Athlete of the Week: Peter Bitman

Peter Bitman, a four-year senior in Cilley Hall, co-captains the Exeter’s boys’ crew team. One of the first rowers in the boathouse every day and also one of the last to leave, Bitman brings an unmatched vitality to the crew team. Not only is he an incredible athlete, but he also combines humility with hard work to be a role model and a leader for the other rowers.

Bitman was introduced to rowing by his father, who rowed lightweight in college. Once he arrived at Exeter, several seniors took him under their wing, teaching him how to erg. One of them, Finn Meeks ’13, became a role model of Bitman’s.

“He gives 100 percent every minute of every piece and in that way is a great role model for the rest of his teammates.”

“I looked up to him both in the dorm and in the boathouse,” Bitman said of Meeks, who was cut from crew his prep year at Exeter but persevered, going on to row on Brown’s first boat as a sophomore and make the national team. “He was a great friend and inspiration of mine.”

Bitman takes this kind of dedication and applies it to his own rowing. “I come to practice focused, ready to improve and give my all every day,” Bitman said. “Also, as captain, I feel it is my prerogative to support my teammates and make an effort to help anyone on my boat if they are looking for it.”

His fellow team members all agree that Bitman succeeds in doing what he sets out to do in the boathouse. “Peter is one of the hardest workers in the boathouse,” upper David Shepley said. “He never disrupts the focus in the boat and always works to bring everyone together.”

Senior Eric Jordan agreed, adding, “He gives 100 percent every minute of every piece and in that way is a great role model for the rest of his teammates.”

Peter’s dedication also shines through in his journey through the boats during his four years at the Academy. He began as the seventh seat on boat five during his prep spring; his lower year he was placed as the bow seat on boat three; his upper year he moved to boat two. He trained off-season both on campus and during the summer, including rowing with a powerhouse program in California and competing in the Canadian Henley. He has rowed in the New England Interscholastic Rowing Association Championships (NEIRAS), and his boat placed fourth and won bronze his lower and upper years, respectively.

Now Bitman races with the first boat. “He has had to work incredibly hard to get where he is now, and he deserves his seat on the first boat,” Jordan said. And even though Bitman demonstrates great talent, he is not haughty; he is always willing to share what he knows and help out him team members. “My philosophy on being captain is setting a model for how to treat practice,” Bitman said.

Bitman strikes the right balance between modesty and competition. “In a competitive sport where it is easy to be arrogant, he is one of the humblest rowers,” Shepley said. “He combines restraint with commitment very well.”

Jordan added that Bitman does not see himself as higher than his fellow rowers. “Peter is open to helping others, and treats his teammates as equals. He collaborates with the other members of his crew. At the same time, he helps inspire competition in the boathouse and drives others to be their best.”

“He is quiet, but a strong person in the boat; he always has something to contribute to help his teammates improve,” senior Conrad Diao explained.

“P-Bits, as I call him, is as hard as a stone and as focused as one,” upper Rex Bone, his coxswain, said. “He is a rock, you might say.”

Bitman spoke on his struggle this year with switching from starboard to port side. “It’s been the biggest struggle I’ve had in this sport,” he admitted. “I needed to reconstruct a stroke that I’d worked on for years and retrain my body to be lopsided in the opposite way.” But his dedication and diligence has made this switch easier.

“My favorite part about rowing is practicing, working to perfect my stroke and mechanics,” Bitman said.

Although he possesses an extremely dedicated work ethic and focused athleticism, Bitman is far from cold or unapproachable. “Crew is unique in that all boats share one boathouse, and making connections and establishing relationships with rowers is a priority of mine,” he explained. He is not a particularly extroverted person, but he quietly leads the team through example.

“He is someone that I can look to for advice on any matter,” Shepley said.

Bitman is also a source of fun and laughter in the boathouse. “Despite Peter’s gravitas, he has a great sense of humor in the locker room, on the water or in the classroom,” Diao said. “Peter is a very funny guy once you get to know him.”

“My favorite thing about him is that he is funny and can always laugh or crack a joke,” Bone said.

“My novice year, I was in a boat that earned the distinction of being one of first in Exeter history to sink,” Bitman recalled. On one of their first days of practice, his boat hit a submerged log in the river. “We started sinking until Mr. Chisholm drove by and saved us.”

Bitman isn’t afraid to have fun. Now, his boats don’t sink anymore, and he finds new ways to make memories.

“Last year, Peter and I had a running joke about making the boat more aerodynamic,” Bone said. “So for the race at Andover, he shaved his armpits, and we won. It was pretty hilarious.”

Moments like these are what make Bitman’s seasons with Exeter crew special. “I’ve made some great, lasting friendships, and the unity and camaraderie of a boat is hard to match,” he said.

Although he is undecided about rowing in college, his love for crew shines through. “My favorite practices are misty ones, with a light rain or fog, cool but not cold, where all I focus on is the feeling of the oar against my hands and water against the face of my blade,” Bitman said. “That said, the thrill of lining up at a race is pretty unmatchable.”

Bitman has left a lasting mark on boys’ crew at Exeter, both athletically and personally. He is a dedicated rower and a stellar role model, as well a great friend. Diao concluded, with which all of the other team members agreed, “Peter is an integral part of the varsity crew team.”