By Caroline Jaeger
Crew, better known as rowing, has been a love of mine for over seven years now. As soon as I got into the Highland Falls Middle School, now Intermediate School, my school nurse, Linda Wetzel, began mentioning the idea of joining the crew team come seventh grade. At the time, I was a swimmer and had been for many years, so the idea of adding another challenging sport into my daily schedule in the spring was hard to imagine at first. However, once I went to preseason practices and tryouts and experienced the team dynamic and how it felt to be out on the water, I never looked back.
Eventually, swimming faded away and I did crew in the spring, summer, and even did it for a few fall seasons. I’ve had numerous different coaches and attended rowing camp in Saratoga, New York. When college applications came around, I didn’t go through the recruiting process but making sure the school had a team available played a decisive role in my college decision. Having just finished up my first year at Worcester Polytechnic Institute as a member of the rowing team, I can confidently say joining the crew team was one of the best decisions I made all year. Not only did the team become as close as family and provide me with companionship, I also stayed in shape and was able to be a part of the national runner-up crew team in the NCAA Division 3 championships. Now, during the summer, I row for the Cortlandt Community Rowing Association out of Verplanck on both the Hudson River and a small lake. Having graduated from high school, I no longer qualify as a “youth rower,” so I row with my mother and other similarly aged adults on the masters team.Crew is a sport with no real age-limits; it is low impact, can be immensely peaceful, and is a great way to stay active and utilize all of your body’s muscle groups. Boats come in all different sizes, meaning you have the opportunity to work together with up to eight other people rowing with only one oar, or to just row on your own using two oars. There are more variations of boats than people realize, and even after seven years of experience I have yet to try all of the different types.
When I say I do crew, I typically get a lot of questions similar to these: “Oh, so you canoe?” “Is that like kayaking?” “You must have really strong arms, don’t you?” Crew is a very mentally and physically engaging sport that requires a lot of focus and use of your legs, back, and arms in conjunction with each other. With a dynamic seat and fixed foot position, it is meant to be very leg-dominated. If you overuse your arms and back, injuries or discomfort can easily follow. When done right, each stroke feels fluid, relaxed, and powerful. As a runner for most of her life, my mother, Vicki Jaeger, has had her fair share of experience with impact related injuries from the wear and tear that running has on your body. Now, with rowing in her exercise repertoire, she stays active, continues running, and strengthens her legs and body without as many negative physical effects. Crew can remain a part of a person’s life after they finish high school or college. And it’s not too late to start after someone has finished school. It is a lifetime sport that people can enjoy and benefit from at any age.
Crew is a sport with no real age-limits; it is low impact, can be immensely peaceful, and is a great way to stay active and utilize all of your body’s muscle groups. Boats come in all different sizes, meaning you have the opportunity to work together with up to eight other people rowing with only one oar, or to just row on your own using two oars. There are more variations of boats than people realize, and even after seven years of experience I have yet to try all of the different types.
When I say I do crew, I typically get a lot of questions similar to these: “Oh, so you canoe?” “Is that like kayaking?” “You must have really strong arms, don’t you?” Crew is a very mentally and physically engaging sport that requires a lot of focus and use of your legs, back, and arms in conjunction with each other. With a dynamic seat and fixed foot position, it is meant to be very leg-dominated. If you overuse your arms and back, injuries or discomfort can easily follow. When done right, each stroke feels fluid, relaxed, and powerful. As a runner for most of her life, my mother, Vicki Jaeger, has had her fair share of experience with impact related injuries from the wear and tear that running has on your body. Now, with rowing in her exercise repertoire, she stays active, continues running, and strengthens her legs and body without as many negative physical effects. Crew can remain a part of a person’s life after they finish high school or college. And it’s not too late to start after someone has finished school. It is a lifetime sport that people can enjoy and benefit from at any age.