Teamwork is the key to Crew success

This weekend, while the rest of Penn's student body hangs around campus fraternity parties and the library, the men's heavyweight crew team travels to San Diego to compete in its first race of the spring season. Though crew is not as well-known as other sports on campus, that may be because people do not have an understanding of the strategy involved in rowing. What makes crew a unique sport is there are no stars on the team. In fact, the idea of a star goes against almost everything involved in the sport. Though each member of a boat has a specific role, the decisive factor in succeeding is the group's unity. The stroke, seated at the front of the boat, is the rower who sets the pace for the entire boat; motion starts with him. The most important characteristic of a talented stroke is the ability to maintain a consistent pace. The seven man, who sits behind the stroke, must follow him exactly, or the entire boat will be out of sync. The middle four rowers, more commonly known as "the engine room," serve only one purpose: power. Typically, these are the strongest members on the boat. While the other rowers are more concerned with the unity of the boat, the middle four are primarily concerned with speed. The last two rowers function to make sure everyone in the boat rows in unison. The bowman, or the last man, is the only member who is able to watch the timing of everyone else. Finally, there is one member on the boat who does not row. The coxswain sits in front of the stroke, facing backward. His job is to steer and coach the boat through a race. He dictates, to the stroke, the pace at which he wants to row. Ultimately, he is in charge of the boat.

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