The Importance of Teammates

Rowing truly is the ultimate sport. It's the ultimate team sport and it's the ultimate workout. I could go on and on about rowing, but if I had a mere five minutes to convince someone to join, I'd focus on the importance of the team as a whole. Rowing isn't like basketball, or soccer where a few people from the team play for a certain amount of time. There are no substitutes in rowing. The team works together 100% of the time. No questions asked.

Not only does rowing provide you with the chance to work together with every one of your teammates, it also brings everyone together. Your team becomes your second family, and your boathouse becomes your home away from home. You practice with your teammates, you travel with your teammates and you race with your teammates. Everyone becomes very close. You can't necessarily get that with any sport you join.

I decided to write a post about the importance of teammates in spirit of the season. Christmas is a time for all to enjoy family time and to respect what is given to us. It is the same with your rowing team. Enjoy the presence of each and every one of your teammates, because the most unique thing about crew is that everyone works together. There are no all-stars or MVPs. If one person doesn't work, it hinders the whole boat. With rowing, athletes obtain a true sense of the meaning of teamwork, and with it, many life lessons are taught.

Today, I leave you with a blessing for a very happy holiday season.

Have a very merry Christmas/holiday season, and a wonderful and prosperous New Year.

Be sure to check back on the first Friday of the New Year for a special addition of the monthly top 10!

(Photo courtesy of clker.com)

December's Top 10

It's that time again; the first Monday of the month. That means it's time for another top 10. We all know that no rower truly enjoys the tasks that are ahead of them for the winter season (erging, running, lifting, erging....) so I figured I'd make this month's top 10 humorous in attempt to lighten the mood. December's topic?


THE TOP 10 FASHIONS ONLY ROWERS WOULD APPRECIATE:

10. Dirty knee high socks. You know, the ones that are soaked from the river/lake by the end of the day.
9. The ball-of-socks-inside-your-spandex look. Commonly referred to as “the leg tumor.”
8. 1000s of t-shirts that feature the “I’m On A Boat” saying.
7. A (most likely short) individual sporting a gold medal around his or her neck, soaked from head to toe.
6. The all-mighty spandex tan. Period.
5. Socks and flip-flops. Tennis shoes are just too inconvenient when launching on race day. Yes, we all know toe socks would make it that much easier, but that would look weird!
4. Coxswains: Half pale, half tan forehead. Need I say more?
3. Torn up, blistered and calloused hands. Smooth is overrated.
2. High-quality velcro shoes that don’t velcro. It’s all the rage.
1. ONE WORD: UNI!!

I think it's safe to say the aforementioned ten are quite fashionable, but the common public will never really understand unless they join the sport of rowing. I guess you can say it's an inside joke of sorts.

Well, that's all for today. Stop by on the first Friday of January for a brand new top 10. Be sure to start your new year off right!

Today, I leave you with a secret:

If it weren't for the uni, you couldn't do the following. Here it is. If you ever have an extreme need to go to the bathroom, but there is a really long line, take your shirt off, thus revealing your uni, and claim that it is an emergency that you cut in front of everybody to go to the bathroom, because you must launch for your race in less than two minutes. I'm serious, it works.

(Picture courtesy of vespoli.com)