Crew finished their second fall season strong, with all teams successfully finishing in the top three, at their first and only regatta in Greenlake on Nov. 3.
On the men’s side, the four boat crew placed first and the eight boat crew placed second. On the women’s side, the eight boat crew placed second and the four boat crew placed third. These strong finishes may be due to the new coach, Warren North, who said that he set higher expectations for the team this year.
“The main point of this season [was] to get Inglemoor on the map and let [competitors] know that we are a serious run for them,” North said.
While the team did not take part in any competitions last year, which was their inaugural year, North said that he wanted to make it a main focus this season. In addition to the Greenlake regatta, he plans for crew to race other regional teams in the Seattle area throughout the upcoming spring season.
“The number one goal for the team this year is to win the Northwest Regional Championships in May,” North said. “We’d like to bring home a trophy for Inglemoor.”
Returning junior Charlie Richter said that North’s competitive attitude towards the sport has greatly improved the crew team.
“Our last coach really just took it as a recreational [activity],” Richter said. “This year, we might actually be fit for some serious racing.”
In preparation for the Greenlake race, the team practiced for two hours everyday after school. They alternated between practices on the water at Log Boom and on indoor rowing machines.
Senior and team captain Jack Nussbaum said that the new coach set up practice in a way where everyone was able to consistently work hard and improve.
“He’s a lot more organized and disciplined than our last coach and that has been really good for our program,” Nussbaum said. “Practice and the system in general have been more structured, and we get to go on the water a lot more. It’s been more intense, and we’ve gotten in better shape as a team.”
Even after their strong performance on Nov. 3, Nussbaum said that team is working hard to continue improving.
“Getting placed in the top varsity boat is competitive in itself,” he said. “We’re always racing each other if we’re not racing an opponent.”
