Hello everybody! This is my first post here, although I've been reading this forum since I started rowing. Thanks for all the great information already!
So, I joined my high school crew as a senior during winter training in January of this year. I went from practically no physical activity to the incredible daily intensity of a competitive rowing program. I absolutely loved it, and am now completely hooked on everything rowing. I started training to row in the men's varsity lightweight 4+ at 6'1", 130lbs, and pulling about 8:50 on my first 2k. By Canadian nationals and the end of the season in May, I was 6'2, 165lbs, and pulling +/- 7:00 on 2k.
Now I am rowing varsity in college. However, the program here is very much lacking even in comparison to my high school crew. For this and other reasons, I am going to be transferring to another school next fall. Given the lack of centrally-organized collegiate rowing for men, it has been difficult to find any great deal of information regarding the quality of various programs, scholarship and involvement information, and perhaps most importantly to me now, performance benchmarks for collegiate rowers.
Hence, does anybody have any insight regarding competitive erg times for lightweight and/or heavyweight varsity men? Looking at CRASH-B results for this year, some schools with at least decently competitive crews (from what I gather), such as Amherst, Drexel, NYU, Harvard and Penn State, had lightweight varsity rowers pulling in some cases well above 6:30. In my last 2k some months ago, I pulled a 6:55 or so. Within the next two months, I anticipate breaking 6:48 or better. Would this be considered a competitive time for a sophomore lightweight varsity rower at a top rowing program in the U.S.? I know there is more to rowing than erging (of course!). So from what I've been told by a number of my coaches, I do generally have the technique down (e.g., feather early, good ratio, drive with the legs, long reach, fluid motion) although of course technique can and should always be refined!
Additionally, I find myself in a very difficult position with the crew "club" here. We (the whole handful of us...) spent practically the entire fall season rowing on the water, with the occasional 6k or 10k. So I decided early on to practice daily on my own, which is a very difficult task indeed, especially with long and numerous UT1 and sprint pieces. The lack of coaching, coxswaining and camaraderie amongst the crew has led me to decide not to join the team for their 3-days-a-week "winter training" in favor of mixed personal training 7 days a week. I am completely determined to improve my rowing fitness to the highest level possible, but I simply have to know where I need to be in terms of erg times to row with great programs so that I can get there. Now without a coach or a coxswain or a seriously competitive crew, that is the best motivation I can have, I think. Finally, if I am to afford a top school with a top rowing program (which is what I am seeking), then scholarship consideration would be essential. Hence, I am ready to train to whatever ends necessary.
Thank you in advance,
Phil
P.S. I have a lot of questions built up regarding rowing and collegiate rowing... but I don't want to ask them all and scare everybody off just yet :-p
Competitive College Rowing
I assume your Canadian, and i know nothing about Canadian schools. But, in any case, check out the results from the national or big regattas and see what schools have good programs and then call up the coaches and talk to them. You'll find out who is interested, and you will likely find a few who are helpful even if they have no interest in you joining their team.
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Rowan11088
- Paddler
- Posts: 24
- Joined: September 25th, 2007, 12:24 pm
Hey Phil. I'm a college senior varsity rower (heavyweight though), I can probably give you some advice on this. Of course, your academics are going to matter a fair amount in terms of what schools are likely candidates, but I'll leave that consideration to you. If you want to find a competitive school, as someone else said, check the results for the IRA or Eastern Sprints regattas, all of the schools there are very competitive, some slightly more than others.
As to your 2k, I'd say you'll want to be around 6:40 or lower if you really want some 'help' getting into a school based on your rowing. Our lightweights are extremely good, and their best guy pulled below 6:20 last year, with the pack mostly between 6:30 and 6:40. You definitely can be in that area if you're 6'2.
As to your 2k, I'd say you'll want to be around 6:40 or lower if you really want some 'help' getting into a school based on your rowing. Our lightweights are extremely good, and their best guy pulled below 6:20 last year, with the pack mostly between 6:30 and 6:40. You definitely can be in that area if you're 6'2.
