Back To The Boathouse: Heavyweights Relish Opportunity To Train Together

A race really only has two guarantees – a start and a finish. The ebbs and flows which lead to a final result are determined in fleeting moments from beginning to end, but one thing about racing life is certain.

There is no finish without a start.

For Princeton's heavyweight rowing program, this year's start is unlike any in its history which dates back to 1872. In the middle of a global pandemic, the rowers, coxswains and coaches are back to work at the Shea Rowing Center, focused on the moments they are sharing together and hopeful for a return to true normalcy in the future.

"To have the energy of the team back in the boathouse is so welcomed," said head coach Greg Hughes. "It's been almost a year since things came to a quick halt, and getting the clearance to bring our group together in some way to train was such a jolt of positivity."

The juxtaposition of what is normal about the current training and what is unique is stark at times. Like every year, there are rowers completing a training session as the sun rises and sets on Lake Carnegie. Unlike any other year, the rowers are following strict social distance protocols as the team navigates Phase 1 of a return to training in a COVID-19 world. The usual heat and energy of a busy erg room full of rowers has been replaced by a relocation outside and a distanced approach to erg placement.

"Right now, we are in three small groups as opposed to one massive training session in previous years," said senior Oswald Stocker. "You miss that feeling of the big group all together, but this setup actually allows for more individual instruction from the coaches. We're building some deeper personal relationships on the coach-athlete level and as teammates. There's not much happening at Princeton that is reminiscent of 'normal life', but the boathouse is definitely a front runner for not just getting back to what we were doing but getting back better."

How those relationships pay off is still to be determined. The Ivy League recently announced that there would be no League competition or championships during the Spring 2021 semester, but that there is the potential for limited local competition if individual campuses move into Phase 4 of approved return to training protocols.

What does that mean for Hughes and his team? For the first time in almost a year, there's a potential finish line in sight.

"We're preaching patience as a group, but also focusing on positives in what our situation entails," Hughes said. "If we want to entertain the chance to get back on the water as a group, it's imperative that we take each Phase seriously and set a great example for everyone in Princeton Athletics and across our campus. I am proud of the response from our team since we've been back together this semester in that regard."

Stocker and the leadership group for the heavies know the role they play in setting the standard.

"I think we have been doing a good job of building a focused culture and a diligent routine that incorporates all of the small things needed to do this properly," Stocker said. "The team is in a very good place at the moment, both physiologically and culturally. We are very keen to go out and compete if things progress to that point. This prospect is motivating us to stay smart and keep communicating with each other."

Stocker and his teammates know the path to lining up for a race in the coming weeks or months is not set in stone, yet – like all successful rowers – they are committed to controlling what they can control.

"Rather than feeling like the protocols are restricting us, we're choosing to rise to the challenge and build a stronger team while we do it."

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Recent Results