Despite being a newcomer to the sport in his Lower year, Cade Rutkoske ’26 quickly became a leading force in Boys Crew. As Co-Captain, his focus on community and competitive nature relays an impact felt both on and off the water, drawing on focus and an analytical mindset to aid his teammates’ improvement.
Rutkoske initially came to Andover for basketball, discovering crew almost by chance as a new Lower. This decision would eventually shape his experience on campus.
“I was initially recruited to come to Andover for basketball. All season, guys on the Crew team encouraged me to try crew because they thought I could be pretty good at it. I got on the erg a couple of times, and they thought I could enjoy it and have some potential in the sport. I joined the Crew team, and it was a lot of fun. I had never really done crew before. It was a totally new experience,” Rutkoske said.
Rutkoske noted the importance of the “process” in a sport where practice time greatly outweighs the actual race time. Nonetheless, for him, the defining aspect of Crew is the community it fosters.
“[Crew] is a very hard sport by nature, and you are pushed to go to your absolute limits. It really fosters a healthy community where everybody really cares about each other, for themselves and also for the other people, the other eight people in your boat. Another thing about crew is that you only race for [around] 5 minutes, so the practice-to-race ratio is very small. So you learn to fall in love with the process and go to practice every day,” said Rutkoske.
He continued, “With crew, I really felt like I found a place where I felt at home on campus, and I was really received well and brought into the sport. The community was a huge part of what encouraged me to keep coming back, and what initially helped me fall in love with the sport. Determination was really a fun part of crew, and it encouraged me to continue with it. It made me so many friends… and current friends I know I will still be in touch with after I graduate.”
Rutkoske’s teammates recognize his balanced leadership. Nathan Byun ’28 noted Rutkoske’s role in grounding the team and encouraging a positive attitude.
“He really makes sure that the crew team is in a good mood. He always tries to be positive. He really leads by example; he’s one of the best roles on the team,” Byun said.
Cyrus Emami ’28 echoed Byun’s comments, stressing the importance of Rutkoske’s approachability alongside determination.
“He leads by example of hard work. He is always someone you can approach and ask questions… and he is always willing to give you advice to get better. He is there for everybody on the team, whether you are just starting out or you have been rowing for a while,” said Emami.
Chris Lee ’27 noted Rutkoske’s focused impact both on and off the water.
“He is focused on himself in the boat, which you are supposed to be. And when we get back on land, he is really analytical… he will point out things you can improve. He is serious when you need to be serious, but happy when there is time to be happy. That creates a positive environment,” said Lee.
Rutkoske will be attending Georgetown University to compete in Division I collegiate Crew.
