Despite having its first two races of the season cancelled, Boys Crew put up a strong performance at its home course against Deerfield, St. John’s, and Boston College High School to kick off its season. The team had its first race, with many new athletes and returners on the water, getting back into the swing of the racing season.
Gavin Freeman ’26 noted how focused the environment was at the race and practices leading up to the meet. He mentioned how some of the rowers who were able to work out during the winter have now seen visible results on the water.
“[In] my boat, we were all very focused and calm because we were excited, and the atmosphere was quiet, but in a good way. The team has, at practice, just been really focused. During the winter, I know many guys were hungry for boat position and many were erging. It’s nice to see how that all translated onto the water,” said Freeman.
According to Nathan Neu ’26, the boats have been focusing on working as a team. Neu stressed the importance of rowing as a unit and teamwork over personal goals.
“We have made sure that everybody in the boat is working together and that everything we do contributes to the boat getting faster, not just our stroke or the set of the boat. While the set of the boat might be a big problem, as long as we focus on making the boat faster, in time, it’ll get better,” Neu said.
Neu highlighted Captain Luke Francis ’25, who was in his boat for the race. Francis was able to keep the mood up and stay composed during the spontaneous and challenging racing situations, specifically when the boat lost control of an oar, also known as “catching a crab.”
“Our captain, Luke Francis, was in my boat, boat two, and pushed us through the second race. Many of us were down after the first race, losing to Deerfield by a wide margin. Also, because our coach made a switch, a seat changed in the boat, which doesn’t usually happen between races. Luke kept all our spirits up and encouraged us to push through, especially when we caught a crab. He led the coxswain through it when they weren’t too sure what to do,” said Neu.
New rower Chris Lee ’27 recalled a memorable moment when his boat clashed oars with another boat, causing the boat to slow down as his oar got stuck in the water. Although he did not expect this, Lee explained how he tried to tackle the issue.
“One thing I did not prepare for was when my oar got slammed down during the race. It was very difficult and demoralizing. I was rushing to get it up and couldn’t go at the speed we were going. That just mentally shut me down. Then, the second I got it out, I was back,” said Lee.
Freeman added that the team has been bonding with small traditions such as cheers and music. Moreover, helping each other’s boats to get on and off the water faster has kept practices efficient and supportive.
“We have many traditions at practice, and that helps the team community a lot. We have our cheer, ‘One, two blue, three, four focus, five, six sensation.’ It includes all the guys, and it is just really fun and pretty goofy. Then, when one boat gets in, I’ll help that boat get in first, try to get the oars, and be productive to keep it moving,” said Freeman.
The team will race against Hanover and Bedford on Saturday.
