The Leaderless Lightweights

After Harvard's lightweight crew won the Thames Cup Race at Henley this summer, Coach Joe Brown resigned from his job to give more time to graduate Divinity studies. Although Brown's intention had been known for a long time, the H.A.A. still has not found a replacement.

The crew has been rowing under the tutelage of unsalaried, part-time student and graduate coaches this fall. Brown claims that lack of a coach will not necessarily hurt varsity rowing, but this is a very risky prediction, at best.

It is unfortunate that no athletic official has yet seen his way clear to end a clearly makeshift situation--especially unfortunate since that situation involves one of our best crews in recent years.

Harvard's Athletic Association was one of the first to recognize lightweight crew as a major sport. The numerical division between light and heavyweight oarsmen is now roughly equal. Yet the University continues to offer a 150's coach only the salary of a three-fifths teaching fellow and expects him to handle both freshman and varsity boats, while it employs two permanent, full-time men to coach the heavies.

We agree with the H.A.A. that 150's rowing should not be built up at the expense of the heavyweight crew, and therefore would oppose any move to make the present heavyweight coach responsible for both of the Class of '62 crews.

As long as the H.A.A. lacks the ability to give additional support to this financially unprofitable sport, and agrees not to cut into the heavies' staff, the lightweight crew cannot expect to receive additional coaching strength.

But by this time, the H.A.A. should have made a more effectual attempt to find a permanent coach. Although Joe Brown was an exception, very few graduate students are qualified as crew coaches, and willing to stay on the water until 7:30 p.m. each day for the salary of a part-time teaching fellow.

To attract an able coach, the H.A.A. should make the lightweight position both permanent and full-time, and easily could render this change financially consistent by using the coach during the mornings in a departmental administrative position.