As is tradition in the fall, the returning varsity crew worked tirelessly to recruit high-quality athletes from around SDSU’s campus. Having lost four seniors from the previous year, the team was eager to fill those empty seats with some quality individuals. During the first two weeks of the semester, tabling events were held every day, with the team also bringing up a racing shell and an oar to gain some extra attention. It is always a nerve wrecker to see how many and what kind of new recruits the team gets every year, but we are very happy with the result, ending up with a novice squad of 22, in addition to 24 varsity.
The weekend after was a new regatta for us. Naples Island Collegiate Rowing Challenge (NICRC) at the Marine Olympic Stadium in Long Beach. New course considered, the Aztecs swept the Varsity event with 1st and 2nd place, while our Novice got 2nd and 3rd, barely beaten at the end. This was also where we debuted our new racing shirts. Results: https://clockcaster.com/e/11
November 12th was Fall Classic at our home course on Mission Bay, which was also where we fielded the most boats. V8, JV8, N8A, N8B, Lwt 4 and 4+. Given the multiple turns on this course, it is as much of a race for coxswains as it is for the oarsmen. Our coxswains did great, with very good results all around. Check out the results at https://www.regattacentral.com/regatta/results/4975_9243.pdf Thank you to Andy Olson for some exquisite shots of the Aztec Crew. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ujM7LoJbT29tVWw8Ezoc31Ia3G6oTZGa
Our final race this season was in Port of Los Angelges for the Head of the Harbor, hosted by USC. Coach Craig and the Novice were especially proud after this race, having edgted out LBSU for the first time this season to win their event. Again we saw our Lwt4 take home the gold as well. Results: https://clockcaster.com/e/12
To conclude, our Fall Racing season has been hectic, with four races in same amount of weeks. This did have a slight effect on team morale and energy, but we learned a great deal from it and I believe we also became much stronger because of it, both physically and mentally.
Thanks to some amazing fundraising last year, we have been able to supply the team with new brand-spankin’ new equipment such as seats, riggers and wheels. For that we owe a huge thank you to all our incredible friend and family supporters out there. We would also like to thank one anonymous donor who single-handedly bought us a new coxbox. Last, but not least, thank you to the H. Del Beekley Foundation for continued support to ensure the longevity and success of this team, as well as a 2nd new coxbox. Spring can’t come soon enough.
A new feature to this year’s newsletter is having a novice and varsity athlete reflect on their experiences from this fall.
Our new Novice Captain, Logan Gonzalves had this to say about his first season as an Aztec Rower. “Looking back, I have come to realize that rowing with this team has greatly impacted my life in more ways than one. Not only has my experience introduced me to great people, but to a great community as well. There seems to be something special about the people involved in rowing. There is a certain emergence of dedication and self-discipline that pushes us to places that we have never been; perhaps even to places we once feared. To be able to dominate these perceived “limitations” is something special, especially in a group of people with similar goals. It’s the 5am practice where we wake up to learn that unity and synchronization are key to efficiency and performance. It’s on the oars and ergs where we hit a wall of fatigue, only to break through it and double the distance. It’s on the field where we face a fitness test and decide that there is no other option than to tuck our heads down and charge through the exhaustion. All of these moments add up to a glorious race where our hard work and dedication come to the surface. The feeling of making headway with each powerful, synchronized stroke is unparalleled. There is no feeling like it. These are the experiences that I will never forget. These are the experiences that have shaped my character.”
Next is our fresh Varsity Rower, Jack Neuhaus “Fall season is the reintroduction to the intense rowing life. For me personally, I did not row in the spring semester but was welcomed back with open arms. The support and acceptance I got from my teammates coming right out of the gate made the adjustment much smoother for me. Beyond just myself, the support system of teammates make the adjustment and sport very worth it. We came into the season pretty thin on numbers, but the underlying theme of this fall was the quality over quantity. The 17 rowers and 6 coxswains of the varsity team came together as a family and all embodied what it means to put the team first while maintaining a solid work ethic that created one of the fastest V8’s we’ve had in the past couple of years. We have a lot of young talent and look to be a solid team for seasons to come. With the quality of people that comprise the team and the relentless drive and fight we have exhibited this fall, we are feeling and looking great coming into spring. There have been a few hiccups and uncontrollable events such as injuries have affected us, but the real test of character is how adversity is handled. We have managed and will continue to manage the adversity that comes with rowing and look to continue representing SDSU Men’s Rowing as a competitive crew going into 2k season.” – Jack Neuhaus, Varsity Oarsman
As we look into spring, our racing schedule is almost finalized. Exciting times are ahead as our season opener will be a new encounter for us in in Tempe, AZ. For the complete race schedule, check out www.aztecrowing.com/schedule
To stay up-to-date on news and events, please follow us on Facebook. Our new social media officers have been active at posting daily updates with pictures for you to enjoy. This year we have also re-vamped our Power 10 Campaign, to find out more details on how to sign up and support the team, please check our website or Facebook.
Thank you,
Håkon Christoffer Jonsmyr, SDSU Men’s Crew Commodore www.AztecRowing.com www.facebook.com/AztecRowing @Aztec.Rowing on Instagram