Low Pull: 1:15, 500: 1:26, 2k: 6:36, 6k: 21:24, 10k: 36:58
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Jamie Pfeffer
- 2k Poster
- Posts: 250
- Joined: December 9th, 2006, 10:30 pm
- Location: New York City
Hi. Congratulations on your great progress. And I admire your dedication. So I'll offer whatever (limited) insight I have.
I rowed lightweight with Georgetown. Because I graduated over 10 years ago, I'll have to estimate the 2K scores in our various boats; I don't remember exactly.
First Varsity: The stroke was a guy called Conal Groom (he rowed for the U.S.A. in Sydney). His 2K was around 6:00. Unfortunately, because we couldn't clone him, the other scores were not as fast. The other seven were all around 6:30, from about 6:25 or 6:27 to 6:35 or 6:36. Removing Conal from the equation, the average was probably 6:33 or 6:32.
Second Varsity:
Stroke: Around 6:40
7: 6:45
6: 6:48
5: 6:48
4: 7:05
3: 6:31
2: 6:55
Bow: 6:55
I believe that times are probably faster now than they were then. For one thing, the ergs are better now. Concept 2 introduced the Model C in my junior year. That improved everyone's time. So I assume that the D would have the same effect. To me, the biggest difference is the PM3's and 4's ability to to tell the rower what the projected finishing time will be. Because we didn't have that when I was in school, it was common to see people pull scores such as 6:40.5. If the rower had a modern monitor, he probably would have adjusted his pace to hit 6:39.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions. I'm sure that you'll enjoy great success wherever you row. As a closing bit of advice, raise your grades as high as you can. Part of what makes lightweight rowing special, is the correlation between fast crews and highly-ranked schools, such as Harvard, Yale, Princeton, etc.
You're at a very exciting point in your life. Enjoy it. Good luck with everything.
Best,
Jamie
jamiepfeffer@optonline.net.
I rowed lightweight with Georgetown. Because I graduated over 10 years ago, I'll have to estimate the 2K scores in our various boats; I don't remember exactly.
First Varsity: The stroke was a guy called Conal Groom (he rowed for the U.S.A. in Sydney). His 2K was around 6:00. Unfortunately, because we couldn't clone him, the other scores were not as fast. The other seven were all around 6:30, from about 6:25 or 6:27 to 6:35 or 6:36. Removing Conal from the equation, the average was probably 6:33 or 6:32.
Second Varsity:
Stroke: Around 6:40
7: 6:45
6: 6:48
5: 6:48
4: 7:05
3: 6:31
2: 6:55
Bow: 6:55
I believe that times are probably faster now than they were then. For one thing, the ergs are better now. Concept 2 introduced the Model C in my junior year. That improved everyone's time. So I assume that the D would have the same effect. To me, the biggest difference is the PM3's and 4's ability to to tell the rower what the projected finishing time will be. Because we didn't have that when I was in school, it was common to see people pull scores such as 6:40.5. If the rower had a modern monitor, he probably would have adjusted his pace to hit 6:39.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions. I'm sure that you'll enjoy great success wherever you row. As a closing bit of advice, raise your grades as high as you can. Part of what makes lightweight rowing special, is the correlation between fast crews and highly-ranked schools, such as Harvard, Yale, Princeton, etc.
You're at a very exciting point in your life. Enjoy it. Good luck with everything.
Best,
Jamie
jamiepfeffer@optonline.net.
Rowan11088
Thanks! That helps a lot. I didn't even have a rough idea of what times collegiate lightweights pull.
