Saturday, July 17, 2021

The Saturday Morning Post - Keep Rowing Your Boat


There are several college and High School rowing programs that practice on the Potomac River.  Young, fit, rowers.  I recently saw this boat, take a closer look, the crew are older, the guy in the front (in the red shirt - the crew faces the stern of the boat) is kinda round.  I was so pleased to see a boat full of adults, rowing and having fun.  

I was a non-traditional undergrad student, I worked full time, went to school half time, I spent the better part of 10 years earning and paying for my four year college degree.  I was easily 10 years older than the average undergrad student.  A group of us were sitting around talking one evening before class, and someone suggested that we put together a crew team of older students.  This was at my peak gym bunny days, I was on that idea in a flash.  It took a few calls around town, the college coaches declined our idea, but sent us to an independent coach across town.  We ranged in age from 25 to about 50, in weight from about 100 pounds, to one woman who was slightly over 200 pounds - there was a 200 pound limit on the boat - we fudged a little on her weight, she so wanted to be there. (I was about 170 at the time.) We practiced a couple of mornings a week, at sunrise, on a small lake.  It was great fun.  I learned the technique.  I learned about working together as a team.  I loved gliding across the water as the sunrose.  

We stopped after three months, the coach who turned out to be a bit of a jerk, wanted us to get rid of one of the rowers, but he wouldn't tell us who he thought the problem was, or really what the problem was.  He didn't like someone and thought that person was holding us all back.  Our thought was let's identify what we can work on to do better, but he was - well he was too much of a jerk who didn't understand a group of adults who were getting more out of being together gliding across the water than being the fastest boat on the water. In a stalemate of him demanding that we cut the weakness, and the crew saying no we are having fun, we parted ways. Without the coach, we didn't have access to the boats. 

I am glad I did it, my only regret is that it didn't continue.  I wonder if the coach ever figured out that he was being a jerk. 

11 comments:

  1. Jerks usually don’t have a clue they’re jerks (or refuse to acknowledge). I’m glad you had fun while it lasted.

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    1. When you get a chance, try it, sans jerk

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  2. Anonymous7/17/2021

    The coach has probably dined out on the bunch of idiot rowers he once tried to train, and one in particular. Have you ever thought it might be you? Lol. Just to check, the emphasis when you say Potomac is on the Po and it sounds like po of potato?

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    1. Anonymous7/17/2021

      Forget the potato. It is a different sound.

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    2. It is a strange word, anglicised from a native American word.

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  3. Your crew was smart enough to know that "winning isn't everything" -- the jerk coach, not so much.

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    1. Thanks, I agree. Always go do enjoy!

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  4. All that matters is that you all enjoyed the exercise. I find that jerks rarely realize they are jerks.

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  5. There are jerks all around us unfortunately. I have never been in a crew boat. It looks like fun. I am not the competitive type, and I would have just enjoyed the exercise and being with other like-minded people.

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    1. Gliding across the water was amazing.

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