Big Red Boys’ Crew Aims for a NEIRAs Championship through Hard Work

Every spring marks an end to the brutal winter: swirling snow piles, biting winds and sub-zero temperatures. For most, the melting snow, warmer weather and budding plants are enough. For some spring athletes, however, the coming term is filled with contest, competition and heated rivalry. One of the largest and most popular teams on campus  is the boys’ crew team.

Headed by seniors Peter Bitman and Junior Olympic athlete Benjamin Cohen, this year’s crew team is ready for any team it may face. Their six boats, each with a coxswain and eight rowers, have been training rigorously since spring term started; most have even been preparing during the fall and winter offseasons.

“There are six boats. The first boat is the top boat and the sixth boat is the last,” Cohen said. “It’s just like a tennis order.”

“The most important race is the NEIRA, which is the New England championship race, comprised of around 18 schools.”

Although the team this year is “light in weight” according to Cohen, they can still pull their weight, and will be a formidable force in the upcoming regattas. The first two boats, coached by English instructor Tyler Caldwell, compose the varsity bracket, followed by the JV boats, coached by mathematics instructor Greg Spanier, and the two final novice boats coached by science instructor Townley Chisholm.

Cohen, Bitman and the team have their hopes set high. “The goal is always to win,” Cohen said. “The most important race is the NEIRA, which is the New England championship race, comprised of around 18 schools.” Last year, Big Red took finished in second place overall. In his senior and final year, however, Cohen is hopeful the team can push into first place, repeating their performance from two years ago. “We have a deep group of kids here.”

“Hopefully we can do that again; that’s what we’re training for,” Cohen said. “Everything else is secondary or works towards that goal, so having a cohesive team that works well together and rows beautifully together is important to do well in NEIRA.”

To bring home the NEIRA championship, the team is training around the clock, six days a week. They aren’t on the water yet, but are tirelessly erging during practice. Unlike most other sports, crew relies upon not only the rate of rowing , or rowing speed, but also technique, as well as the amount of water being pulled per person. Mixing a combination of steady state and interval training improves individuals’ pulling power and endurance.

All in all, all athletes look forward to the progress of the team during the season, and hope for a great term filled with practice, regattas and, hopefully, a NEIRA championship.