Rowing gains popularity on campus
Not many University students are awake before the sun rises, but the 18 crew team members are exceptions.
The competitive team practices at 5:10 a.m. on the University Lake behind the Lutheran Student Center every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, despite weather conditions.
Although dawn may seem early to many people, crew team members say it is the optimal time to practice.
“The water needs to be calm and early in the morning or evening is the best time,” said English and nursing junior and club president Susanna Derlein. “What else are you doing at 5:10 in the morning that you can’t come to rowing? The water is like glass and it’s really neat to see the sunrise, too.”
Crew is the sport of team rowing, and the University has had a team since spring 2001.
Crew is not a varsity, University-sponsored sport, but it is a club team competing against other schools’ club and varsity teams.
Club sports are started and funded by the student teams themselves, while varsity sports are completely sponsored by the University.
The crew team is competing in its first event Sunday against Tulane’s and Northwestern State’s varsity teams and Spring Hill’s club team.
“We’ve always been competitive,” Derlein said. “The past two years we’ve been trying to get started, but it seems like one bad thing has happened after another. We finally have a core group that is really focused and pumped up.”
The team consists of a women’s boat and a men’s boat. Competitions only are against teams of the same sex.
“These members were chosen,” Derlein said. “It’s based on their attendance, their coachability and their commitment. All those factors play in. All these people earned their spot on the team.”
Team members enjoy crew for a variety of different reasons.
“I love that I work out four days a week without even having to try and that I have nine girls that I’m friends with instantly because we’re in the same boat,” said mass communication sophomore Jaci Cole. “I love getting up early in the morning and being on the water because there’s no water in Baton Rouge.”
Several members competed on high school teams and were disappointed to discover the University did not have a varsity crew team.
“I rowed in high school and I really wanted to row in college,” said psychology and design freshman Erryca Robicheaux. “I almost went to Tulane so I could row. I actually started looking for the team during the summer. I saw the boats and knew [the University] had to have a team.”
Robicheaux went on a desperate search to find out more about the team and eventually got connected at Fall Fest.
Derlein said the team has increased interest by putting signs up around campus and participating in the student organizational fairs.
“People talk,” Derlein said. “They see us out in the water in the mornings or on the weekends, they ask other people and they find out. I get at least three e-mails a day from people who are interested. That is, until they find out the practices are at five in the morning.”
Most team members do not mind the early morning practices and many recognize the benefits.
“I love to get up early and eat breakfast early,” Cole said. “I get a bunch of studying done. I start my day four hours before I even go to class. I get my whole day mapped out in my head.”
Students do not have to wake up before sunrise in order to enjoy the experience of rowing.
The crew team hosts a recreational rowing practice every Tuesday and Thursday at 5 p.m. and every Sunday at 1 p.m. Anyone is welcome to join in the fun.