The team getting ready to take to the water.
River in northern Virginia was very scenic.“ It was a very curvy course with trees on either side,” he says.
Boettger adds that rowing has provided a lot of memorable experiences, such as when his team won first place in a semifinal qualifier for a national competition last year. The race was at Dillon Lake in central Ohio, and Boettger says he expected to do well but did not expect to finish first. The team members had to push themselves to their physical limits in order to pass the leading boat. As he became more fatigued, Boettger just wanted the race to end.
“ You don’ t even feel or hear anything anymore because you are in the moment,” he explains.“ When we got first, that was probably the happiest I have ever been. After we put in the boat, we ran out and jumped into the lake!”
Boettger notes that although rowing used to be popular in America, not many people know about it. He hopes it will become more popular thanks to books like“ The Boys in the Boat,” which is about an American rowing team that won the gold medal at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. The book is also set to be made into a movie.
Rowing was very popular in Pittsburgh before industrialization and pollution increased in the late 19th century. In 1860 there were at least 11 rowing clubs and a championship race offered more than $ 15,000 in cash prizes.
Elke Caldart, president of the Upper St. Clair Rowing Association, says the team will benefit from the sport’ s growing popularity. The association sent out 1,500 postcards to families in Upper St. Clair with children in middle and high school. It is also organizing camps to teach middle school children the basics of rowing.“ We really need to get younger people involved,” Caldart says.
Like Boettger, Caldart’ s son tried other sports before joining the rowing association but didn’ t get to play much. However, because he worked hard during rowing practice, he became team captain as a senior. Caldart says any students in Upper St. Clair can join the team and compete:“ There are no‘ benchwarmers.’”
Rowing is a very physically demanding sport but it is also very safe because it is low-impact.“ Pound for pound, rowers are the strongest athletes on Earth,” Caldart says.“ They work every muscle, head to toe.” Teamwork is also very important, and team members quickly become friends.“ Everyone has to row in unison so you have to work together,” Caldart explains.“ We spend so much time together we’ re really a family.”
Joining the rowing association is a big commitment because rowers practice five days a week for four hours. They compete in the spring, fall and winter, and practice on indoor rowing machines when cold weather hits.“ If you don’ t already have them, you will develop excellent time management skills,” Caldart says.
In addition to new members, the rowing association is also seeking sponsors and donations. The Upper St. Clair Community Foundation recently gave the association a $ 2,500 grant for purchase of a new boat, known as a“ shell.” However, a four-person boat was recently damaged when it struck a submerged log. The boats are made from fiberglass and a second-hand, fully equipped four-person boat can cost between $ 10,000 and $ 20,000. The association holds fundraisers but it takes a long time to save up enough money to buy a new shell.
“ That’ s a lot of pie sales,” Caldart laughs. n
Christening of new rowing shell, The Invictus, during senior recognition ceremony on May 23, 2016 at the Crowne Plaza.
For more information on the USC Rowing Association, go to uscrowing. org.
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