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Big East/Patriot League Rowing Championships

The championship portion of the collegiate rowing season has begun. This past weekend, I had the pleasure of officiating at the Big East and Patriot League Championships. These two leagues combine their championship on a single day on Lake Quinsigamond. It is always a challenge just to keep in mind which league is the next race. Is it going to be filled with Big East crews or Patriot League crews? The heatsheet has the answer. Combining the two league championships makes great use of the venue and the infrastructure. Yes! I do view officials as part of the infrastructure. In the best of circumstances, we are invisible.

I spent my morning slowly warming at the finish tower as the sun came across the race course. The finish tower at Lake Q has been revamped and is hardly recognizable. The winter ice demolished the old one. The steps are now in human proportions -- they used to be sized for a giant, not a mere mortal like myself. And, thoughtfully when the rebuilt the finish stand, they have used composite boards for the steps. If you have never sat on a finish line, you have no idea how cool it is not to have to worry about splinters.

In the afternoon, I worked the control commission. This is a part of the officials' role in ensuring the safety of the equipment. At Lake Q it is part safety and part dockmaster. It was overall a very nice day. The weather was a cool but gloriously pretty day.

Sometimes when I am really tired, I question why I still officiate. It is not as if I haven't paid my dues or paid off my debt of gratitude to all those adults who worked the sports I played in my youth. You'd think 15 years as a rowing official, almost an equal number spent chasing basketball and volleyball would be enough. The stats on officiating say that most officials last less than ten years so it can't be that I haven't done my turn in the barrel.

This weekend I had an experience that reminded me why I keep coming back for more. I got a chance to see a friend, a young coach -- Marnie Stahl. I've known her since she was a high school freshman at Saint Ursula's Academy in Toledo, Ohio, home town of some remarkable individuals. I worked with her dad who was a tech whiz. Her mom is a math teacher and one of the smartest women I know. When she first came into crew, I officiated at her first regattas, watched her as she became of proficient sculler (taught by my husband how to row a single), then on to college where her coach was someone I knew from officiating and from doing events at the college. Now she is an assistant coach at a powerhouse program -- that walked away with a lot of hardware. Just seeing her confidently doing what coaches do and knowing that she is now working with the next generation of athletes, reminded my of why we officiate -- it is about the athletes and the sport -- helping another generation gain the same joy from sport that it has brought to us.

Survival Suit Racing

Rowing referees do some very strange things, but this is one of the funniest caught on film -- thanks to Jim Flanders and his camera phone. The refs. were told to lay out their suits ready for action and then the ref. who donned their suit first won a prize. A bit of fun with a serious side. Many of us rely on these suits to keep us warm and cozy when the weather is ugly and the racing must go on. Spring in the Northeast can be just winter under a different name.

Rowing Has No Off Season

Used to be I packed my rowing referee gear up at the end of the head racing season in late October and spent the next several months busy refereeing basketball during the off season for crew. Today, that has changed. First, my "wheels" gave out -- b-ball slang for my knees no longer tolerating the demands of chasing basketball. I never was a very fast, just steady and fast thinking, but if you aren't there when the action happens, you just can't call it.

Yes! No one needs to remind me that age had something to do with it.

So, now with no basketball to fill the off-season, I expected to become a spectator rather than a sports official. Who was I kidding? Today the rowing off-season is almost as busy as the season. First, there was the convention in December in Baltimore. For me that included two and a half days of marathon meetings, for I am member of the referee commission that was holding one of its three per year meetings during the convention. We don't meet often, but we make a meal of it when we do.

Then, there is the planning for the next season, the booking of regattas, the accounting for the previous season in the paperwork -- now online -- of the annual data call, and many tasks associated with the commission's work.

The most enjoyable was last weekend -- our regional referee meeting and clinic. We held it in Albany at the Albany Medical Center. The meeting space was wonderful. It was arranged by one of the other referees. The day itself was jam packed. We met and reviewed our region's needs, strategized how to deal with a growing sport and too few individuals willing to commit to being referees, and held a clinic.

