Skimming the Water

"Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily..." We've all sung that famous song. But the crew teams of Assumption, Collegiate, Sacred Heart and Trinity high schools actually do it. Quite merrily, I might add. Whether it's the pre-dawn hours or in the middle of the afternoon, you can find one or more of these teams merrily training on the Ohio River. Bob Hurley is the coach for both Assumption and Sacred Heart crew teams. Since 1996, he's been an integral part of the local high school crew programs. "I got involved in the first year of crew for the local schools, 1995, but the coach couldn't come back for another year. There was a need and I stepped in to fill it. You see a few kids start to make great strides and it keeps you involved year after year." How do all these kids get involved in crew? Usually by word of mouth, or because their friends are on the team. Collegiate Sophomore Austin Meyers caught the crew bug as a kid, "Because my family's been rowing for a long time. A cousin of mine is the coxswain at Columbia University." She adds, "It's competitive, but the practices are a lot of fun. If you're having a bad day, practice always makes you feel better." The captain or point guard of the boat, the coxswain sets the tempo of the stroke and keeps the rowers rowing together. Collegiate Senior Allison Schaffer has a more typical response about how she got involved: "Someone asked me during my freshman year if I'd be interested. I went to a practice and loved it." Sacred Heart's Katie Scheid, a junior and the coxswain, "Some friends convinced me to try out. They thought I'd make a good coxswain because I'm smallish and I talk a lot." And then there's Trinity Junior Josh Estman, who had a different take than all the others, "I use it for conditioning for football." Yes, this crew business is hard work, but it is very rewarding. On any given afternoon, you can find nearly 100 high school kids training on the Ohio River. Cold, rain, heat--it doesn't matter. Whether they're varsity members or novices, they're all working hard and pulling for each other. The passion they have for the sport is inspiring. Assumption junior Sidney Noland on what she loves about the sport: "That moment when you hit the right stroke is like flying; it's euphoric. We build up our strength, but it's the trust and confidence we have in each other that makes our team stronger." Sidney's teammate, junior Amanda Heim says, "It's like a family on the water. You have to know what everyone's doing and you have to be totally in sync with each other. You just can't row if you're not in sync. You learn a lot when you work together." Once you get involved in crew, it seems like you get hooked for life--or at least the rest of your high school career. Jennifer Murphy, a Sacred Heart senior, plans on rowing in college. "I'm attending Northern Kentucky University, but I'll be looking for a club team to train with when I'm there. I just can't let it go. I love my teammates and my coach. It's extremely competitive and you get to see yourself and your teammates improve every day." Teammate Nicole Austin is a junior and got involved last year after moving from Detroit. "I loved kayaking on Lake Michigan, so I tried crew here. I have to push myself to get better, but it is so much fun being on the water." The benefits of crew go beyond the water. Estman says, "It's a great workout because you can't slack off; it's too noticeable if you do. It builds your endurance and that's something I need for football." Trinity junior John House says, "It's something to do after school and it keeps me focused on my studies. I'm usually really tired after practice, but it's a good kind of tired and keeps me away from distractions. Plus, you can get some sun and get a good tan while you're working on the water." The goals for these teams seem to be secondary to their enjoyment of the sport. Although each team is very competitive, the interpersonal skills they are learning seem more important to them--a testament to Coach Hurley and his approach to the sport. He explained, "These kids are learning what teamwork is all about and what it takes to work with others. They're learning real life skills on how to depend on each other and trust each other. It's not all about 'me' in the boat, but about 'team'. And when you get the boat moving at top speed and with great technique, it's a pretty unique feeling." In addition to the high school programs, Bob Hurley also founded and coaches kids in the Adaptive Rowing program, a program for younger rowers and those with physical disabilities and other special needs. A number of the high school team members assist with the Adaptive Rowing program. "I'm real proud of the high school kids who get involved with the Adaptive Rowing program. They can teach others the skills to row and their passion always comes through in their teaching. It's a win-win for all the kids involved." For more information on rowing in Louisville, visit www.louisvillerowingclub.org