Because you are one, do you think you could give me an idea about competitive rowing as a heavyweight? Like I said, I am 6'2, and I appear to be growing upwards still. I was lifting regularly with minimal cardio aside from "recreational" rowing over this past summer and peaked at a bit over 175lbs. The gains seemed almost entirely to be lean mass. But I lost all of that when I came to college as a result of no longer working upper body as much, getting back into running, running stairs, doing circuits and erging, as well as absolutely abhorrent and nutritionally-lacking food on campus. Oddly enough, I seem to have maintained roughly the same power output on an erg now as I did over the summer despite my reduced weight. In any case, I cannot decide whether or not to "go" heavyweight or remain lightweight. I am a "natural" lightweight, as in I easily maintain <165lbs. But as demonstrated, with a good strength program and proper muscle-building nutrition, I was able to approach 180lbs from 165lbs over the course of a few months. This season I have been content rowing as a lightweight so I've stayed in that weight range. However, if I keep growing vertically, then I feel my progress as a lightweight may be limited in terms of additional muscle mass and power that I can accumulate. But, of course, a 6'2 166lb rower is a very light heavyweight rower, right? Even in terms of height, isn't 6'2 not very tall for a heavyweight?
At least for the rest of this year, I think rowing lightweight would be the best option for me until I get my times down and am officially no longer a novice in the early spring! Although, I should note that the few rowers and some sort of ridiculous performance-hindering hierarchy on the crew here ensure that we don't field lightweight boats, even when we could, which has led and will lead to absolute decimation in openweight heats.
Again, thanks rowan11088!
Thanks! That helps a lot. I didn't even have a rough idea of what times collegiate lightweights pull.
Because you are one, do you think you could give me an idea about competitive rowing as a heavyweight? Like I said, I am 6'2, and I appear to be growing upwards still. I was lifting regularly with minimal cardio aside from "recreational" rowing over this past summer and peaked at a bit over 175lbs. The gains seemed almost entirely to be lean mass. But I lost all of that when I came to college as a result of no longer working upper body as much, getting back into running, running stairs, doing circuits and erging, as well as absolutely abhorrent and nutritionally-lacking food on campus. Oddly enough, I seem to have maintained roughly the same power output on an erg now as I did over the summer despite my reduced weight. In any case, I cannot decide whether or not to "go" heavyweight or remain lightweight. I am a "natural" lightweight, as in I easily maintain <165lbs. But as demonstrated, with a good strength program and proper muscle-building nutrition, I was able to approach 180lbs from 165lbs over the course of a few months. This season I have been content rowing as a lightweight so I've stayed in that weight range. However, if I keep growing vertically, then I feel my progress as a lightweight may be limited in terms of additional muscle mass and power that I can accumulate. But, of course, a 6'2 166lb rower is a very light heavyweight rower, right? Even in terms of height, isn't 6'2 not very tall for a heavyweight?
At least for the rest of this year, I think rowing lightweight would be the best option for me until I get my times down and am officially no longer a novice in the early spring! Although, I should note that the few rowers and some sort of ridiculous performance-hindering hierarchy on the crew here ensure that we don't field lightweight boats, even when we could, which has led and will lead to absolute decimation in openweight heats.
Again, thanks rowan11088!
Hey Jamie, thanks a lot for your input!
Georgetown is actually my top choice at this point! I'm looking to major in some facet of international studies as well as the classics as a pre-law student, and the programs at the Edmund A. Walsh School of International Affairs seem a perfect fit.
Were many of the oarsmen in the varsity 8+s upperclassmen? I am told that as of yet and until April, I am still a "novice." I do wonder how that would effect a coaches' consideration of me if I can get to 6:40 or so. Of course, I'll have to ask coaches that.
Additionally, you list the times for the two varsity 8+s. I'm not entirely sure how the boating process works at a competitive collegiate level. Would there be 4+s or other boats made up of other rowers not boated in the varsity 8+s, would the 8+s be broken up into 4+s, or are the smaller boats just not given that much consideration?
Thanks a lot!
Phil
Georgetown is actually my top choice at this point! I'm looking to major in some facet of international studies as well as the classics as a pre-law student, and the programs at the Edmund A. Walsh School of International Affairs seem a perfect fit.
