Penn State Crew :: Rowing Regattas Sports Athletics Essays

Penn State Crew Penn State Crew is a completely student run organization dedicated towards preparing its members towards rowing competitions, called regattas. Since its inception in 1994, the team has seen periods of immense growth. No longer is the day when Penn State Crew is struggling to compete for dead last. Instead, we are bringing home the hardware as evidenced by our very successful fall and winter seasons (for complete results, please visit the team's homepage.) The team just recently purchased two eight-man Vespoli shells and a new boathouse is currently in the design phase and is planned on being constructed at the team's home lake, Bald Eagle Lake, located about thirty plus minutes from the University Park campus. Penn State Crew is very fortunate because it is one of a few club sports here at Penn State that has actual, paid, highly qualified coaches who bring an immense rowing knowledge base to the team. We are looking forward to this Spring 2003 season as one filled with much pr omise, lofty expectations and phenomenal competition with some of the nation's premier rowing squads. Please follow our progress all season at the team's homepage, http://www.clubs.psu.edu/psucrew/. The Reason We Do This... A fierce shriek pierces the serene darkness of night. Snoring is still heard from the football players who live next door as a figure stirs in the lofted bed. Groggily, without glasses or contacts, a calloused hand reaches out towards the annoying sound that all non-morning people have come to hate. Suddenly complete, utter silence is restored as the alarm is shut off. A yawn and swing of the legs soon lands bare feet on the cold floor of a dorm room in Hartranft Hall at Penn State. Eyes are rubbed and open and shut five or six times rather rapidly as they try and focus on the iridescent green digits that stare back. â€Å"4:37† reads the alarm clock and radio contraption designed with an alarm loud enough to wake Satan from deep slumber in the bowels of hell. Without any warning, a whirlwind of action commences and within fifteen minutes, the rower emerges from the shadows and is on his way to another Penn State Crew practice. Craziness. Sheer craziness is how the athletes on the crew team are most commonly described by anyone at all who resides on this campus.