Men‘s Rowingnews

Spring Preview - VOLUME V - April 2017

BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEN‘S ROWING

DeAR FRienDs oF Men’s Rowing, I am pleased to present to you the fifth edition of Boston University Men’s Rowing News. This is an exciting time of year for us, as the spring racing season is now in full swing. This past Sunday, April 2, we had a historic opening to the season against Brown. Not only did BU reclaim the Michalson Cup, but the team also secured wins in the 2V, 3V, and 4V events. We will now be backing down into the stake boats every weekend, and before we know it, we will be out in Sacramento for the IRAs.

In this issue, you can read about our winter training progress. With alumni support, we were able to take another winter training trip to Austin, TX, in January. This trip was in addi-tion to our customary spring training trip to Clemson, SC. As the D1 league gets faster every year, having the opportunity to get more strokes in is a real benefit for us. You can also read about our eight seniors who will graduate in May. This is a terrific group of young men who work hard and provide solid leadership to our undergraduates. And, as usual, our Quick Catches section gives updates on alumni events, academic progress, and development initiatives.

Our Alumni Spotlight article was written by former coach and oarsman David Padgett ’99. The piece highlights BU rowers who have gone on to careers in the military. This year, I got to meet two of our alumni who went on to serve in the mili-tary after BU: Francis Racioppi ’03 and Andy Tropp ’01. Francis came to practice one day and spoke to the team about his mi-litary experience and how it dovetailed with rowing. In both arenas, he said, you are going to have hard days, and you just

have to figure out a way to get through it. I met Andy this summer when he was in Boston for a training exercise. We had a chance to row together, and we talked a lot about his expe-rience as a SEAL and how everything is related to teamwork. I learned a lot from him. A few weeks later, he mailed me a wooden plaque of the SEAL Trident. Thrilled to receive it, I called him right up and asked him what made him send it. He told me that it is a reminder that the “Team is Always First,” that no single member is above the team itself. It mirrors one of our team values: selflessness. That plaque is now hanging up in the coaches’ office.

This year, we have been pleased to see more alumni recon-necting. At the 2016 Head of the Charles, we had a large alumni group from the “Hugh Foley Coaching Era” return to the boathouse. Some members of this group had not been back to Boston since they graduated. It was nice to hear their conversations pick up right where they had left off 40 years ago. Our annual alumni hockey social was also a success – still going strong after 23 years. We also had an alumni social on March 15th in NYC that was hosted by Todd Coffin ’90. We will continue creating and improving upon these events to keep our alumni connected. I hope you will be able to join us in the future.

Sadly, not long after the last Head of the Charles, Hugh Foley passed away on November 9th after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. Hugh coached at BU from 1971-1978 and was highly revered by his athletes. An endowment was set up in Hugh’s honor in the ‘70s called the “Hugh Foley Nautical Fund,” the proceeds of which are to be allocated exclusively

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for training and racing trips. This fund has never been tapped into, however, and its current balance is approxi-mately $650K. My goal is to get this fund to the $1M mark! The yearly interest generated from the principal would then guarantee that each year, our winter and spring trips would be fully covered, without additional funding from the Friends of Men’s Rowing account. If you would like to help with this initiative, please let me know.

On the topic of fund-raising, April 5th is Boston University’s Annual Giving Day. Last year, we set another athletic department record by securing the most donors (563) and the highest amount raised ($139K) in one day. This was the 5th consecutive year that rowing surpassed all other sports and most of the colleges at BU. This year, we have set a goal of $200K. But Men’s Hockey has thrown down the gauntlet by securing a $100K matching gift. Read more on this in the Quick Catches section.

Another alumni initiative is also underway to upgrade our pair fleet from the class years of 1998-2002. Alumni have been inspired to follow in the footsteps of the class years of 1987-1992 and 1993-1997, each of which raised over $50K for new racing eights. We are hoping this group will

do the same and make their donations on the April 5th Annual Giving Day.

There are four opportunities to support the team at home this spring. Our race schedule is on the back of this newsletter, and live audio and video streaming are available for all of the races. The voice of BU Rowing, Wil Duchesneau ’66, will be doing the stroke-by-stroke commentating. At the Eastern Sprints and the IRAs, we will have a tent for alumni and family to gather under and cheer on our team. This year, the IRAs are in Sacra-mento, CA, so we hope that our West Coast alumni will come out in droves. Updates and reminders of race times will be sent out as events come closer.