Were many of the oarsmen in the varsity 8+s upperclassmen? I am told that as of yet and until April, I am still a "novice." I do wonder how that would effect a coaches' consideration of me if I can get to 6:40 or so. Of course, I'll have to ask coaches that.
Additionally, you list the times for the two varsity 8+s. I'm not entirely sure how the boating process works at a competitive collegiate level. Would there be 4+s or other boats made up of other rowers not boated in the varsity 8+s, would the 8+s be broken up into 4+s, or are the smaller boats just not given that much consideration?
Thanks a lot!
Phil
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Rowan11088
- Paddler
- Posts: 24
- Joined: September 25th, 2007, 12:24 pm
Phil,
Making the choice between heavyweight and lightweight can definitely be difficult, especially for someone like you who's young and still growing. However, I can say without a doubt that unless you sprout up to 6'5'', you're always going to be a 'better' lightweight than a heavyweight. In my 4 years of college rowing, I've never seen anyone transform themselves from gaining lean mass. It can improve your scores somewhat, but departing too much from your natural physique will ruin your power to weight ratio. Your 2k would have to be 10-15 seconds faster as a heavy (6:15-6:25) to be similarly competitive, and just lifting some weights isn't going to deliver that.
That being said, I think heavyweight is a lot more fun, since you can eat whatever you want
Not to mention getting beefy and fat over the summer.
Making the choice between heavyweight and lightweight can definitely be difficult, especially for someone like you who's young and still growing. However, I can say without a doubt that unless you sprout up to 6'5'', you're always going to be a 'better' lightweight than a heavyweight. In my 4 years of college rowing, I've never seen anyone transform themselves from gaining lean mass. It can improve your scores somewhat, but departing too much from your natural physique will ruin your power to weight ratio. Your 2k would have to be 10-15 seconds faster as a heavy (6:15-6:25) to be similarly competitive, and just lifting some weights isn't going to deliver that.
That being said, I think heavyweight is a lot more fun, since you can eat whatever you want
Not to mention getting beefy and fat over the summer.Low Pull: 1:15, 500: 1:26, 2k: 6:36, 6k: 21:24, 10k: 36:58
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Jamie Pfeffer
- 2k Poster
- Posts: 250
- Joined: December 9th, 2006, 10:30 pm
- Location: New York City
Hi, Phil. I graduated from the School of Foreign Service (SFS). I enjoyed it very much and believe that it prepared me well for law school. Because I wanted to move back north, I didn't take advantage of the joint-degree program between the SFS and the G-Town law school. It's a nice option because you can earn both degrees in five or six years, instead of seven.
If I understand correctly, you're planning to transfer for the second semester of your freshman year. If so, you won't be allowed to row varsity until your sophomore year. Instead, you would join the freshman crew. for a freshman lightweight, 6:40 is quite fast.
In the Eastern Association of Rowing Colleges (EARC) -- the league whose lightweight teams are the Ivy League schools (minus Brown) plus MIT, Georgetown, Navy, and various others depending on the year -- crews focus much more on 8s than they do on 4s. They always have. Generally, the faster the crew, the more the "first boat" will comprise upperclassmen. Of course, talented oarsman can make the top boat as a sophomore, but it's unusual. With us, for example, no senior in our team could have kept out Conal when he was a sophomore (or a toddler). He was that fast.
Because it's difficult to make a good living through rowing, attend the best school you can -- even if that means you might have to row in a "3V" as a sophomore or a "2V" as a junior. Your time will come. If your shirt says "Harvard" on it, it's worth wearing it, even if you don't make the first boat until your senior year. You will still have a tremendous collegiate experience, make great friends, impress law school acceptance committees, and appreciate your decision for the rest of your life.
Best,
Jamie
If I understand correctly, you're planning to transfer for the second semester of your freshman year. If so, you won't be allowed to row varsity until your sophomore year. Instead, you would join the freshman crew. for a freshman lightweight, 6:40 is quite fast.
