While over 50 freshmen rowers from the men's and women's heavyweight and lightweight teams trained for over a week in Miami this winter break, the varsity teams were kept in Hanover for training after a self-imposed sanction.
The reason behind the upperclassmen's exclusion from the trip to Miami was not entirely clear to the freshmen. One freshman rower speculated that the exclusion was "some sort of punishment" by the coaching staff in response to behavior on last year's trip. Another freshman thought it had something to do with events on-campus last year. While the freshman rowers were largely in the dark about the cause of the varsity teams' absence, one thing is clear.
This was the first year in recent memory that the varsity rowers did not accompany their freshman teammates in Miami.
"I'm sure [the varsity squad] would have loved to be in Miami instead," a freshman rower said.
All of the freshmen rowers interviewed requested that they not be identified by The Dartmouth.
Captain Jamie Tansey '08 explained that the upperclassmen exclusion was self-imposed as a result of some damage inflicted to Tom Dent Cabin at the end of last Spring term during the teams' formal party hosted at the cabin.
"The coaches were upset because the school was upset," Tansey said.
Damage to a screen door, a window pane, a lamp and other miscellaneous items was first noticed by the College. After the event, fines were levied amounting to $750 and were divided amongst the team.
"[Staying in Hanover] took us out of our comfort zone," Tansey said. "And in that way, it was a bonding experience."
Despite the bonding experience, Tansey still regrets not being able to take a team-wide trip to Miami.
"The winter trip is oftentimes the best way to bond as a team," he said. "That's the biggest disappoint in the aftermath of all this."
The teams are preparing for a long Winter term filled with a grueling training regimen that will strenuously test each rower mentally and physically. The goal is to build both physical and mental toughness to last all the way through the I.R.A. National Championships at Camden, N.J. on Saturday, June 7.
Tansey characterized the physical aspect of the training regimen as "almost reckless," and the rowers "push [themselves] as hard as they can."
While more than a third of the training program involves weight-lifting, the use of indoor rowing tanks to simulate on-water rowing and other fitness activities, the majority of winter training takes place on the indoor ergometers. These machines are much less about finesse and rhythm and more about all-out individual exertion.
The erg machines test one's mental toughness in addition to rowing strength, making the device a valuable training tool. With daily individual tests, a rower can experience both highs and lows over the course of the winter -- while one day may bring a personal-best time and congratulations from the coaching staff, the bar is thus set higher moving forward.
In Miami, the different freshmen teams trained separately. However, their regimens were similar. The lightweights and heavyweights averaged between three and five hours of work daily, with most days consisting of two on-water practices. Occasionally, a third on-land practice was added for further conditioning. Dartmouth had access to the University of Miami's rowing facility during the trip, while most on-water rowing took place on the Inter-Coastal Waterway.
But while the schedules were similar, the focus was not. The lightweight team focused primarily on fitness and aggressiveness, while the heavyweights and women rowers focused on technique. According to one freshman heavyweight, the focus on technique was particularly valuable because "half of the freshmen are walk-ons without rowing experience in high school. We all needed to work more on technique."
Coach Steve Perry was impressed with the overall progress of all teams in Miami. Perry explained that "[the freshmen] gained the equivalency of three weeks' rowing experience in 10 days," thanks to the absence of school or homework coupled with two-a-day practices. The trip also served as a way for the freshmen to grow even closer as a team, gaining more experience rowing together that will hopefully pay off during the spring season.
There was plenty of time for leisure in the sun as well. After afternoon practices, the squads were able to roam the area, allowing time for bonding time away from the pressures of campus. According to a freshman rower, the women's squad headed for South Beach to shop, celebrate team birthdays and explore, and team members also cooked their own meals together.
Back in Hanover, head lightweight coach Perry explained that the 'Hanover Training Week' was the team's first chance to train as an entire squad, as several juniors were off-campus in the fall. Perry was particularly excited that "everyone gained time," and he expressed appreciation for the level of conditioning off-campus rowers were able to maintain.
But while the crew teams trained in different locations this year, they are all working towards the same goals.
"We want to improve upon last year," Tansey said. "Our goal first and foremost is to do as well as we can at the Eastern Sprints and the IRA championship and hopefully win some dual races leading up to that."
The coaching staff is confident that the work in Miami, in Hanover and on the erg machines will lead to tougher Dartmouth rowers when the spring season rolls around. The hope of all team members and coaches is that all of their hard work will result in a strong showing across the board at the championship races in June.
