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