In the Eastern Association of Rowing Colleges (EARC) -- the league whose lightweight teams are the Ivy League schools (minus Brown) plus MIT, Georgetown, Navy, and various others depending on the year -- crews focus much more on 8s than they do on 4s. They always have. Generally, the faster the crew, the more the "first boat" will comprise upperclassmen. Of course, talented oarsman can make the top boat as a sophomore, but it's unusual. With us, for example, no senior in our team could have kept out Conal when he was a sophomore (or a toddler). He was that fast.
Because it's difficult to make a good living through rowing, attend the best school you can -- even if that means you might have to row in a "3V" as a sophomore or a "2V" as a junior. Your time will come. If your shirt says "Harvard" on it, it's worth wearing it, even if you don't make the first boat until your senior year. You will still have a tremendous collegiate experience, make great friends, impress law school acceptance committees, and appreciate your decision for the rest of your life.
Best,
Jamie
Rowan11088
Thanks again for the input! Yea, it seems like I'm in a tricky place in terms of height. From what I gather, I am pretty tall for a lightweight (http://home.hia.no/~stephens/eliteerg.htm), but pretty short for a heavyweight. I would LOVE to get to 6'4 or 6'5. I seem to be on my way, at least... I've grown 1.1" in 10 months. I don't know where this whole growth spurt thing came from. All I do is eat and sleep anymore (again)!
Oddly enough, even though I'm a lightweight, it seems as if I can basically eat whatever I want too. I've got such a ridiculous metabolism...
Phil
Thanks again for the input! Yea, it seems like I'm in a tricky place in terms of height. From what I gather, I am pretty tall for a lightweight (http://home.hia.no/~stephens/eliteerg.htm), but pretty short for a heavyweight. I would LOVE to get to 6'4 or 6'5. I seem to be on my way, at least... I've grown 1.1" in 10 months. I don't know where this whole growth spurt thing came from. All I do is eat and sleep anymore (again)!
Oddly enough, even though I'm a lightweight, it seems as if I can basically eat whatever I want too. I've got such a ridiculous metabolism...
Phil
Jamie,
Errr, sorry, I meant I'm interested in the international affairs programs at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service -- no offense! I heard that the curricula are very rigorous in each of the areas of study. Were you still able to dedicate a lot of time to rowing? I will definitely look into the joint-degree program!
I'm actually going to finish my freshman year at Case, literally only because it is highly recommended or even required for transfer to the most competitive schools. It will be difficult dealing with the training on my own, but the information provided here in response to my inquiries certainly provided me with some motivational direction. I will likely need it, as I'm trying to schedule for nine to eleven workouts per week. So, I would just be rowing varsity next year, right?
The correlation between top academics and rowing is extremely attractive to me. The greatest consideration for why I want to row with top programs is that when I began rowing in the spring of my senior year in high school, I found a new source of focus. In my limited experience even thus far, rowing provides tremendous benefits to various physical and mental dimensions. The overall focus, dedication, competition and attention to detail involved with rowing translate into other aspects of life for me as a student. It seems to me that one does not know a college until one experiences it first hand for more than a few visits. This school is a not a good fit for me, perhaps largely because of the lack of a structured and successful rowing program and an unchallenging non-engineering curriculum. Hence, I am looking upwards in terms of both academics and crew. Hopefully this time around I'll find the right place, and perhaps Georgetown is that place.
Again, thank you for your insight!
Phil
Errr, sorry, I meant I'm interested in the international affairs programs at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service -- no offense! I heard that the curricula are very rigorous in each of the areas of study. Were you still able to dedicate a lot of time to rowing? I will definitely look into the joint-degree program!
I'm actually going to finish my freshman year at Case, literally only because it is highly recommended or even required for transfer to the most competitive schools. It will be difficult dealing with the training on my own, but the information provided here in response to my inquiries certainly provided me with some motivational direction. I will likely need it, as I'm trying to schedule for nine to eleven workouts per week. So, I would just be rowing varsity next year, right?
