It is dark and cold outside. There is no one on the streets, and the only thing they hear is their own footsteps. It is a little before 6:45 a.m. and the rowers are walking to school.
Although it is optional, many rowers wake up early to attend morning practices. While the rowers have their own preferences for which practice they like more, they work toward one common goal: improvement.
Junior Cam Chiasson prefers going to morning practices. He thinks they make him feel more awake throughout the day. Also, since the morning practices are optional, he knows he has the flexibility of choosing whether or not to attend them. Regardless, Chiasson tries to attend as many as he can for his own improvement, as well as for that of the team.
“The more I go, the better I get,” said Chiasson. “I can see the improvements in my performance.”
Chiasson also said he likes having the freedom of choosing what he does for a workout at morning practices. Usually, rowers choose to row on an erg, ride a spin bike, go for a run or lift weights.
Senior Eden Zik also prefers going to morning practices. He says they help him feel more focused in the morning, which helps him academically.
“You would think that you would feel more tired throughout the day, but I don’t feel more tired than any other day,” said Zik. “It gets better, it gets easier and you feel addicted to it.”
Zik encourages more of his teammates to come to morning practices. He promises that people who come will see a huge improvement in their performance.
On the other hand, sophomore Cheyene Campbell finds that, although morning practices help her tremendously, afternoon practices are more organized.
“I really like the afternoon practices better, not because the morning practices are at 6:45, but because I like having structure,” said Campbell. “The morning practices aren’t as organized as they could be.”
Despite her preference, Campbell still thinks that morning practices contribute greatly to individual rowers and to the team itself.
“Morning practices mean getting faster, getting stronger and getting better,” she said. “After morning practices, I feel sweaty, I feel satisfied and I feel like I’m improving.”
Boys varsity crew head coach Katy Ruderman runs the morning practices. She is impressed that the rowers make voluntary commitments to improve their individual skills, as well as those of the team.
“It’s completely voluntary, but they decided they wanted to do it, and they decided to come every morning,” said Ruderman. “They made huge improvements.”
“Practice makes perfect,” said Campbell. “I’m pretty sure that our team is full of people who want to do that, so I think it’s a good idea for us to take such an opportunity when we’re able to.”
