Senior year, my son's last go-round with the Northwestern St. Crew. They start tomorrow in Little Rock, and it looks like this year the coach will be intent on getting the men's 4-man boat to Nationals. Last year, he thought the best hope was for the the 4-man lightweight boat, so he took two good rowers off my son's open class boat. This year, Anthony says the coach seems to be working more with the open class. Anthony's also getting some early work in a 2-man boat, which he's never done. They're not ready to compete in that one yet, so tomorrow he'll just do 4-man, along with mixed 8, which is really just for fun. Next month they go to Chatanooga, and my wife and I will make it to that race.
I didn't know they did it anywhere except the northeast. I have never actually seen any of those boats except for once I saw 10 or 12 of them on the Charles River in Worcester (they pronounce it Wooster) no far from Boston. I kind if figured it was the Harvard team practicing. Down here we would have one man and two man pirogue races.
Besides Northwestern, LSU and Tulane have teams. Tulane is excellent; their coach is a 2-time Olympian. In the SEC, Bama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Tenn, Vandy, A&M and Mizzou all row.
Northwestern went down to New Orleans and scrimmaged with Tulane today. Afterward, Tulane's coach - who was a 2-time Olympic coxswain and silver medalist - asked NSU's coach about Anthony. He was very impressed with his technique, and was considering him for a regional "all star" team he's putting together for an upcoming event in England. But, Anthony's 2k time isn't quite up to what he's looking for, at the moment. He's very motivated now to get in the gym and see if he can get his time down to where the coach might reconsider. Anyway, one hell of a compliment!
Speaking of Tulane I just found out that Bob Marley's grandson plays for the Greenies. D Back I think