The correlation between top academics and rowing is extremely attractive to me. The greatest consideration for why I want to row with top programs is that when I began rowing in the spring of my senior year in high school, I found a new source of focus. In my limited experience even thus far, rowing provides tremendous benefits to various physical and mental dimensions. The overall focus, dedication, competition and attention to detail involved with rowing translate into other aspects of life for me as a student. It seems to me that one does not know a college until one experiences it first hand for more than a few visits. This school is a not a good fit for me, perhaps largely because of the lack of a structured and successful rowing program and an unchallenging non-engineering curriculum. Hence, I am looking upwards in terms of both academics and crew. Hopefully this time around I'll find the right place, and perhaps Georgetown is that place.
Again, thank you for your insight!
Phil
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Jamie Pfeffer
- 2k Poster
- Posts: 250
- Joined: December 9th, 2006, 10:30 pm
- Location: New York City
Ok, Phil. This is uncanny. I'm a 6'2" lightweight graduate of the Georgetown School of Foreign Service (I don't think I have hear the name "Edmund Walsh" since I wrote my application 100 years ago). My mother lives in Shaker Heights and is the college counselor at Laurel School. I work for the New York office of a Cleveland-based law firm. At Case, you may have met some of her former students. But, for some reason, they all seem to leave Cleveland and attend college (anywhere) elsewhere.
When you get a chance, e-mail me: jamiepfeffer@optonline. I'm invested now in your career -- too many similarities. Let's figure out how to maximize your chances of getting into Georgetown. Georgetown receives transfer applications warmly.
Best,
Jamie
When you get a chance, e-mail me: jamiepfeffer@optonline. I'm invested now in your career -- too many similarities. Let's figure out how to maximize your chances of getting into Georgetown. Georgetown receives transfer applications warmly.
Best,
Jamie
If I may revive this with some new material...
First, an update:
So it's transfer application time. Things are going ok. My last semester saw a 3.83GPA with 18 credit hours -- one "B," and by a fraction of a percent!
I saw a personal best of 6:49 at the end of the head season. By mid-march or so, I may pull another 2k -- I had a month off of the erg during my winter break when I had some major back pain, but now I am recovered. My goal is 6:48, which would entail a great deal of re-gaining ground lost after a month of incapacitation. I honestly think sub-6:40 is possible by June, if not better. I also think sub-18:15 5k and sub 22:30 are possible, if not better.
The rowing program at school has been at its worst. There was a poor showing at the Pittsburgh Sprints ergatta, the head season provided no medals, and there may not even be a crew in the spring. So, I don't know if I'm rowing with a team or not. This is just further motivation to find an appropriate rowing program.
But... establishing communication with crew coaches has proved exceedingly difficult. I tried to make contact with several coaches, including the lightweight coaches at Georgetown, Cornell, Penn, Vassar, Colgate, and Dartmouth among others. I got a first response from the Georgetown coach, but nothing further; I got some form akin to the Common App Athletic Supplement forwarded from the Penn coach -- not what I was looking for; and otherwise, I got no response at all. Interesting... and frustrating.
Next:
Again thanks to Jamie and Rowan for previously posting some times. But more specifically, I wonder if anybody could provide times for freshman rowers? If I could potentially find my way into a second or third varsity boat with my current time, which is still dropping at a decent pace, then I imagine I could sit well with a decent freshman boat?
Also, Rowan, just out of curiosity, do you mind if I ask which school you row for?
Thanks,
Phil
First, an update:
So it's transfer application time. Things are going ok. My last semester saw a 3.83GPA with 18 credit hours -- one "B," and by a fraction of a percent!
I saw a personal best of 6:49 at the end of the head season. By mid-march or so, I may pull another 2k -- I had a month off of the erg during my winter break when I had some major back pain, but now I am recovered. My goal is 6:48, which would entail a great deal of re-gaining ground lost after a month of incapacitation. I honestly think sub-6:40 is possible by June, if not better. I also think sub-18:15 5k and sub 22:30 are possible, if not better.
