final thoughts
Rowing can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people . This is certainly something I ’ ve learnt at GCBC . This means that the question , often asked by bemused housemates wondering why you ’ re walking down those dingy steps to that gloomy garage under the DSU for the tenth time that week , “ why do you row ?”, is a very personal one . And , as someone who hadn ’ t considered rowing before university , it ’ s one that ’ s always been tied to experience .
Rowing can be a frustrating sport . Whether underachieving in an erg performance or losing by centimetres at a regatta , not quite reaching a particular goal is naturally disappointing . Rowing can be an exhausting sport . The perfect storm of land and water sessions , coaching and the third 7 am outing in a row can often mean a morning lecture is spent dozing in and out of dreams ( or nightmares ) of hand heights and roll-ups . And rowing can be freezing . When you ’ re sat at the finish line , drenched in horizontal sleet and the splash of your own attempted catches , rowing has often aligned itself with thoughts of hypothermia . Rowing at GCBC has , however , made one thing clearer above all else . Rowing is not a lonely sport . And this is a feeling that everyone here has helped to create . Indeed , when I think of ergs and regattas , I don ’ t think of the times I ’ ve underperformed ; I think of all the great experiences I ’ ve had with my crews , pushing each other to achieve more and the shared elation and feeling of achievement from the times we have been successful . When I think of morning sessions and the countless hours spent coaching , I don ’ t remember being tired ; I think of watching the freshers ’ technique improve with every session ( despite Schilders ’ best efforts ) and the gleeful pride of watching the squad develop and grow as friends . And I don ’ t remember being cold ; I remember what it was like when I first started rowing , and all the fun experiences I had with what was becoming a really tight group of friends , and the innumerable times I ’ ve smiled or cracked up laughing , from ball to boat camp to just being at the boathouse .
So , weirdly , when I think about rowing , I don ’ t really think about rowing . I think about all the people who ’ ve made my time at GCBC worthwhile , and about all the amazing times I ’ ve had with them . That ’ s why I row . More so than results and prestige , a club is defined by its members . While we may not always agree and can drive each other crazy at times , we should have each other ’ s backs , and we ’ re committed to one another . That ’ s what teams do , and I ’ m proud to call GCBC my team .
Written by Joe Woodward With that , we look forward to seeing you all back in Durham . LOOK OUT FOR ISSUE 2 COMING APRIL 2017 !
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Written by : Tom Fox
GREY COLLEGE BOAT CLUB