Rogan is a team player

It was early on a rainy, cold day, and Penn lightweight crew was racing Columbia. Alex Rogan had just rowed in the eight-man boat which came up just short. A member of the third four-man boat dropped out because of an injury. Without hesitation, Rogan volunteered to row in that boat so the other three members still would have a chance to compete. Although the four-man boat lost, Rogan fought through to the end. This year's senior captain has proven throughout his illustrious career to be the ultimate teammate. In a sport in which the success of every stroke depends on teamwork, Rogan has risen to the top. Tomorrow, Rogan will lead the lightweight team at the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta, one of the most important races of the season, especially since it is on Penn's home course. Rogan came to Penn never having rowed before. He ran track and cross country and played soccer in high school, but he was looking for something new. He saw a sign for tryouts and he has been with crew ever since. "The best part about crew is the team aspect," Rogan said. "Everything you do is as a team. You are not trying to shine by yourself." Rogan picked up crew very quickly. He had good size for a lightweight rower, being more than six-feet tall and weighing close to the maximum 165 pounds. He also committed to working hard at crew from day one. His dedication paid off almost immediately -- he made the first freshman boat. Since his sophomore year, he has been a member of the first varsity boat. During the summer, Rogan competed as a member of the national pre-elite team. It was an all-star team of college rowers who were picked based on coaches' recommendations and test scores. Rogan rowed on the first boat and won the national championship. "It was a great opportunity to see where I fit in nationally," Rogan said. "It's been really fast from starting crew four years ago to rowing on the national team." Rogan's teammates overwhelmingly elected him captain. "Alex is a great rower," senior commodore Pete Tenicki said. "He is highly regarded by the team." Rogan does not think being captain should cause him to change very much. He still has to perform at a top level and lead by example in the boat. "My role has changed only on land," Rogan said. "There is more goal-setting and you have to try to keep the morale up." So far this season, the team has shown improvement, but it is still not where is wants to be. Rogan thinks the team will progress enough so it can compete with the better teams when crew's main season begins in the spring. "We have a chance to be much better than last year," Rogan said. "We need to harness the talent. The younger guys have a chance to do well." And Rogan will play a big role in determining how well the team does. He will lead as he always has and will not change his methods. Yet coach Bruce Konopka has seen one change in Rogan this year already. "He's working even harder than before, which I didn't think was possible," Konopka said. With Rogan's dedication and team focus, it seems anything is possible for the Quakers this season.