Viener leads Hwt. Crew by example

Viener credits coach,Viener credits coach,hard work for hisViener credits coach,hard work for hisrowing success Coming to Penn as an experienced rower from a small, private high school, Hardy Viener quickly realized that rowing at the collegiate level for an Ivy League institution would be a challenge. But with his athletic background and inherent competitive drive, Viener made a smooth transition and is now captain of the Quakers heavyweight crew team as a senior. Although he was raised in Darien, Conn., Viener attended Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts before entering Penn. There he participated in swimming and water polo, and as a sophomore, began his rowing career. Because of his general love of sports and competition, Viener rowed for three years in high school despite the inadequacy of the Deerfield's crew program. But even though Deerfield's equipment, coaching staff and level of competition cannot be compared to Penn's, Viener does believe that the overall exposure he gained to the sport has been beneficial to him since the first day he entered the Penn boathouse on the Schuylkill River. Although Viener was not recruited by Penn specifically for rowing, he knew he was interested in the crew program. He vividly remembers the day when Quakers heavyweight coach Stan Bergman approached him in the boathouse while he was working out after practice as a freshman. Viener was stunned when Bergman took a half hour of his time to help him improve his technique -- something that never happened at Deerfield. Viener said from that day forth, Bergman played a large role in making him the accomplished rower he is today. When Viener began rowing at Penn, his goal for the team was to return Penn to the winner's circle, and he was confident that by being a leader through example he could help make that happen. Apparently his teammates shared his confidence, as they elected him captain this season. "I always wanted to be a leader. Being captain has just made it easier to be one," Viener said. And he has more than fulfilled Bergman's high expectations of him. "Hardy is an excellent captain," Bergman said. "He's the kind of guy you like to have on your team. He's a hard worker, always has a positive attitude and loves to compete." Viener's teammates echo Bergman nearly word for word. "Hardy is doing a great job as captain," Penn coxswain Rob Blumhof said. "He can talk to everyone and sets an example for everyone. When the team is down, he always gets us fired up again." As captain, Viener feels somewhat of a personal responsibility for the general attitude of the team. "A positive attitude is contagious," he said. "When the guys see you lifting weights and working hard, especially the younger ones, it really pumps them up." But Viener admits it is not always easy to maintain an optimistic frame of mind. After struggling through back problems near the end of his freshman year, Penn's poor overall record during his sophomore season did not offer him much encouragement to continue rowing. "Everyone was down," Viener said. "The rowers were down, the staff was down. We had good guys, but we just couldn't put it together. We couldn't win any races. It's tough when you work hard and there's no reward." However, Viener acknowledges the importance of never losing faith. The team trains year round for a select few races, and he knows that if he can stay focussed on his goals and the challenges ahead, it is much easier to continue doing what is necessary to overcome the pains of athletic training. Viener has pursued rowing not only because of the competitive nature of the sport, but also for the strong bonds he has formed with his teammates. "I've been told by rowers in the past that it's not the racing you remember most. Sure you remember the close races, but it's the hanging out and the traveling that you remember more. It's so true," Viener said. While he has kept many team-oriented goals in mind, Viener has not lost sight of the individual goals he set for himself. He feels that over the years he has accomplished his goals -- but one still remains. "My goal is to have nothing left after the last stroke of my last race," Viener said. "I want to give it my all to the point where I never want to touch an oar again."