We hope that you will continue to support the program, whether with a donation or by coming out to a race, listening to a live broadcast, or mentoring a current stu-dent athlete in our job mentorship program. And I hope you enjoy this issue of Boston University Men’s Rowing News. Thank you for all your support.

go TeRRieRs! Tom

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CongRATs To VAssCongratulations to Vassilis Ragoussis ’16, who stroked the victorious Oxford ‘Blue’ Boat in the 163rd Boat Race on Apirl 2. The Cancer Research UK Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge is among the oldest sporting events in the world and is viewed by millions around the globe. Vass was a very successful student-athlete here at BU and has joined his passion for rowing at Oxford with his passion for scientific research as he pursues his M.Sc. through research in clinical medicine. A very proud day for Vass, Oxford, and BU.

new RP3 Row PeRFeCT eRgsIn early January, we took delivery of nine new RP3 ergo-meters. These machines are the standard for elite land training. The RP3 is a dynamic erg, which means that the fan assembly moves, and the seat remains relatively neu-tral – as in an actual boat. The units provide a movement pattern and force application that mimic on-water rowingbetter than any land-based activity, except for a moving water tank. The machines are connected to tablets that give live-stroke feedback of power curves, stroke length, and many other pieces of technical data. The coaches are able to define and quantify high-quality strokes, and the athletes are able to measure their progress against that

defined standard. Additionally, the RP3 ergometers serve to increase specific strength, rowing coordination, and refine-ment of movement patterns. The RP3 have had a significant impact on our team’s training this winter and will continue to help make our boats faster throughout the spring and for many years to come. We aim to purchase additional units as resources allow. For more information on the RP3, please visit http://rp3rowingusa.com.

giVing DAYBoston University’s Annual Day of Giving will be held on Wednesday April 5, 2017. In 2016, Men’s Rowing set an Athletic Department record for the 5th year in a row, gaining the highest number of total donors (568) and the most funds raised ($139K). With other teams trying to dethrone us this year, we have set a one-day goal of $200K! It’s an ambitious task, but we have secured a matching gift of $50K from an anonymous donor and have contributors in line to match this gift! The table is set, and with the advantage of our loyal alumni base and our “strengthin numbers attitude,” we will hit this goal. To make a donation on April 5th, please go to www.goterriers.com/donate. Donations must be made between 12:01 AM and 11:59 PM, EST. Contributions need to be $5.00 or greater, and you can only donate once during the day.

23RD AluMni HoCkeY soCiAl:Our traditional Alumni Hockey Social was held on January 28. A pre-game reception in the Friends of Hockey Lounge was followed by cheering on Men’s Hockey to a 4-2 win over UMass Lowell. As always, we had another good showing of alumni, family, and friends. We owe a big thanks to Clark Broden ’65 for keeping this event happening each year! Those in attendance included: Ted Beck ‘14, Thaddeus Babiec ‘14, Ed Boesel ’70, Clark Broden ‘65, Bob Brown ’85, John

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four were above a 3.9 GPA. This included Tate Gill ’18, who achieved a 4.0 average in engineering.A new policy being instituted by Men’s Rowing for the fall of 2017 will specify that any athlete who achieves and maintains a cumulative GPA of 3.0 after freshman year will be awarded books. We feel that this policy reinforces the high value that we put on academics and rewards scholars, regardless of the boat they are in, for their achievement. Please let Coach Bohrer know if you are interested in hel-ping to fund this initiative.

FoleY eRA ReunionAt this year’s Head of the Charles, twenty former oarsman from 1971-1978 returned back to Boston; many for the first time in forty years. Scott Rossiter ’72 was instru-mental in reaching out and rallying former teammates to return. Scott referred to the group as “The Foley Era Boys”! The weekend included taking in a BU Men’s Hockey game, watching racing from DeWolfe Boathouse, and a dinner hosted by Vin Ryan ’63 and Carla Meyer-Ryan’78. There was a lot of energy and re-hashing of old rowing stories of “back in the day”. It was a wonderful weekend and we hope to get this group back to DeWolfe in the near future. Those in attendance included: Joe Ackerman ’71, Dan Babiec ’74, Dan Bakinowski ’72, Jay Brinkeroff ’72, John Burtis ’78, Nick Capos ’72, Dick Curtis ’69, Eric Dingle ’72, Dave Edgar ’73, Jon Fain ’72, Spencer Gould ’74, Dave Hut-ton ’73, Alex Goodale ’71, Bill Salzar ’72, Henry Scott ’70, Tom Tellefsen ’71, Alan LaRoucque ’72, Randy Newsome ’72, Scott Rossiter ’72, and Tony Santoro ’71.

