May 2011

Safety is Paramount

At the boathouse Safety Is Paramount !  Rule #1 at the boathouse is "At All Times Stay With Your Boat".  Rowing shells float even if they are full of water.  Tired rowers typically do not float well.  And FOR SURE they should not try to swim away from the boat.  Rule #2 at the boathouse is "If you are not absolutely certain about your understanding of Rule #1, go back and review it - At All Times Stay With Your Boat!"

Toledo Rowing club does not send rookies out on the water without a safety launch.  Even if the safety launch is 10 feet away, do not swim for the launch if you end up in the drink.  STAY WITH YOUR BOAT and let the launch come to you.

Youth Rowing Camp

The youth rowing camp is designed to introduce youngsters age 11 to 14 to the sport of rowing.  Any youngster who discovers the joy of rowing and wants to continue when s/he goes to high school may join, in fact is encouraged to join, Toledo Metropolitan Rowing Club founded specifically to serve youngsters who go to high schools that do not currently have their own rowing program.. If the youngster is going to attend Anthony Wayne, Central Catholic, Notre Dame, St. Francis, St. John's Jesuit, or St. Ursula, s/he will be able to join the rowing team at that school.

Youth Rowing Camp will commence on Monday, 11 July - not 11 June as previously (and erroneously) reported.  It is a two week camp, three hours each morning Monday through Friday.  The coaches will be Anna Muller, the assistant coach at St. Ursula Academy, and David Beyer, TRC's SumPro coach and assistant rowing coach at Upper Arlington High School (near Columbus).  In addition, current SUA and SJJ rowers will assist. To register go to www.toledorowing.org and click on Learn to Row, scroll to the information about TRC Youth Rowing Camp.  

Do I have to row competitively?

Only if you want to do so.  Many masters rowers - the over 21 set - learn how to row for the joy of getting on the water, propelling a boat at their own speed and desired level of exertion, watching the eagles, ducks, geese, and deer, and hearing the splash of a fish jumping out of the water and disappearing completely as soon as it is one half inch back under water.  Some get caught up in the fun and exhilaration and decide they want to compete.  The Masters go to regattas in the summer and early fall.  Recreational rowing is for those who just enjoy the exercise and being on the water.  And we are all for it.

What are these things called "ergs"? 

"Erg" is the foreshortened phrase for ergometer which, in turn, is what an Indoor Rowing Machine, is called in the brochures. This particular brand of Indoor Rowing Machine is manufactured by Concept 2 in Morrisville , VT.  Obviously "Indoor Rowing Machine" is much too long a phrase to use when you are gasping for breath, so "erg" fills the bill.  Though your humble editor does not know it for a fact, he suspects that the "erg" evolved in part because of the unrealistic "feel" of the "standard" indoor rowing machine which consisted of a portion of a real oar handle attached to a hydraulic device in a pot.

The level of difficulty could be adjusted via a tension adjuster on top of the pot. 

The original erg, Model A, was constructed in 1981 using an old bicycle wheel, with vanes affixed to some of the spokes in order to increase the wind resistance.  With that came a poster with photos of the proper execution of the rowing stroke: legs, body, arms on the drive; arms, body, legs on the recovery.  In short order Model B was designed and built starting in 1986 and took the market for wintertime-exercise-for-rowers by storm.  The Model C followed in 1993

Any manufacturer worth its salt listens to its customers.  Concept 2 is no exception.  The newest iteration of Indoor Rowing Machine from Concept 2 is the Model E which came on stream in 2006.  It and the Model D, first introduced in 2003, are the only two models still in production.

The basic concept has remained the same; the improvements have come in many forms, none the least of which are the ever advancing electronics and the flywheel which provides the resistance.   With the latest electronics it is possible to connect several ergs together and to a computer/monitor and have rowers race against one another individually or in teams.  Fun stuff!  It is also possible to keep track of all your workouts on a card the size of a credit card and even have that credit card tell you - via the monitor - what you should be doing during your workout.  More fun stuff!!

