Boys’ Crew Hungry For Competition
After narrowly losing out on the points trophy at the New England Interscholastic Rowing Association (NEIRA) Regatta to Kent School last season, a disappointing end to an otherwise successful season, Exeter boys’ crew is back for vengeance. Fired up with a resolve for redemption, the boys trained hard all winter and are now back on the water, ready to take on rival schools such as Kent and Andover by storm. “I’m excited to row hard and have some fun with my teammates on the water,” senior and co-captain Stone Sulley said.
To succeed this season, the boys will have to make up for several disadvantages. The team graduated five seniors from the B1 last year, including the team’s top three rowers, as well as both varsity coxswains. However, as the team had unusually strong JV boats last season, the crew team is facing no shortage of strong rowers. “Although they are all missed, we have not felt a big impact with their graduation. They have all been replaced with just as talented guys,” upper and team captain Francisco Baviera-Maloney said, referring to the rowers that graduated with the class of 2016.
In addition, the crew team has had to work around not having a body of water to row on for the first weeks of the season, due to cold weather. As a result, the boys haven’t had as much time to develop their technical skills. Nevertheless, Baviera-Maloney has faith in the team’s capacity to utilize their limited time to develop technical ability. “Although improving our technique will be a challenge, I am confident that we will figure it out by NEIRAS, and once that happens, we should fly. The guys have been very receptive to technical feedback, and so we have been consistently improving.”
“Although improving our technique will be a challenge, I am confident that we will figure it out by NEIRAS, and once that happens, we should fly."
This year’s team is coming into the season following a long winter of highly focused training; the team as a whole logged thousands of meters on the ergs. As a result, the boys are primed for success. Baviera-Maloney emphasized the importance of winter training, saying “we have come into the spring with a deep aerobic base that is necessary for success.” According to senior Alec Howe, what the team must now do is “properly utilize the team’s impressive aerobic base.” The team has no shortage of power.
“We are a rather tall and powerful squad compared to previous years, so the wattage is there,” Baviera-Maloney said. Their focus from here on out will be to work on utilizing the team’s power effectively.
In addition to entering the season with a strong strength base, the boys have already developed a strong bond with one another. “There’s much less drama than there was last year. Kids are nicer to one another,” Howe said. As a result of boat divisions, intra-team competition is inherent to rowing, although to succeed a team must maintain a supportive environment. “Although healthy competition when seat racing is encouraged, as a team we strive to enjoy practice and rowing with each other, even if we are not all on the top boat,” Baviera-Maloney said. Following a long winter of training with one another, many members of the team have worked out the balance between competitiveness and camaraderie necessary. “I’m excited to row with these guys. I like them off the water, and there’s no way I’m gonna let one of them take my seat while on it,” Howe said.
The boys will scrimmage against Groton School this weekend, and are looking forward to their first regatta, the Exeter Invitational, on Apr. 22.