Davidson ’67, Wil Duchesneau ‘66, Alex Dillon 16’, Bill Dwyer ’68, Ian Dwyer ‘91, Moritz Franz ’14, Kevin Gallie ‘85, Aaron Greenberg ’96, Spencer Haas ’17, Ken Hoffman ’64, Harrison Macris ’10, Adam McNeill ’98, Josh Novak ’10, Howie Newell ’65, David Padgett ‘99, Henry Reiley ’65, Francis Racioppi ‘03, John Szramiak ‘14, Justin Rau ’14, Gopal Srinivas ‘16 and Dave Walko ‘68.

nYC AluMni soCiAl eVenTOn March 15, a Men’s Rowing Alumni Social event was held at the Yale Club in New York City. The event was generously hosted by Todd Coffin ’90. This was the second attempt at this event, as the original date in February was canceled due to a snow storm. Head Coach Tom Bohrer updated guests about the upcoming season, recruiting progress, and future goals of the program. Athletic Director Drew Marrochello was also in attendance, and our alumni were very pleased to hear him speak about the state of BU Ath-letics and the direction of the University. Many thanks to Todd for putting this event together! We plan to make this an annual tradition. Those in attendance included: Austin Bald ’16, Jon Brown ’91, Stephan Bub ’81, John Carter ’16, Wil Daly ’05, Chris Gidez ’90, Paul Iacovacci ’81, Dan Kryzanski ’90, Richard McGovern ’10, Luka Miladinovic ’17, Kyle Peabody ’14, Francis Racioppi ’03, and Jens Robazek ’08.

ACADeMiC RePoRT CARDMen’s Rowing accrued a fall GPA of 3.09, with 32 of 43 team members making the Athletic Honor Roll, having earned a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Among this group, 13 team members had a 3.35 GPA or higher for the semester, and

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by a 3-mile run. Members of the senior class drafted five teams; the team with the fastest overall time was declared the winner and presented with the John Ross ‘67 Team Challenge Cup. The cup was donated by Howard Killguss ’67, in memory of his friend and teammate, John Ross. The winners of the 2016 John Ross Challenge Cup included: Luka Miladinovic ’17, Mike Kapp ’17, Logan Carter ’18, Paul Giroux ’19, Dan Levine ’19, Maarten Noordzij ’19, Isaac Mocarski ’19, Mackenzie Hart ’19, and Theo Thun ’20.

MiCHAel M. FuTTeRMAn boAT DeDiCATion

At the 2016 Head of the Charles, a new Filippi coxed four was dedicated in honor of former parent Michael Futter-man, father of Lenny Futterman ’14. Michael, who passed away on October 10, 2015, proudly attended every race and rowing event while Lenny rowed for BU from 2011-2014. If you came to one of our races during that time, you would have experienced one of Michael’s delicious meals and been privy to some great conversation. On hand for the dedication were his wife Ginny, his children, Lenny and Aly, as well as many of Lenny’s former teammates and friends.

JoHn Ross ‘67 TeAM CHAllenge CuP

BU Men’s Rowing held its annual team challenge competi-tion during the week of November 28. The Challenge Cup serves as a reminder to our current student athletes of the connection to the program’s past – and how all those who have rowed for BU Men’s Rowing have helped lay the groundwork for the team’s success today. This week-long, intra-squad competition consists of the following: 2 x Summit Ave (hill run); 8 x 250M erg; 5K head-style race on the water, and a grueling finale of an 8K erg followed

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Teamwork. Camaraderie. Discipline. Leadership. All of these aspects are found within the walls of DeWolfe Boathouse. They are also found within every military unit. There seems to be a strong connection between finding success on the Charles River and serving in the military, as quite a few BU Crew alums have followed their tours in the boathouse with successful careers as soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines. Whatever their branch of service or personal reasons for joining, all agree that rowing uniquely prepared them for success in the military.

