With a new crew season around the corner, the team is setting lofty fundraising goals of $60,000-70,000 which would contribute to the program’s long-standing reputation of prestige and success.
The athletic department only considers crew to be a school sport for the spring season, so the team is considered an independent club throughout the fall and winter seasons.
Former program treasurer Christopher Noe said that as a result, the program needs to turn elsewhere for necessary funding.
“We run as a club team during the offseason, so the town provides no support during those seasons. We rely on two sources of revenue: athlete fees and voluntary donations from extended family or friends,” Noe said.
Senior and captain Cullen Cox said the crew program holds two main fundraiser events each year to pay for equipment, transportation and team trips.
“We hold a letter writing event where each person on the team comes with ten addresses of family members and asks for money,” Cox said. “We also go around Brookline, giving out flyers and asking for donations. We’re usually able to raise a lot of money.”
Cox said the team also takes an annual trip to Florida, which is not covered by the athletic department.
“During the winter months we can’t train on the water, so we travel to Florida. It serves as both a team bonding experience and an opportunity to train on the water, giving us a competitive edge over other teams as we head to the spring season,” Cox said. “We pay for the Florida trip individually, and it’s pretty expensive.”
Cox said that oftentimes whatever money the crew program does receive from the school is insufficient.
“Especially if we’re trying to pay for new equipment or new boats, the money provided by the athletic department is never enough,” Cox said.
According to Noe, in addition to having to pay for new equipment and new boats, the team also has to budget out money to pay their coaches.
“The town will only hire four coaches for the team, but we really need a minimum of six because it’s so big. We have to pay the extra coaches with no extra support,” Noe said.
Current treasurer of the crew program Marc Rysman said that although the money from the crew fundraising does cover a lot, athletes are expected to cover other expenses.
“Athletes are paying for entry into the season and they have to buy a uniform,”Rysman said. Then there’s a lot of transportation that they’re paying for because they have to go to workouts and get to the river.”
Rysman said that these costs never stop someone from joining the team, as the money from the fundraisers can be used to cover costs for student athletes.
“We have a policy that we’ll never turn anyone away. If someone wants to have a subsidy or some kind of discount from our club, we’ve always provided the necessary support,” Rysman said. “We try not to let financial concerns stop anyone from joining the team.”
