After fighting other collegiate programs for space in the congested Charles River or huddling under pitched tents along the Malden River, Tufts crew now has a room of its own:-a state-of-the-art, $2-million room with a view.
"It's beautiful," men's coach Jay Britt said. "Coming into the season and having this facility to work with is literally a dream come true. It's going to make everything easier."
In past years, rowers lacked even the simplest amenities, like indoor plumbing and a solid, leak-proof roof over their heads. The 4,600-square-foot boathouse, unveiled last January in time for the second half of the 2005-06 season, provides both and more; the first floor houses the boat bays, and the second floor holds the men's and women's locker rooms, the workout room and a meeting room. A balcony wraps around the building's top floor and allows spectators a view of the entire course.
Britt believes this is the beginning of a new era for Tufts crew.
"The boathouse has everything we were missing before; it's a complete 180-degree turnaround from where we were," he said. "Last year, we were half-in, half-out of [the boathouse, and]-the guys would get tired. This year, the crew members can stay there, they can shower in there, loosen up in there, exercise in there, and meet up in there. It changes the whole perspective of the program."
Senior Airlia Ensworthy, co-captain of the women's team, calls the boathouse "the biggest change in the entire program."
"We have our own facility to call ours," she said. "We have access to it during all times of the day."
Ensworthy also sees the boathouse, which is shared between the men's and women's teams, as a common thread uniting Tufts crew.
"It's also going to affect the women's team with the men's team," she said. "In past years, there has always been a big separation between the two teams, but now it will bring the teams together, since we're all together in the same facility."
Aside from its stunning architecture, the boathouse also gives the coaches a centralized area where they can readily maintain their fleet.
"The biggest thing is that we can create a shop where we as coaches can work on boats and keep them in better shape," Britt said. "It will allow us to experiment more on the rigging to see if the boats can go faster."
Britt praised Gary Caldwell, Director of Rowing and the women's coach, for spearheading plans for the boathouse, which was six years in the making.
"Gary really started that project and he has really followed through," Britt said. "Gary was the glue that held everything together. He deserves all the credit in the world for pulling this off. It's the major jewel in his crown."
Now, with a home turf worth protecting, the teams will hit the water in preparation for their first competition, the Textile River Regatta in Lowell, Mass., on Oct. 1. Seniors Jeff Vanderkruik and Tim Pineau will captain a men's team looking to recover from a shaky and inconsistent 2005-06 season. Ensworthy and classmate Faith Hester will head the women's team, which made it's first full-team trip to Nationals last year, posting a fifth-place finish.
Both teams look ahead to successful seasons, especially with the return of seniors who traveled abroad last year.
"We ended up having a very successful season last year, and I look to improving more on that this year," Ensworthy said.
Britt shared Ensworthy's sentiments.
"I'm looking forward to having a good, solid fall season as a foundation of an extremely fast boat in the spring," Britt said. "With the guys coming up from the freshman squad, we have the nucleus to create some speed."
Since the facility gives fans a convenient and comfortable vantage point, Britt believes the new boathouse will bring more spectators on a regular basis, and will integrate the rowing program more into the mainstream of Tufts athletics.
"I think the [rowers] will want to have kids come see [the boathouse], so they will invite people to come watch us," Britt said. "Now we can be a better host than before, when we had the tents. With the wins we will create both on the men's and women's program, we will build a winning tradition at Tufts."