What is it about the demands of rowing that so adequately molded these future military leaders? “Rowing is about the personal and individual discipline to prepare. Success in the military hinges on the exact same principles. Success in a race cannot be found simply by showing up on race day – just like success on the battlefield cannot be achieved without focused and disciplined training from the outset,“ says Fran Racioppi ‘03, a Special Forces Green Beret who served 13 years in the Army. “Rowing ingrains this discipli-ne in you because of the unique experiences that a member of the rowing team endures: working out twice a day while managing schoolwork; replacing the anxiety of the start of a race with confidence and experience because you trained for this moment and are ready to execute; keeping your focus and determination through the middle thousand only to work harder, with more effort, more focus through the finish. These are the lessons of teamwork and personal cou-rage that translate into military service,“ confirms Racioppi.

Army Major Claudia Wilmoth ‘97 is an executive officer of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, NC, and a for-mer coxswain for BU Men’s Crew. She also cites her rowing experience as the source of her success in the military. “Nothing prepared me more for the military environment than being a woman on the men‘s rowing team,” she reflects. “I learned early in life that even if I‘m physically the smallest person on the team, I bring to the fight the skills and expertise required to accomplish the mission. BU Men‘s Crew gave me the confidence to take charge and be the solid leader my paratroopers expect.“ Claudia has been in the Army for 14 years and, in May, will become part of First Special Forces Command.

Major Matt Dukowski ‘03 has served for 12 years as a helicopter pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force. “At BU, I was not one of the guys whose seat was a sure thing. I was always on the bubble,” he recalls. “If I lost focus for a second, I knew that I would lose my seat, but there was no doubt in my mind that I deserved to be there. That two-year struggle at BU prepared me like no other for the next series of challenges in the military.” Dukowski also cites the importance of strong leadership in both the boathouse and military, because “leadership was essential to maintaining cohesion in the boathouse and is central to being a military officer.”

Chris Danbeck ‘97, a lieutenant colonel at the Army‘s National Training Center in Fort Irwin, CA, sums up the

Army Lieutenant Colonel Chris Danbeck ‘97

Army Major Claudia Wilmoth ‘97Green Beret Fran Racioppi ‘03

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connection between success in rowing and in the military this way: “Rowing at the collegiate level taught me a lot about the importance of persistence. Every day is a compe-tition for a seat in a boat. So many teammates were more gifted physically or technically, but I was determined to stick it out. I never saw myself as one of the exceptional ones, and I still don‘t.”

Those who have pulled on the end of an oar know the deep bonds of camaraderie are forged during the many grueling hours of training. Hideyoshi Watanabe ‘10, an infantry team leader, had served four years in the Army before walking onto the rowing team at BU. “The most similar aspect of both rowing and military service is the bonds of friend-ship,” he says. “During all of the training, the best and worst come out in people, but everyone galvanizes around the same goal in the end. It is this perseverance through the hardships of training that creates this unique bond.”

What compels rowing alums to serve? Why, after four years at BU and with a hard-earned degree in hand, would some-one choose military service over grad school or a full-time job? The driving force is not only a desire to serve their country, but also a longing to continue being part of a team. “A big part of it was that my country was sending my generation to war. Part of the motivation also was 9/11. I wanted to go. I wanted to do my part. I didn‘t want anyone else to go in my place,“ says Luke Huisenga ‘03, a captain and judge advocate in the Marine Corps. “I think rowing gives you some great tools: mental toughness, focus, may-be the ability to thrive through pain and discomfort, and teamwork. Crews succeed together, or they don‘t succeed at all. In a crew, everyone has a specific job, and you have to learn to do your job and let the others do theirs. Those sorts of things all translate well to the military.“

BU Crew has also been a staging ground for some of our nation‘s most elite Special Operators, Green Berets, and Navy SEALs. Navy SEAL Andrew Tropp, originally a walk-on, departed BU in 2001 to immediately answer the call to ser-vice. He explains, “As Naval Special Warfare operators, we are often tasked to work in small teams called ’boat crews.’ Rowing at BU—in pairs, fours, and eights—helped shape my foundation for what teamwork and unit cohesion truly require.“ How else did rowing prepare him for the challen-

ges of becoming a Navy SEAL? “It‘s cliché,” he allows, “but the rigors of training at BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demo-lition/ SEAL) are 90% mental and 10% physical. Everyone shows up in shape and ready to perform physically. The guys who make the cut are the people who are mentally prepared to endure the challenges of operating at an elite level. Rowing is an extremely demanding sport, requiring you to sacrifice tons of personal time and freedom in order for you to qualify to represent the team on race day. In the same sense, being a part of the Special Operations commu-nity requires tremendous sacrifice in order to be success-ful.“ Other members of Special Operations Command include Fran Racioppi ‘03, an Army Green Beret, and Matt Given ‘13, a Navy SEAL.

