Athletes of the Week: Francis Baviera-Maloney and Stone Sulley

The sound of oars dipping into the river, kicking up a wake as the boys’ crew team draws them back, cuts through the air. The huff and puff of their breathing, in perfect unison, can be heard across the water. Leading this boat of eight oarsmen, as well as the 52 other members of Exeter boys’ crew, are co-captains senior Stone Sulley and upper Francis Baviera-Maloney.

Unlike a lot of students here at Exeter, Sulley began his crew career prior to 9th grade, though he joined Exeter as a new lower. He started rowing in 8th grade, at the request of his parents.

“I started rowing the spring of my eighth grade year. I mainly kept doing it because my parents wanted me to do a sport,” he said. Sulley rowed for a small club in his hometown and although they were not the very best group of oarsmen, they “would try [their] very best to not come last every regatta.”

“He doesn’t accept short-cuts and always wants to just see the boys get stronger and faster."

For Sulley, his initial transition to Exeter was “weird and awkward” as it is for many. “I didn’t have many friends on the team, and wasn’t very confident,” Sulley said. However, by the end of spring term, he had befriended everyone on his boat and considered them his “best friends.” After “hellish practices,” winning and losing together, the senior, looking back was not surprised at the outcome. “It only made sense,” he said.

Sulley came to love the sport because of the strong team relationships necessary in crew. In his words, “rowing is the ultimate team sport. On the water, there are no individual victories or losses.”

As for Maloney, his crew career began here at Exeter his prep spring. Maloney recalled talking to a proctor in his dorm, who was on the crew team, late at night. “He mentioned it to me, said I should try it. I did.” Maloney started as a novice rower on the fifth boat. He dreamed all of prep year, and lower year after that, of rowing varsity on either the first or second boats.

After his first season, Maloney started training hard. “I knew that in order for that to happen I would need to train every day with that goal in mind. I started training with some varsity mentors.”

This was when he fell in love with crew. Going to practices in the fall and winter, in preparation for the spring, with seniors and other more experienced rowers, Maloney’s work eventually paid off. “Everything else that happened was just a consequence of being faster than other guys who before the winter were much better than me.”

The Maloney and Sulley duo work well together, and their similarities and differences compliment each other.

Maloney is respected as a diligent athlete. Through his hard work and commitment, he jumped from the fifth boat to the first boat in a span of one year. In between his prep and lower year, Maloney spent all of his lower winter preparing for the spring season by dedicating the time to daily workouts at the gym, including the deathly erg and bike workouts hosted by the seniors.

Due to his consistent training, Maloney managed to sky rocket his success in the sport, and is often used as an example of the well-earned result of hard work. Maloney’s willingness to dedicate himself to the purely endurance based sport inspires his teammates to also put in their time and effort to improve.

“His competitiveness is contagious,” senior Alec Howe said. “He works hard to make us work hard.”

Maloney spreads his passion and knowledge about crew to support his teammates. He is not only individually successful, but is just as organized and serious about furthering everyone else’s successes in the sport. He carries a tough attitude toward the team, motivating each member to push themselves to their maximum capability.

“He doesn’t accept short-cuts and always wants to just see the boys get stronger and faster,” teammate and senior Jack Telman commented on Maloney’s admirable attitude.

On the other hand, Sulley is more of a light-hearted captain, bringing the team together with his humorous personality. He fosters a positive environment with his  sense of team spirit, creating a  sense of camaraderie within the team.

“He [Sulley] keeps the attitude and the chemistry upbeat and motivated so everyone puts in their best work for the next guy,” commented Telman.

The captains are both hard working individuals who plan to claim the NEIRA team points trophy this season. According to Maloney, the boys have a good chance of achieving this goal.

“We have a lot of team depth past the first boat, with B2 winning Silver, and B3 winning gold last year, and good chemistry within the B1 guys,” Maloney said.

While Maloney still has another year to row for Big Red, this is the last season that Sulley will row on the Squamscott River. While reflecting on his final term at Exeter and as a member of the crew team, he said, “ What I think I’ll miss most is my friends I have made on the team.

The two hope to lead this year’s crew team to a successful season. After a dissapointing finish to last year’s season, the team is hoping to get its revenge. With Maloney and Sulley in the first boat, there is a good chance Exeter will win many races and have fun along the way. The team’s first race is a scrimmage against Belmont Hill and Deerfield on Apr. 8. The two captains, as well as the entire team, are excited to start the racing season.