The rowing program at school has been at its worst. There was a poor showing at the Pittsburgh Sprints ergatta, the head season provided no medals, and there may not even be a crew in the spring. So, I don't know if I'm rowing with a team or not. This is just further motivation to find an appropriate rowing program.
But... establishing communication with crew coaches has proved exceedingly difficult. I tried to make contact with several coaches, including the lightweight coaches at Georgetown, Cornell, Penn, Vassar, Colgate, and Dartmouth among others. I got a first response from the Georgetown coach, but nothing further; I got some form akin to the Common App Athletic Supplement forwarded from the Penn coach -- not what I was looking for; and otherwise, I got no response at all. Interesting... and frustrating.
Next:
Again thanks to Jamie and Rowan for previously posting some times. But more specifically, I wonder if anybody could provide times for freshman rowers? If I could potentially find my way into a second or third varsity boat with my current time, which is still dropping at a decent pace, then I imagine I could sit well with a decent freshman boat?
Also, Rowan, just out of curiosity, do you mind if I ask which school you row for?
Thanks,
Phil
19, 86kg, 155cm
[img]http://www.c2ctc.com/sigs/img1218138029.png[/img]
[img]http://www.c2ctc.com/sigs/img1218138029.png[/img]
Phil,
I am a senior in high school and recently experianced the recruiting process. I was accually accepted to Trinity College today, under the early decision 2 option, where I will be rowing next year.
I have had the chance to see some of the other recruits erg times, but keep in mind that Trinity doesent have a light weight team. Most were between 6:30 and 6:40, with a few varied. Although Trin is a DIII NESCAC school, they always put out a very competative crew, often beating many DI teams.
I think if you can hit 6:40 by next fall you will be fine. Also, the training routine of a serious college crew team will help drop your times by who knows how much, in prep for the spring season, the most important time of the year.
good luck.
I am a senior in high school and recently experianced the recruiting process. I was accually accepted to Trinity College today, under the early decision 2 option, where I will be rowing next year.
I have had the chance to see some of the other recruits erg times, but keep in mind that Trinity doesent have a light weight team. Most were between 6:30 and 6:40, with a few varied. Although Trin is a DIII NESCAC school, they always put out a very competative crew, often beating many DI teams.
I think if you can hit 6:40 by next fall you will be fine. Also, the training routine of a serious college crew team will help drop your times by who knows how much, in prep for the spring season, the most important time of the year.
good luck.
Trinity College Rowing 2012
WSRC
WSRC
Phil,
One thing you might want to do is go to a rowing camp this summer. A coach would much rather have a rower who rows very well then someone who is poor or mediocre with a better erg score.
Your erg scores will really help, but rowing well will help more. Ergs don't float.
A week or two at Craftsbury will likely help more then dropping 5 seconds off your erg time. (note that it is expensive and craftsbury is primarily a sculling camp. However even if you don't have someone to sweep row with, the sculling will transfer to sweep better then vice versa).
The other thing is to consider how good of a program you want. DO you want a program that will win the nationals or just a good solid team. Trinity is excellent. My alma mater, Wesleyan just down river in Middletown CT has been doing pretty well recently and has a good coach, but is a division III school. IF you go you will be on the team no question, and the school is second to none.
One thing you might want to do is go to a rowing camp this summer. A coach would much rather have a rower who rows very well then someone who is poor or mediocre with a better erg score.
Your erg scores will really help, but rowing well will help more. Ergs don't float.
A week or two at Craftsbury will likely help more then dropping 5 seconds off your erg time. (note that it is expensive and craftsbury is primarily a sculling camp. However even if you don't have someone to sweep row with, the sculling will transfer to sweep better then vice versa).
The other thing is to consider how good of a program you want. DO you want a program that will win the nationals or just a good solid team. Trinity is excellent. My alma mater, Wesleyan just down river in Middletown CT has been doing pretty well recently and has a good coach, but is a division III school. IF you go you will be on the team no question, and the school is second to none.