Oar-iginals: Where It All Began

By Isabella Franconeri

One of my most vivid (and slightly traumatic) memories of freshman year was the first rowing tryout ‘period’. Before we had access to the boathouse or our own erg room, we were a jumbled group in the non-air-conditioned (in early August, so absolutely sweltering) gym. With only six cardio-room ergs to go around, we spent our sessions in small rotations, alternating between rowing, core and endless laps. By the end of each practice, the floor was so slick with sweat that holding a plank was a literal slip-and-slide. We were a "Varsity Club" made mostly of freshmen who had never touched an oar, with no experienced upperclassmen to show us the ropes. I remember it as horrendous, but it set the bar for the grit, resilience, and teamwork you see in the squad today.

The turning point came during our first spring season. We headed to MSRA in just two activity buses (the single luxury we’ve lost… I am a yellow school bus hater) blasting the Rio soundtrack. The umpire in the GV8+’s first race was convinced we were Northville– a team local to the MSRA course– because we had borrowed their boat. As a brand-new program, we fully expected to be blown out of the water. Instead, we shocked the field (and ourselves) when both Novice 8+ boats fought their way into the A Finals. That weekend wasn't just about the racing; it was the moment we realized that ETHS Crew wasn't just a club—we were a contender. 

Since then, we’ve nearly doubled in size every year, and it’s now significantly less cringe to tell someone you’re on the rowing team (“We have a rowing team??”). The days of pouring rain water out of life-jacket bins in a leaky shed are over. We finally have a fleet and trailer of our own, our own shed (with a functioning door and hole-less roof), and launches that actually stay afloat (shoutout to the Titanic). This year, we even leveled up to motor carts, ending the back-breaking era of carrying motors up the stairs by hand. Seeing "Evanston" printed on our equipment might seem like a small detail, but to those of us who started in that sweaty gym, it’s a symbol of how far we’ve come. We are still underdogs, but the progress we’ve made both on and off the water in four years should be a point of pride to all.