News about graduates of Toledo Rowing  

Danielle Elaine Bishop NDA 2007 Lightweight 8; spent 3 terms at St Catherine's College, Oxford Univ. UK women's first 8 - 2010; Oxford University Boat Club Lightweight Women's Dev Squad First 8 - 2010 has been named a Fulbright Scholar.  She will teach school and coach rowing in Spain during the 2011-12 year.  The project she presented in application for the award was unique in the sense that the subject of the required civic exchange was ROWING! Danielle graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Kenyon College this month (May 2011)  Kiel Towns SJJ '03 is serving in the U.S. Army as a Blackhawk helicopter pilot and will deploy to Afghanistan later this year.  Pat Gill SJJ '06 is an instructor at the U.S. Air Force Academy.  Chelsea Holmes SUA '09 is in the United States Navy currently at Great Lakes learning to be a Missile (Tomahawk) Fire Control Technician.  Zack Francis SJJ'09 is a student at the Air Force Academy.  Stephen Barchick SJJ '05 was commissioned a 2^nd Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps in December.

TMRC Alumnus rows for the Cure   

Andrew Schrock, who rowed for Toledo Metropolitan Rowing Club, recently rowed 100 km on the College Green at Ohio University to raise money for Cancer research.  Below is the caption under the photo - which is the attachment - that appeared in a local newspaper, The POST - the independent voice on campus and in Athens (OH).

During the 9 1/2 hours Andrew Schrock spent rowing on College Green at Ohio University ; he called out to people passing by; asking if they had "change for the cure." Schrock raised $352 during the day, and he will donate the money to the Susan G. Komen breast cancer foundation. (Rebecca McKinsey | FOR THE POST) Bravo Zulu to Andrew.

Anthony Wayne Women's Varsity Lightweight 4 is Midwest Champion - 2011  

Four schools from Toledo Rowing Club participated in the Midwest Scholastic Rowing Association Championships held at Oak Ridge , TN , 21/22 May with the following results: Anthony Wayne H.S. - Midwest Champions in the Varsity Lightweight 4 event.  Congratulations to The Generals.    

From left to right; Rachel Langenderfer, Micki Reyes, Paige Huntsman, Savannah Boose, Kylie Soltis (coxswain). 

The Lady Generals' boat will be going to the Scholastic Nationals in Camden , NJ on 27/28 May. Six other Toledo Rowing Club boats qualified for the finals in their events. They are: Anthony Wayne - Men's 4x, Notre Dame Academy - Varsity 4, St. John's Jesuit - Varsity 4, St. Ursula Academy - Varsity 4, Junior 8, and Junior 4. All but the Anthony Wayne quad, which came in third in its final, qualified for spots at Scholastic Nationals. Bravo Zulu! (U.S. Navy lingo which translates to "Well Done!") Your editor will report results of the Scholastic Nationals in the next edition of the TRC Newsletter.

Your editor is not certain how many other rowing programs were victimized by the dreadful weather this spring.   It kept Toledo Rowing Club rowers off the water too many days.  Anyone who has rowed knows that the more water that passes under the rowers' backsides, the better the timing and the better the ability to make the boats go fast.   

A couple of anecdotes from the weekend are worthy of note: The coxswain for the St. Ursula Junior 8 is senior Eline Vermeulen.  When her boat prepared to launch, the rowers were sporting T-shirts with letters on them.  The stroke's shirt had a "W" on it; the 7 seat's shirt had an "E" on it; the 6 seat's shirt had a heart on it; 5,4,3,2, and bow spelled out ELINE in honor of their coxswain, a senior who will not be allowed to cox a Junior event at Nationals because of a regatta rule.   

The other anecdote features Eline and Megan Casey, both seniors, who chose to stay with their crew mates at the Midwest Scholastic regatta rather than attending their graduation from St. Ursula Academy .  One of the parents presented those two young ladies with caps and gowns at the regatta site so that they could have their own very special graduation.  

Bravo Zulu to all the senior rowers of all the schools.  Thanks for being part of Toledo Rowing and bringing honors to our club and city.

In what way might I help Toledo Rowing? 

Getting racing shells to regattas requires shell trailers and vehicles to pull them.  Fortunately Toledo Rowing Club owns two shell trailers; one with capacity for 7 shells and the other with capacity for 12 shells.  What Toledo Rowing Club does not have is a vehicle to pull those trailers.  The smaller trailer can be pulled easily by a half ton pick-up or even a large SUV type vehicle.  The larger trailer requires a one ton pick- up, just for safety and pulling power.  The large trailer weighs close to 7000 pounds empty. When fully loaded with six 8-man shells and six 4-man shells, oars, riggers, and slings, it can top out at just over 10,000 pounds.  TRC would be delighted and honored to drive a truck with a sponsor's name or a donor's name or "in honor of" recognition painted on the vehicle.  Company, organization, individual, favorite product, whatever.  For other ideas look over our "Wish List" to the left in the dark blue column.