Rowing Vs Polevault

theraven

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so i have pole vaulted through out high school but I'm not really d1 material only PR=13 ft. I just received however a letter in the mail for the rowing team saying they want to recruit me (because apparently i have the perfect body build, 6'1 168lbs. I want to join a team but i don't know if i should go out for the pole vault or if i should take this rowing opportunity.
 
My daughter was a rower in high school for 3 years. My suggestion would be to talk to some rowers from your school or town first if you are unsure. It is a different type of sport. Then, if you have never used an "Erg"- head over to the local Y and try one out :biggrin:

And they are correct- sounds like you have a good build for it- tall and lean.
 
Do rowing. It's pretty much the ultimate sport. Anyone who tells you their sport (football, baseball, whatever) is the hardest, tell them to try rowing. Definitly do rowing. I have for 2 years and it's such an easy sport to fall in love with.
 
I just got the same letter. I know I am definitely not a D-I lax player, and I would love to do a varsity sport so I am going to take up the offer, and go out for the team. It sounds like fun.
 
Not meaning to offend, but trying to erg on your own really won't let you have a feel for what being on crew is like. First, it's unlikely that you will use the erg machine the "right" way on your own. More important, there is absolutely nothing that can prepare you for the feeling you get the first time your boat gets into a great "swing" on the water. It's an intensely demanding sport, both physically and psychologically, and it is pretty close to the ultimate "team" sport. It's not for everyone, but it is a great sport. Navy is very fortunate to have great facilities and excellent coaches for all three teams (heavyweight, lightweight, and women's).
 
No offense taken :) Rowers do unfortunately spend an awful lot of time on the ergs like it or not. My D hated them but loved, loved, loved rowing so don't misunderstand- I was not putting down Crew at all. It is the ultimate team sport- I do believe that. At the same time it individually demands endurance and strength.

Rather than just saying "rowing is great" go for it I was just trying to give raven a direction to go in if he cared to. The Y can help you with the Ergs - non-rowers certainly use them ;).

My D toured the USNA's boathouse and met the novice coach 2 summers ago- she was awesome. I heard they were getting a major and much needed upgrade soon- does anyone know anything about that?
 
As I said, I'll give this rowing thing a try, but being from CO, we don't have many expanses of water for this sport, and I have absolutely no experience. I don't even know what an erg is. :confused: (although I could made an educated guess). Is anyone else in the same boat here? (no pun intended)
 
kgrmom: Yes, the boathouse is about to undergo a massive renovation, if they haven't started already. It's going to take several years, so 2012'ers may or may not be able to ever use it again.

Also, sorry that my earlier post looked like a slam on your suggestion to try out rowing on an erg. It is true that rowers spend a lot more hours on them than in boats! My D just found that the way she had used ergs before arriving at USNA was totally wrong, and she had to "re-learn" once she started on the team.

This year, the women's team had a MC captain O-rep who rowed in college (at Stanford, I think?). She and the novice coach were both GREAT with the novices.

gdesena: An "erg" is an ergometer, or rowing machine.
 
I recommend the Concept II website -- they make the pro erg machines. There are plenty of how-to's and demo's of basic rowing technique, sample workouts, etc. www.concept2.com
Competitive crew technique on ergs is different, depending on coaching style, but you can avoid beginner's mistakes.

At this stage in my life, with knees no longer able to take the pounding of distance running and the torque of squash rackets, I'm a happy erg-er. Great all-around workout for all large muscle groups, cardio endurance and stamina. Gives you killer core strength.

We've known plenty of mids who do crew. Yep, plenty of erg time, but excellent team atmosphere, beautiful (and very early) mornings on the Severn, interesting meets make up for it. As with all varsity sports at a SA, they are time sinks that can make keeping up with academics and professional requirements a challenge. That's where that time management thing comes in that is so often referred to in posts...
 
quick question the form asks for my alpha code and my best swim time as of right now i have neither of these (i can swim just never timed myself) but what is my alpha code and how do i find this?
 
I was wondering the same thing. I remember another form in the PTR packet asking for an alpha code, but I haven't received one. Is this something we get on I-day?
 
I was wondering the same thing. I remember another form in the PTR packet asking for an alpha code, but I haven't received one. Is this something we get on I-day?
Your alpha code is the 6 digit number that will rule your life for the next four years. You'll use it for laundry, movie tickets, when you get in trouble, when you check your grades online and many other things. As for crew, I know a lot of people who quit crew. They didn't like the early mornings, late afternoons, lack of a Spring Break or the coaches. Spring Break is important, you don't get one once you get commissioned.
 
To add to marvin's post I think you get your alpha on I-Day because it was one of the first things you had to memorize. As for rowing they are always desperate for anyone with the right build, but most the people I know who didn't row in high school quit during plebe year.
 
It's gonna take a lot more than a grueling schedule and cut leave to get me to quit. I think I speak for the majority of midshipmen who are taking their experience seriously.
 
Don't get wrapped around being a varsity athlete. Join the rowing team if you honestly want to be a rower, not just if you want to be an athlete. I know quite a few people who joined the rowing team, only to find themselves miserable. The ones who then persisted (and constantly pointed out how great they were for sticking with it), were especially miserable.
 
Kero, you are correct. They give you your alpha when they tell you that you have to say "sir" all the time. You will learn to cherish your leave gdesena. Even joe's like leave and liberty.
 
Rowing is a great sport. It is one sport at USNA that really welcomes "walk-ons," some of whom have ended up making it onto the Varsity "A" boat. There are many different sports opportunities at USNA, and you will have chances to try many of them, including crew, during sports periods in Plebe Summer.

However, rowing, or being on any varsity team, may not be the right thing for a given Mid to do. There are some real pluses and minuses to being a varsity athlete at USNA. The team camaraderie is great. You're treated as a team member, not just as a Plebe, and having a "refuge" can be salvation for a Plebe. However, being on a varsity team requires a LOT more time away from your company. You may like having a reason for missing SMT, but if you don't work as hard as possible to contribute w/i your company, it can have negative ramifications on your rank in company/military aptitude/OOM.

This is not to say that any given person should or should not do crew (or any other varsity sport). Just keep in mind that people can have many valid reasons for why they may decide not to continue in a particular sport.

As for being willing to give up spring break (or not), you might feel differently about that after about 6 months of having 5-12 hours per week of liberty.
 
My roomate did varsity heavyweight for 4 years and in hindsight wishes he had the time that crew stole from him back. He says there are a lot of experiences that you miss out on and that the team environment is the only thing that got him to stick around. If you enjoy track and field right now, stick to it.
 
If you want to try rowing- this is a great opportunity. Many kids don't get a chance to before college because it's just not available around them. If you haven't tried it you really can't say whether or not you will like it therefore you really can't commit to it until you get out there :)

The thing about rowing is it's one of those "hurry up and wait" sports when it comes to competitions. You don't just go to the game at a certain time and it's over. It's the entire weekend- for about 10 min. of racing. Loading your equipment is mega-intensive and exhausting and then unloading, rigging, derigging, and all that before you even start rowing. I think many people underestimate it so when they get there they find out it's not just putting the boat in like they might have thought. And rowers are a hardy bunch- they row in the snow, rain, sleet- whatever- they are almost kind of a cult ( I mean that nicely, remember my daughter is/was one of them).

As for your roommate Marvin: The team atmosphere is what it's about as much as the rowing (in any team sport actually). If he really didn't like rowing he wouldn't have stayed 4 years. :thumb:
 
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