By Regan Broderick _________________________________________________________

The sun was warm this past Saturday, but the Christina River in Wilmington, Delaware was still frozen over. A frozen river early in February could not stop four coaches and 50+ athletes from getting in some great rowing down in Wilmington!

Thanks to the Wilmington Youth Rowing Association (WYRA) and their well-equipped boathouse, Lower Merion’s novice squads practiced for a long Saturday afternoon in the DuPont Rowing Tanks. Tanks are large indoor pools of water where rowers can simulate the rowing stroke with full-sized oars and no fear of flipping or waterfalls. The tanks at WYRA seat only 8 rowers at a time on a wooden platform. The seats are similar to those in a real rowing shell, and the foot stretchers look like what you would find on the old Model B ergometers. While the “riggers” don’t look like authentic riggers, the LM athletes started to learn equipment terminology such as oarlock, blade, shaft, sleeve and collar.

In addition to rowing vocabulary, the athletes learned how to hold and maneuver an oar. In this secure setting, our novice squads practiced proper bladework so they will make a safe and smooth transition to the river in early March. Novice athletes were taught to follow the “stroke seat” to practice timing. “Timing” refers to all eight rowers moving together as one team. Athletes were cautioned against looking at their own oars. To keep in sync, it is important to watch the person in front of you. Rowers should learn to feel what their oar is doing just like we feel what our fingers are doing when we cannot see them.

Only sitting eight at a time, the coaches had to break our enormous novice team into three groups. Men’s Novice coach Matt Keyser and Men’s Varsity coach Mike Wood led our group of strong young men. Women’s Novice coach Regan Broderick worked with two groups of her beautiful young ladies. While one group was learning equipment terminology , bladework and timing in the tanks, a second group was practicing technique on the ergs. The coaches thank Seniors Rebecca Reicherter and Mia Cava for demonstrating proper technique both on the ergs and in the tanks. The promising future of LM Crew relies on great role models like them.

A third group had the pleasure of watching rowing videos and talking shop with Head Coach Stephen Benvenuto. Benvenuto set up his projector in the lobby of WYRA’s boathouse. The athletes watched the video underneath a restored, authentic wooden rowing shell suspended from the ceiling. They don’t make shells quite like that anymore.

Having emerged from the crowded yellow school bus early in the afternoon with some wary anticipation, the novice team left with confidence, rowing insights and excitement for the season. If our experience at tanks is any indication, Lower Merion Crew is in for another fantastic year!