The similarities between a crew and a basic military unit are numerous but the most striking one just might be this: The Army‘s basic formation is an infantry squad composed of nine individuals who have to move in the same direction as a part of a team. “The Army is nothing but a bunch of individuals from all over the world who are formed into litt-le teams that all come together to win our nation’s wars,” says Danbeck.

While this article has focused on alumni from the last 20 years, we know that there are a number BU Rowing alumni from previous decades who have also served in the military. If you served in the military for the U.S. or another count-ry, please e-mail Coach Bohrer, so that we can record your years of service. Please be sure to include which branch of the military you were in, years served, rank, occupation, and any awards or special recognition you received during your service. Our goal is to recognize all BU Rowing alumni who served in the military on a special plaque at the Boat-house for all to see.

go bu!Dave Padgett, ’99

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lukA MilADinoViCHometown: Belgrade, Serbia Degree: BS in Business Administra-tion with concentration in FinancePlans after graduation: My plan is to stay in Boston, find a job in asset management, which I have wanted to do since I was a high school student back in Serbia. I

hope to be joined by my girlfriend soon thereafter, so that we can build the Serbian-American dream to-gether. Favorite class or professor at BU: I had a number of great professors and great classes at BU, but the “History of Piracy” course taught by Professor Clif-ford Backman was particularly important to me, as he taught me how to use history in order to better explain the world that surrounds us today. Favorite rowing memory: When we won Bronze at Eastern Sprints in the 2V event by 0.3 second ahead of Brown. Despite unfavorable conditions in lane 6, we managed to pull it back together and win a medal.

JAMie oDgeRs Hometown: Johannesburg, South Africa Degree: Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, concen-trating in Finance and Accounting Plans after graduation: I am cur-rently in the final stages of inter-

viewing for an investment banking job, and I hope to get the chance to travel through Europe before going home and starting that position. Favorite class or professor at BU: Organizational behavior. This class explored the theo-ries around how companies can outperform its com-petitors by having a superior company culture. What made this class special was Professor Bachmann - a former member of the US Secret service who related his experience from both his corporate career and his time deployed overseas. Favorite rowing memory: Celebrating on the dock after winning Eastern Sprints my freshman year. That crew is still, to this day, the most fun boat I have ever rowed in. We truly typified the BU value of relentless.

MiCHAel kAPPHometown: Andover, MA Degree: Bachelor in Science and Business Administration with a concentration in Finance.Plans after graduation: I am see-king a position in Sales or Ope-rations. I am particularly interested in construction management and the moving services industry. The high-energy, dynamic nature of these fields are a good match for the energy level and passion that I bring to all endeavors. Favorite rowing memory: My experience in the 2v my sophomore year. After a decent regular season, our boat was able to find very high-end speed, which earned us a silver medal at Eastern Sprints, which we were able to parlay into a Grand Final date at the IRA. The Final is a race that I will never forget; we attacked with a tenacity I had never experienced in my rowing career, pushing through Cal at the 1200 into bronze medal position and earning BU’s first IRA medal.

FionnAn MCQuillAn-TolAn

Hometown: Galway, Ireland Degree: Computer sciencePlans after graduation: I will be returning to Ireland, looking to earn a seat on the National team for the World Championships in Sarasota, FL this summer, with the further aim of representing Ireland at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. I also plan to pursue a Master‘s Degree in Computer Science. Favorite class or professor at BU: My favorite class was Professional Presentations, where we learned to develop and deliver concise, on-point messaging to small and large groups. Favorite rowing memory: Beating Brown in the 1v. We moved out to a 3/4 length lead within the first 500m and stayed calm as Brown kept the pressure on throughout the race. Coming into the last 500m, our lead was cut to one-seat, but we trusted in each other and held true for a one-second win. What makes it even sweeter is that this is the first time that all six Cups have been in the Boathouse at once. .

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PeTeR RobeRTsHometown: Coral Springs, FLDegree: Business Administration Plans after graduation: I plan to pursue an entry-level human resources position somewhere here in Boston.

