'Cliffe Novice Crew Builds Skills, Togetherness

They're searching for that perfect harmony: the blending of eight bodies into a cohesive unit. They're looking to master a new skill, attain greater endurance. They're learning the importance of cooperation.

The women of Radcliffe's novice crew have spent the past two months immersed in the sport of rowing. Conditioning, instruction and dedication have been central to their experiences.

Sixty women have decided to seriously pursue the sport. The reasons for choosing crew vary among the women, but the feeling they have for their new pasttime is virtually unanimous: they all say they love it.

One of the women says she finds the beauty of the Charles is a great pleasure which "floods all your senses while rowing."

Freshman Daphne Georas says "it's so ultra-preppy rowing for the Radcliffe crew on the Charles River in Cambridge. But it's just something I've always wanted to do, and I love it." Another crew member, Cathy Vance, says "it's a discipline which you try to accomplish; it's an attempt to improve yourself." Another woman says she finds the "physical activity a needed change from the academic life which takes up so much of the rest of the day."

And so for a variety of reason, a variety of women took a sweatsuit, an oar, and a rigorous program of exercise, and began the journey towards competition on the river early this fall. The journey starts with novice crew.

Peter Huntsman leads them in their attempt to learn the crew discipline. Huntsman, in his third year as Radcliffe novice crew coach, calls this year's group "quick to learn."

With about 60 steady members, the novice team is larger this year than it has been in the past. But Huntsman says he is extremely happy about the large turnout because the group is "so energetic."

Dotty Kent and Jackie Backman assist Huntsman in coaching the team. Kent, a captain of the lightweight varsity crew for the last two years, and Backman, a stroker for the U.S. Olympic women's eight team, are part of the apprenticeship program aimed at developing female crew coaches.

Huntsman says "there is a desperate need for women to coach women's crew. A man cannot handle a lot of situations because he is barred from the locker room. He is also just unable to handle some problems simply because he is male."

"In past years, there has been a certain amount of tension due to the separation that existed between a male coach and a female team," says Huntsman. "This year, that tension has not been apparent; but people tend to blame the situation for any problem that may arise."

"Learning to row is the first step," Huntsman says. "We work in the tanks for about three weeks, teaching the girls the basics of the stroke. It's difficult, because the motion is awkward."

Many of the women find that learning the stroke involves a great deal of concentration. But, according to one team member, the strokes are taught very gradually. "The stroke is broken up into its simplest parts, and gradual development makes it easier," she says.

Once they have learned the basics, the women begin to practice on the Charles. During this part of the workout, which a crew member describes as "the most enjoyable part of crew," Huntsman rides the motorized launch. He follows a boat of eight women strokers.

The cox gives the instructions to her boat, and is responsible for its direction and speed. "Contrary to what most people think, the cox does not just sit in the boat and yell, 'stroke,'" says cox Diana Shaw. "I have to know a great deal about rowing so that I can coach the girls and correct any problems that may develop."

Beginning at Weld Boat House, the women row about four miles up and down the Charles. At this relatively early point in the year, Huntsman says he is "stressing form and technique rather than speed or power." He has the women row at half- or three-quarter speed for much of the workout

Huntsman spends the entire hour standing in the launch, pointing out any mistakes the women are making. He instructs them on how to correct their strokes, and says he encourages the boat to "stick together."

The women, Huntsman says, become totally engrossed in their work as Huntsman reminds them to "control the stroke, watch the blade height, develop a sense of where your power comes from."

He also throws in an occasional humorous remark to break up the tedium of the practice. Freshman June Kinoshita recalls Huntsman's story of the "notorious flashers who hide behind the bridges and await the arrival of the Radcliffe crew."

After this hour of exertion, the women leave the boat ready for the "hard part" of the practice. Post-rows are the "killers" which "really make you ache," according to one rower.

The team members work on a scheduled program of independent post-row exercises, designed to build up their endurance and strength. The exercises consist of calisthenics, weight training, running a four-mile course, or yet another form of torture.

The last post-row, at Harvard stadium, is the team's nemesis. The exercise there involves running up and down the stadium's steps. "It's hard to do because we have short legs," Georas says. "The steps in the stadium were made for the big Harvard jocks, not for human beings."

Yet most of the women agree that the "torture" has produced results. Many have found a definite improvement in their endurance and in the muscular development of their legs and biceps. Others are pleased to find they can eat more food and not gain much weight.

These benefits are augmented by what one woman describes as "the chance to meet and work with many new people. In crew, I meet a lot of people who I would probably otherwise never meet in my years at Harvard," Shaw says. "It's great to see people during the day who you can talk with about a common interest."

Freshman Julie Cobb describes crew as involving a "strange sort of team interaction."

"In the boat you are really concentrating on your own actions, but you have a strange sense of togetherness with the rest of the team," she adds.

Shaw also mentions another benefit of crew: "Many of the women on the team never had the chance to get extensively involved in a sport throughout high school. Crew is a chance for many of us to experience the jock life that is associated with sports."

So even as the autumn leaves turn to winter snow, and the waters of the river grow icy, the women of Radcliffe's novice crew team continue climbing steps and navigating the Charles.

When the dead of winter hits, they will move inside Weld to work in the tanks; but spring will bring them out of their hibernations and into competition.

And as Radcliffe's varsity crew tunes up for the competitive season, Huntsman says he will continue urging the women on. "I want to see eight bodies, minds and hearts all working together and thinking together," he says.