him - instigating a school-wide snowball fight on Severance Green. Snowballs were thrown, and many treks in trays made down Severance’s hill as teammates engaged in a Wellesley tradition together. Honorable mention for best descent definitely goes to Loren Lock ’15 for her sheer lack of sled steering and amazing facial expressions :)  It’s definitely times like these where I realize (warning - incoming Hallmark moment) that it’s great to be apart of a team who all get along and share a sense of camaraderie which allows us get along on and off the water.

Apart from defrosting, Blue Crew has been packing in the meters before our spring season starts. With less then a week until our first official practice, everyone has been spending plenty of time in the erg loft, completing WODS with the help of metronome apps. So as Europe’s “Final Countdown” plays on repeat during our erg pieces this week, everyone will be busy getting excited for the best spring season ever with a sweaty enthusiasm unique to Blue Crew.

Sierra Luther '16

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Countdown!!

I’m not sure if any of our ardent supporters follow Wellesley Crew on Facebook (if you don’t, you really should), but over the past few days, the most prominent posts on my newsfeed have been part of the countdown until the beginning of our 2K13 season.

While I am undoubtedly looking forward to hitting the KSC at 5 AM for WODs--Workouts of the Day (or as I prefer, Despair ;)—musical ergs (much like that childhood game you love and adored, but with erg sprints- AKA 10x better), and much-needed yoga sessions, I have also been enjoying waking up for 8 AM Pomeroy breakfasts and doing homework (AKA 80% socializing, 19% internet browsing, and 1% considering doing actual work) until the wee hours of the morning. 

 So, until our notoriously wonderful Midnight Madness practice, I and the rest of my much loved Blue Crew will continue to fill the erg loft to finish out the 2013 off-season training regiment (there is nothing better at 4:00 PM than 16+ ergs occupied by novices and varsity members, alike, moving in sync), gather for tie-dye shenanigans, and congregate to cheer-on teammates currently in other seasons (shout out to senior Kathryn Goffin ‘13 who is finishing up the last season of her diving career!)

           

Like the “Twelve Days of Christmas,” the “Twelve Days Til’ Midnight Madness” will each be wonderful in themselves, but the culmination of these twelve days will be a BEST EVER.  

           

Loren Lock ‘15

Starting the Semester with a Fresh Blanket of Snow...and a Drive to Succeed!

Now that Wintersession is over, Blue Crew reunites on a white, powdery campus for the start of second semester, which starts today, Monday January 28. Rowers spent their January doing numerous exciting, relaxing and fun activities. Some explored a foreign country; Emily Cetlin ’15 and Sarah Tammaro ’14 went to Italy on a Wintersession in Rome trip. They sent everyone a funny video recounting their travels and discoveries to make sure we didn’t miss them too much while they were abroad. Others went home to spend time with family and friends. I cuddled with my Golden Retriever, Sammi, in front of a fireplace and Downton Abbey every weekend. Although I love to visit Stella, no dog is quite as adorable as my own. Speaking of dogs, Ali Pierson ’13 just got a puppy! He is a golden retriever too, and he’s 9 weeks old. Ali sent pictures to the conference so everyone on the team could see how loveable he is. Ali’s mom is set on the name Oliver, but teammates threw out more suggestions, recommending “Simba,” “Blue,” and even “Bamy,” after our very own Jen “Bamy” Lamy, ’13.

No matter where everyone went, the whole team did a great job keeping up with the assigned workouts. I was impressed with how everyone handled the many challenges that come along with individual training, such as limited access to an erg, self-motivation and discipline. It seems as though Blue Crew went into Wintersession training with its characteristic mentality: ready to handle any obstacle and tackling workouts with an insatiable desire to succeed.

Whether teammates are coming back to campus from near or far, I think I speak for everyone when I say it feels good to be back. I missed seeing their familiar faces around campus, and I’m very much looking forward to catching up over a meal or coffee, and making up for the last few weeks away from Wellesley. 

Meg Roberts '16