It is a requirement for keeping a license as a referee that one attends a clinic yearly. Sometimes these are presentations; sometimes they are chalk talks. This one included lots of time spent analyzing and second guessing how to handle situations laid out on a blue felt river. Nothing beats the felt river for a teaching aid. You quickly learn just how many ways the same situation can be viewed.

It was fun, and we all played beat the snowstorm trying to get home before the blizzard hit. This week included more work on putting a team together to work on updating some of our training materials and getting my ducks in a row for the next commission meeting that will be held in March. The first races will be on the water before I know it.

Better get out my stopwatches, flags, bullhorn and check to make sure that they are all in good order, or order replacements now. When I lived in Ohio my farmer friends used to tell me that the winter was in fact quite busy even with the ground frozen and no fields to work. I know what they are saying. So much for an off-season.

Basted, Roasted, Toasted and Fried

Thanksgiving will never be the same! I know how the turkey feels as it is basted and roasted. I did my personal turkey simulation at the US Rowing Nationals in Indianapolis, IN, July 20-24. I had the privilege of being a referee at this amazing event. It was fun, but the climate performed with temps in the 90s and all the humidity we could stand.

Instead of a delicious savory juice applied by a cook, I basted myself with SPF 50! sunscreen (Yes! sunscreen lovers, it does come in SPF 50). The temperatures were so intense that frequent rebastings were needed to prevent burning. Even so, I came away with a wonderful tan -- a healthy pre-cancerous glow, so to speak.

The month of July has left me roasted and toasted. Having lived for most of the past 20 years in coolish climes, I'm not much of a hot weather person. Extended periods of intense heat -- such as the week in Indiana and some days here in Boston -- leave me totally abstracted. Toasted! Chilled air (air conditioning) just feels like refrigeration.

Frying has taken the most time. This process started with the completion of two books in less than 6-months. It is a thrill to see the book, A Call to Action,  that I edited for Bryan and Jeff Eisenberg zoom to the top of the charts, however, it was a considerable effort for all involved. Like a short order cook, while this book was on the front burner, my own book Business Blogs: A Practical Guide was awaiting final editing, by me. That done, plus some fascinating client projects, has left me fried.

So when the dog days of summer arrived, I decided to snooze on the porch with the other dogs instead of blogging. For recreation, I've chased a little white ball across very nice lawns (golf courses) instead of blogging. As summer comes to a close, my blogging efforts will increase, my golfing will decrease, my swimming will decrease, my boating will decrease, so there should be plenty of time for thoughtful blogging.

IRA Regatta Held on Cooper River

The annual IRA Rowing Regatta was held on the Cooper River in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, Thursday-Saturday, June 2-4. I had the privelege of being one of the referees who worked this exciting collegiate regatta.

This schedule for the event is always at first blush predicatable, but then there is the weather. That is seldom predicatble -- skin searing sunburn (even with lots of sunscreen), rain or wind, all are part of the possible mix. This year brought 1.5 inches of rain during the Friday, heats and reps. If you have ever attended an all day outdoor event, you don't need me to tell you what happens -- the ground becomes saturated, muddy and slippery. Even with the rain on Friday, Thursday and Saturday were beautiful days.

The IRAs are very busy for referees. It all commences with the coaches and coxes meeting on Wednesday, evening. This is followed with a brief meeting for the officials -- we get our marching orders for the next day and any special instructions. We also get to greet our fellow officials -- lots of hugs and so glad to see you's! This year for me a wonderful late dinner capped off Wednesday. I really enjoy the company of my fellow crew officials. They are smart, fun and dedicated to the sport.

