Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Culture, Competition Drive 4th-Ranked Heavies Into Season Opener Saturday
March 26, 2015 | Heavyweight Rowing
There was a satisfaction to the conclusion of the 2014 racing season for the Princeton heavyweights. It wasn't that the team reached its ultimate goal, but it did take another step towards joining the elite tier in the sport.
When you hit one goal, however, you start working towards another. The Tigers, ranked fourth in the USRowing preseason poll, have neither the time, nor the inclination, to rest on their laurels. After having its varsity eight medal at Sprints and sending a V8, 2V and 3V to grand finals at the IRA Championships, head coach Greg Hughes knows he has both the depth and foundation in place to challenge his group for more this season.
“The full team has pushed the level and attitude of the group,” said Hughes, who begins his sixth season as the heavyweight head coach this weekend against Georgetown (racing schedule below). “The IRA shows what good comes out of the hard work we do.”
That work extended through the summer and fall, which includes a heavyweight victory at the Princeton Chase, and a very challenging winter that kept the Tigers off Lake Carnegie for far longer than they hoped. Still, the intrinsic motivation of the team took over, and the work that was produced indoors will go a long way in the success outdoors.
“I thought it was a good winter,” Hughes said. “We had good training indoors. The upperclassmen saw good gains, and the freshmen saw some significant gains themselves.”
“Coach Hughes has developed a great training plan for our team and it has shown in the erg results that our team has posted,” said junior Patrick Eble, a veteran of the varsity eight. “As a team this winter, we have learned to take on new and unexpected challenges and I believe that this long winter will pay dividends at the end of our spring racing season.”
New additions to both the roster and coaching staff have helped push the program forward. The freshman class already has strong contenders for Princeton's top boats this season, and many of them are working under new assistant coach Matt Smith, 2004 United States Olympian who served as associate head coach at Cornell from 2008-14 and also has several years of experience with the USRowing Under-23 team.
“Matt has had a big impact on the overall team,” Hughes said. “He brings a no-nonsense, matter-of-face kind of work ethic. The guys are getting good individual coaching from both him and [assistant coach] Brandon Shald.”
The leadership can't come simply from the coaching staff, and Hughes is confident in senior captain Jamie Hamp, who was part of the medalist Princeton varsity eight last season. While Hamp is expected to be a key part of the crew again, it is his attitude in the boathouse that is having the widest impact.
“Jamie is an example of long-term hard work,” Hughes said. “He is not flashy, but he's always there and always giving max effort. You will always get a standup performance from him. Your effort and attitude on hard days for you make a difference on everybody else.”
The boathouse will be a familiar sight to the heavyweights this spring, as Princeton will race on Lake Carnegie during five of its six regular season races, including Saturday's season opener against Georgetown. Among the opponents coming to Lake Carnegie will be reigning Ivy League champion Harvard and Brown, which earned a silver medal at the IRA Championships.
The challenges will be significant, but that is what Hughes and his squad wanted. After all, that is the only way they'll be able to take the next step on this journey.
SATURDAY RACING SCHEDULE
Heavyweight Men vs. Georgetown
8:00 AM - First Varsity
8:15 AM - Second Varsity
8:30 AM - Third/Fourth/Fifth Varsity
Open Women vs. Brown & Michigan
9:00 AM - B Four
9:20 AM - Third Varsity
9:40 AM - A Four
10:00 AM - Second Varsity
10:20 AM - First Varsity - Class of 1987 Trophy
Lightweight Men vs. Georgetown
11:00 AM - Fourth Varsity
11:15 AM - Third Varsity
11:30 AM - Second Varsity
11:45 AM - First Varsity - Fosburgh Cup
Lightweight Women at San Diego Crew Classic
Saturday preliminary, Sunday final
Junior Patrick Eble was in the varsity eight as a freshman, but then began battling through injuries that have affected both of his years at Princeton. He made it back for the 2014 postseason, where the Tigers medalled at Sprints and took fourth at the IRAs; now healthy, he has even higher goals this year, and he discusses them below.
1) The heavies had their best IRA finish since 2006 last year, and then you had the Chase win in the fall. Did those results provide any extra positive energy heading into the offseason?
The results from last years IRA were a great step forward for our team. We had some positive results across all boats, but I know that everyone on the team wants more. We dedicated ourselves to training harder and smarter throughout the summer and the fall season and it paid off with a great result at Chase.
2) You have dealt with a handful of injuries throughout your first two years. Are you healthy right now, and how have you dealt with the frustration of those injuries?
It has been really tough dealing with injuries over the past several years. Personally, I deal with these set backs by sitting on the stationary bike and going as hard as I can for as long as humanly possible. But after several dark winters stuck on the bike, I have learned to take care of my body better and currently I am injury free.
3) Despite the conditions of Lake Carnegie, have you been pleased with the team's progress over the winter?
I have been very pleased by the progress that our team has made over this long winter and I am excited to translate the fitness that we have gained indoors into fast boats this spring. Coach Hughes has developed a great training plan for our team and it has shown in the erg results that our team has posted. As a team this winter, we have learned to take on new and unexpected challenges and I believe that this long winter will pay dividends at the end of our spring racing season.
4) What are Jamie Hamp's biggest strengths as a captain, and how important was he to your varsity eight last year?
Jamie has been a great captain for our team throughout this whole season. His greatest strengths as a leader are his ability to keep our end goal in focus and his ruthless work ethic. Jamie is an important part of our eight every season because of his power to weight ratio. It still amazes me how strong Jamie is as a rower, even though he is so small.
5) You have a heavy home racing schedule. How special has Lake Carnegie become to you, and how important will it be to get the likes of Harvard, Brown and Navy at home?
Lake Carnegie has become a very special place for me and we are spoiled here because our lake is such a pristine place to train. It is always a psychological advantage for us to race tough opponents like Brown and Harvard at home because the surroundings are so familiar. But in the end, it is just a 2000 meter course like any other venue and it comes down to which crew is willing to dig deeper.