The men's crew team saw this fall season as one of rebuilding and development. But through hard work and a new training strategy, that development happened faster than expected.
The season started off well when both the four- and eight-man crews placed at the Textile River Regatta in Lowell. The four placed fifth, while the eight came in ninth out of 15 crews. Though both crews struggled to maintain the pace that they set early on, members of both boats were happy with their overall performance.
But the season didn't really take off for either crew until the Oct. 14 race at Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester. In heavy winds, the four won its race, and the eight placed seventh in a field of 20. The win was a huge morale boost for the Jumbos.
"It gave us a lot of momentum," junior Robbie Bayless said. "It's a good direction to be headed in, since it's been a while since Tufts has won a fall race. It wasn't a huge race, but it was big for the program to have chalked up a win in the fall season."
The Jumbos wrapped up their fall season by racing in the Head of the Charles, arguably the most widely known regatta in the world. During this race, the experience of the four - made up of senior co-captain Matt Diffey, junior co-captain Nahv Etedali, sophomore Brendan Coggan and Bayless - really showed. The group did remarkably well in its race, placing 15th in a very competitive field of 31 crews despite being the last crew to begin the race, which was started sequentially.
"Starting as the last boat ... meant that in order for us to pass boats we had to work much harder, and that turned into a driving force for us," Etedali said. "The row was good in general; [the boat's] set was great, and so we were able to catch together, which is what we'd been working towards all season."
Unfortunately, the eight couldn't duplicate the four's success, and struggled to a last-place finish in the collegiate eight race.
Yet all things considered, it's hard to imagine this season going much better for the Jumbos. After a disappointing season last fall, the program needed to generate some success. This fall's team answered the call in impressive fashion.
"It's not a real surprise," coach Jay Britt said. "We kept our goals realistic, and I think we met our goals. We realigned our focus on the four, and I think our workouts have paid off tremendously."
But despite the Jumbos' early success, there is still much to be done before the spring season arrives. The first and likely most important step toward continued success is the team's new training method.
Designed by Tufts alum Dr. Dana Sterns (LA '86), the program is tailored to help each individual rower maximize his power on the water. Moreover, this new off-the-water training has allowed the team to focus its time on the water on rowing technique, which will also be a huge factor this spring.
Britt will also need to continue the development of freshman coxswain Josh Aschheim, who is currently the only full-time men's coxswain on the team. Aschheim's experience this fall in key races such as Head of the Charles should make the transition to spring racing much easier.
Finally, the eight must overcome its inexperience and become a force this spring. Though it's no secret that Britt has put his best rowers in the four, the eight still has a great deal of potential. Eights racing is the marquee event of the sport, and the Jumbos' eight will need to improve if the team is to be a legitimate contender come spring season.