Favorite professor at BU: My favorite professor is Hutch Hutchinson, who teaches the Organizational Be-havior course in Questrom. His passion for the topics manages to make three-hour classes feel half as long. Professor Hutch takes a hands-on approach to building high-performance teams, and through that has taught me many valuable lessons in my time as his student.Favorite rowing memory: Freshman year at Eastern Sprints, the 4v and 5v entries were combined into a single event, and both boats advanced to the Grand Final. Late in the Final, my 5v was neck and neck with Navy’s 4v for the silver medal, with the BU 4v was in gold position, when we outsprinted Navy to secure 1st and 2nd on the awards dock and celebrate a year of hard work and camaraderie.

AleksAnDAR MARinkoVski

Hometown: Belgrade, SerbiaDegree: Business Administration and Management, concentration in Finance Plans after graduation: I am currently looking at several asset and wealth management compa-nies, as well as couple of smaller

investment shops in Boston and New York. The finance industry, like rowing, is challenging and dynamic in nature, with both requiring exceptional time manage-ment, persistence, goal-setting, and teamwork. Favorite class at BU: My favorite class is FE442 Finan-cial Markets and Institutions with Professor Spieler. It is a class that provides the foundational knowledge for the finance industry. Professor Spieler’s passion and resourcefulness as a teacher fostered my interest and passion for the topic. Favorite rowing memory: My favorite rowing memo-ry was standing on the awards dock at the Eastern Sprints. We had less than a week in the lineup, and we worked hard to come together as a crew – managing to do so just in time for the Grand Final. We were out of medal contention at 1000m, but clearly closing by the

750-mark when we committed to an early sprint. It was very painful and risky, but we made the commit-ment together – earning an Eastern Sprint medal.

CAMeRon PizzoHometown: Rochester, NYDegree: Mechanical EngineeringPlans after graduation: Currently seeking a position in the field of sustainable energy, preferably in the Boston area. Favorite class or professor at BU: My favorite classes were Product Design, and Inven-tions because they allowed for me to flex my creativity in an extensive design project.Favorite rowing memory: Freshmen year, Coach Lind-berg took our boat on a night row into the Basin. He talked to us about how lucky we were to be here and reminded us of all the people we should be thankful for that helped us to be in this position. Since then I’ve had a much greater appreciation for my time here in Boston.

sPenCeR HAAsHometown: Milwaukee, WI Degree: Business with a concent-ration in MarketingPlans after graduation: I plan to work in marketing in Boston or Denver. Ideally, I hope to join my three siblings - Preston, Helena, and Renata - who have all relocated to the Denver/Boulder area.Favorite class or professor at BU: FE323 with John DeVoy. Professor DeVoy was a great professor who pro-vided a clear and insightful view into both the finance world and the real world, highlighted by examples of how finance affected his life. Favorite rowing memory: Placing 3rd in the 2v event at the IRA was a great end to my sophomore season. Following a decent dual season, with many solid wins and a heartbreaking loss to Northeastern, we juggled the lineup and found additional speed. We took the speed and confidence into Eastern Sprints and placed 2nd in the 2V event and began to realize our true po-tential. Placing 3rd in that A Final in front of Cal was a major victory, not just for that race but for making up the 12-second loss to them in our first race of the spring – resilience.

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As outlined in prior editions, recruiting is a year-round process at our level. The fall season brings an intensity of sorting, prioritizing, and arranging campus visits for recruits and their families - all of which is interlaced with many emails, phone calls, and Skype conversations. The fall is a hectic yet energizing period as the new class takes shape. Late in the fall, as our crews begin to migrate indoors, the coaching staff has the opportunity to travel across the countr and the globe to follow up in person with priority recruits, reconnect with high school/junior coaches, and generally spread the gospel about BU Men’s Rowing.

Year after year we aim to identify and cultivate regions that combine excellent school systems with a density of top-tier junior rowing programs – and this is where we accordingly direct much of our recruiting efforts and re-sources. As you are no doubt aware through other chan-nels, BU Admissions is extremely competitive, and we strive to leverage that around the globe. To that end: John Lindberg set out for California for ten days fol-lowing Thanksgiving, visiting a number of programs in the San Francisco, Long Beach/Newport, and San Diego areas. Prior trips to this region have resulted in several of very capable student-athletes on our current roster. Consequently, we enjoy a terrific reception with these programs.