Thursday is the busiest and longest day. The officials report to the site at 6:00 a.m. -- and no matter how early I arrive, I've always found others there first -- who knows when they sleep. I was assigned a.m. duty on the finish line and p.m. duty on the water. Both were great assignments. I've seldom enjoyed working with a finish crew as much as at this year's IRAs. The entire staffing was Goldilocks perfect -- not too many, not too few, just right -- or so it appeared.

After coming off the water around 6:00 p.m., the officials and some members of the hardworking local organizers were the guests of Aldo Lamberti's restaurant. I'm Italian by heritage, and an admitted food snob, but this restaurant is in my personal pantheon of must dine places.

Can't linger over the food, a busy Friday awaits with lots of heats, semis, and reps to referee starting at 6:30 a.m. and lasting into the mid-afternoon. Again my own assignments were finish and water. Alas! The sky opened, and the rains came. I've seldom been wetter or colder. The competition was hot so, it was a grand day even though it was very wet. The late afternoon was spent drying gear and trying to warm up and rest. A brief get together and a light dinner were enough to fill the agenda. Dropped into bed and slept soundly.

Saturday was truncated for me by the need to get down the road to a family gathering in honor of a very special high school graduate -- my nephew. So I did not get a chance to see the finals in some of the events. They are a spectacle.

Another set of IRAs are behind us. We'll have to wait another year to see quite such thrilling crew racing. 

Finally Sunshine -- NEIRA's

This Spring has been a long Winter. It has been so cold and wet that well into May, I was still packing my survival suit along with my other gear for each Spring!! regatta. Well! Memorial Day weekend finally brought some sun and just enough rain to make us pull on the rain-fighting gear for a couple of races.

The NEIRA's are held on one of my favorite race courses -- beautiful Lake Quinsigamond. Few courses are as nice as Lake Q. The course is straight, the lake wide enough for 6 full racing lanes, and the local rowing community hosts so many fine regattas that the logistics work like a well-oiled machine. This is the home of safe, well-run regattas. No matter how lousy the weather -- and we've had some miserable days -- I always look forward to another day on Lake Q.

The Quinsigamond Rowing Association, host to many other championship regattas, only provides support services to the NEIRA. It is not involved in the actual operation of the NEIRA regatta. That is left to the schools in the NEIRA, an august group that includes Exeter, Andover, Miss Porters and others. As an official, the differences are evident. The most notable is how the officials are treated. We're usually part of the team (coaches, local organizing committee, fire and safety personnel, boat drivers, timers, and many others) who make the regattas happen. We all know and respect each other and are thankful for each's contribution.

USRA officials are volunteers. We buy lots of gas at over $2.00 per gallon to get to regattas at dawn, purchase odd equipment (power megaphones and waterproof stopwatches) that would have no other use in our lives, wear out a set of raingear almost every season. Freeze in the cold and burn in the sun, all so that others can enjoy victory (or defeat) in a sport we love. 

In this equation, little things mean a lot. With NEIRA, we come in, do our task as officials, eat lunch in a hurry as the tables are being whisked out from under us -- to display trophies, conclude the day and leave. Something is missing here?    

NE Rowing Championships

The first Sunday in May is the duly appointed time for the New England Rowing Championships, so as expected, they were held at Lake Quinsigamond, MA on May 1.

This event is one that I look forward to, for it it is "championship" racing -- no more duel or three-way competition, but many colleges competing against many more.

This season has been so busy on the work front, a book to finish etc., that I have not spent as much time on the water as I usually do. My limited schedule has deprived me of the pleasure of watching the crews improve each week as the season progresses.

Crew coaches in NE are very special. In readying their crews for competition, they must deal with the fickle weather and the demands placed on crews by their academic calendars. We've had a long winter this spring so I was pleasantly surprised at how competitve the rowing was.

Crew is not one of those sports that athletes learn the rudiments of before they enter middle school. Many take up the sport after they enter college. Some are late bloomers as athletes, having never enjoyed the thrill of competition before entering their first collegiate rowing event. This weights and freights the entire learning process. There has also been such growth in the sport that there is a shortage of coaches (and of officials I might add). Most college coaches each year have to train not only their athletes but also their assistants. This is a tall order.

