Issue date: 10/29/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Jennifer Lemos Anne Morrison (front) and Ruthie Van Esso (back) Varsity Crew. CSUS aquatic center Saturday, Oct. 25. [Click to enlarge]

Last year, the women's rowing team took first place in the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association for the varsity four-woman crew, and third place for the junior varsity eight-woman. The team concluded the season by finishing fifth in the Pacific-10 conference.

Still, head coach Mike Connors said the team was not satisfied with the results.

"We did OK, but we weren't as competitive," Connors said.

Fourth-year rower Alicia Tarkenton agreed. "We could have done better because we had a lot of talented people on the team, but just because we are talented doesn't mean we are going to row well together in a boat."

Tarkenton said that the majority of rowers on the team went to training camps this summer in order to improve their rowing skills for the upcoming season.

"A lot of the girls went away to compete and came back in very good shape," varsity rower Ruthie Vanesso said. "They are faster, stronger and performing very well in practice."

Connors said the team is also making changes in its training routine in an effort to improve performance. Last season, the team would row in the morning and weight train in the afternoons.

"This year, we just go from the water straight to the weights," Connors said. "We have also changed the weight training program a little bit. There is less heavy lifting and more of a focus on core strength and training with the balls and bands."

Ashley Louck, a volunteer coach, commented on the team's training routine. "We do the ergs on the rowing machine, cross-train with a lot running, workout the abs, and do jump-squats."

Tarkenton said the new regimen is tiring and that she has started going to sleep as early as 8:30 p.m., just so she can get enough rest.

"After 10K of constant erging, you feel like a zombie and you have to drink a lot of coffee just to stay awake," Tarkenton said.

Connors said the team is also training in two-person boats rather than the bigger eight-person boats the rowing team usually competes in.

"The smaller the boat gets, the harder it is to balance; there are more skills that have to be used to row it effectively," Connors said. "So when our rowers compete in a bigger boat, it will be easier for them to row it."

A group of rowers, known as the novices, are training separately from the team. The novices consist of first-year rowers. They are taught rowing techniques, speed drills, and becoming familiar with rowing and the team.

"We teach the novices basic technique and it gets very technical," Louck said. "(Techniques include) having to row as one unit or placing all the oars in the water at the same time."

Connor agrees with Louck and says that it is necessary to group all the novices together because "they are on a completely different learning curve and are just learning how to row."

Connor said that a novice group is essential, since most of the rowers on the team are usually walk-ons with no rowing experience.

"Our sport's unique in the sense that it is popular to take rowers who have never rowed before," Connors said.

Connors said the athletes he usually looks at are former volleyball and soccer players, along with cross-country runners.

"Ideally, we want tall people with strength and endurance," Connors said.

Connors believes the lack of rowers is due to a low number of rowing facilities and teams in the area.

"We're at the point where we will pretty much allow anyone to come and try it," Connors said. "As long as you are working hard and coming to practice, we will find a place for you on the team."

Conners said the team doesn't have any cuts since most athletes usually eliminate themselves.

Danni Thole, a fourth-year varsity rower, believes that with dedication anyone can be a part of the team. "Ninety percent of the people doing this are walk-ons. It is something anyone can do with enough determination and hard work."

Thole said she rows for the team camaraderie, and would encourage others to take up rowing.

"It's very tough; it was the hardest thing in my life, but I learned a lot of life lessons," Thole said. "I learned how to push myself to the limit."

The team's first competition was at home, on Saturday. They finished fifth in the women's novice collegiate eight and the women's collegiate pair. Their next competition will be the Newport Fall Regata in Newport, Beach, CA.

Zaki Syed can be reached at zsyed@statehornet.com

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