In late December and January, new assistant coach Alex Perkins embarked on our first recruiting trip to New

Zealand, covering both the North and South Islands, to include Christchurch, Auckland, Lake Karapiro and Twizel. The school systems and junior rowing in New Zealand are of a very high standard, as is the dedication to balan-cing and succeeding at both. New Zealand has become a hotbed of high-level recruiting for top U.S. programs, and this trip opened many eyes, and many doors for the BU program.

John Lindberg followed up in mid-February with our second annual trip to Australia. Stops included the New South Wales Championship, held on the Olympic course in Penrith over a three-day weekend in record heat. This was followed by several days of program/school visits in Sydney before heading up to Brisbane for more school visits, followed by a weekend Public Schools Regatta. The reception by students, parents, and coaches was very encouraging – the favorable word on BU extends well across the Pacific.

The last stop was in Adelaide for a handful of program visits, where many important connections were made with coaches and program directors in this important area. These connections are the foundation of the recruiting process overseas. Again, the school sys-tems and the quality of junior rowing are very strong in Australia and New Zealand. The pathway to US collegiate rowing has been fairly well established – mostly to the Ivys – but our recent trips are creating a distinct route to Commonwealth Avenue.

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ReCRuiTing newsBy John Lindberg

bu Men’s Rowing once again enjoyed the benefit of two training trips this past winter season: a January trip to Austin, TX, and a March trip to Clemson, SC. Both trips are a direct result of the generosity of alums, friends, parents, and the students themselves. While we have undertaken the March Clemson trip since 1992, the trip to Austin was just our third January training trip. Tom Bohrer has emphasized that additional water time is a necessary ingredient for competing at the top of the league. To that end, we travel with a smaller squad in January, with Varsity-level qualification standards required in order to earn an invitation. The smaller squad allows for concentrated development and helps keep the cost from compromising other goals for the year. Although Austin is a full day longer drive for the trailer, as compared to a Florida trip, Austin has proved to be a perfect venue in all aspects. There is ample water and very little activity at that time of year, providing virtually uninterrupted training ses-sions. Moreover, the hotel is a short walk from the launch site, eliminating the expense and time of shuttling athletes in rented vans. The hotel provides high-quality team trai-ning meals as well, making this a self-contained training environment. That said, world-class BBQ and Tex-Mex fare is also within a short walk, where we are sure an occasional 3000- calorie, pre-bed snack was had. Furthermore, our ho-tel, Holiday Inn Austin-Town Lake, was recently refurbished with rowing as the theme of its décor; the rowing motifs

everywhere were the perfect touch.

Our 25th annual trip to Clemson was equally producti-ve, with perhaps the highest caliber rowing from top to bottom that we have seen in our tenure. The later part of the trip produced race pace, mid-season speed, along with the technical underpinnings for yet more speed. This is a product, in no small part, of our January trip to Austin. After a two-year hiatus from the James Martin Inn as it underwent renovations, we returned this year to an even more perfect lodging. Fronting the lake and surrounded by a golf course, the Inn provides a perfect setting for training hard and relaxing in-between. The Inn is also a short run from the course, perfect for warmup and a bit of additional training. Additionally, the town of Clemson, home of the current National Champions in football, provi-des a bit of cultural contrast for the boys – all part of the education. Lastly, we have waxed nostalgic about resu-ming the trip by train to Clemson. Although we gain two extra training days by air travel, we are curious about the potential intrinsic value of such a journey. For those who have had the experience, we would appreciate hearing your comments, stories, and memories of the train trip, which could perhaps become a future Newsletter piece. .

go TeRRieRs!

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winTeR TRAiningBy John Lindberg

04/2/17 Home vs. Brown (Michalson Cup), Race Time: 7:40am - 9:10am04/8/17 Home vs. Northeastern (Arlett Cup) – Race time: TBD04/15/17 Home vs. Dartmouth (Bill Cup), Race time: TBD04/22/17 @ Syracuse (Conlan Cup), Columbia (Lusins Cup), Syracuse, N.Y. – Race time: TBD4//29/17 Home vs. Wisconsin (Jablonic Cup) – Race time: TBD5/14/17 Eastern Sprints, Worcester, Mass. – Race time: All Day6/2/-4/17 IRA National Championship Regatta, MSacramento, Calif. – Race time: All Day

* For updated race times please visit goterriers.com

2017 RACe sCHeDule

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