The rewards for the athletes are large, for rowing is a sport that once undertaken can become a lifelong pleasure. Just this a.m. my spouse was off "pushing water" on the Charles. He's no youngster but still gets immense pleasure from his time on the water.

I am looking forward to the rest of the championship season.

NY State Collegiate Rowing Championships - Champs All the Way

This past weekend the NY State Collegiate Rowing Championships were held at Dorchester Park in Whitney Point, NY. If you are somewhat geographically challenged on NY state (as I was), this is near Binghamton. If you were on the East Coast on Saturday, you already know that it was a cold wet and gusty day, one best suited for curling up with a good book, not a bullhorn and flag in the wind and rain.

Wet, rainy rowing regattas some seasons are the norm. Two weeks in a row it has rained and rained, but this did not stop dim the enthusiasm of competitors and referees. Father Mike Siconalfi was the chief and his careful planning and constant communication before the event had me anxiously anticipating my first trip to Whitney Point. I was not disappointed. There were 28 colleges and 1,300 athletes and good racing in the rain.

The weather forecast was so dire that it was decided to combine two days of racing into a single long day. In many venues and with some local organizers this would not have been possible, but it worked. I had to leave to return to MA for another regatta the next day so I can only speak for two of the three sessions of competition. This much I can say the welcome was warm, everyone was eager to make it a wonderful day; and they succeeded.

NE 4's Rowing - Wet and Windy

Today the NE 4 rowing championships were to be held at Great Herring Pond here in MA. I have been looking forward to this regatta for months. After several years on the Merrimack at Lowell, this event was moving to a new venue which promised stake boat starts and other improvements.

Yesterday it was raining and ugly, and I kept hoping that the weather men would be wrong in their forecasts of continued wind and rain. When we left Boston at 5:00 a.m. this morning, it did not look promising. After posting a two-hour delay, the decision was made to not row -- there was lots of wind and whitecaps.

This event is always very special to us. The coaches who spearhead this regatta make it special. No I have not lost my mind -- referees and coaches all on the same page. Well, at this event the coaches and the referees work together to make sure that the athletes have safe and fair racing. Although saddened to lose the day of racing, getting to the decision was a study in how such decisions should be made.

Checklist for Coxes

Confidence is a huge factor in winning, and little miscues can go a long way to eroding it. As a rowing official, I am always amazed at how often I see poor preparation before leaving the dock impairing a crew's ability to perform at their best.

Since coxswains are in charge of their boats once they are on the water, I thought that I would provide this checklist to help eliminate a few confidence- eroding mistakes. I've also made it into an audio file so that it can be downloaded into an iPod and kept handy.

Before you leave the dock, go through this ten point checklist and you will be better prepared for your race. You will be surprised at how this can increase your confidence on the water and your performance.

1. Check the traffic pattern and course layout. Don't wait until you get on the water to erase any questions you might have about where to take your crew once you leave the dock.
2. Know your event information - the number, the scheduled time, your lane assignment, and if multiple crews from your organization are competing, know if you are listed as the A, B, or C boat.
3. If you are racing in a heat, you must know your heat number as well.
4. Know your launch time and remember that there will be other crews wanting to get on the water too - so be sure to plan accordingly.
5. If you must carry weight, pick it up and make sure that you get it on board with you
6. Check the bow number on your boat. This is very important if you are to be properly identified at the finish. Often, when several crews share a boat, someone will forget to change the bow number. Make sure it isn't you.
7. If you are in an event that requires pin-on numbers make sure that your number will be visible, not covered by a jacket or your hair.
8. Prepare for the weather -- make sure you have adequate clothing if it is cold and liquids if it is hot
9. Check your cox specific equipment, your amplification system and rudder.
10. Oh! And lest you forget, remember to have fun!