Wisconsin wins crew nationals

Parents Forum
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<p>With team of real students.</p>

<p>From the Philly Enquirer</p>

<p>"Walters is part of a rather unusual championship crew. All of them are American born in an era when most of the top boats have international rowers. Five of them are walk-ons. The average weight of the rowers is 187 pounds, light by today’s standard. And, Clark said, it wasn’t until he inserted twins Ross and Grant James into the boat that it became a championship-caliber one.</p>

<p>“Five walk-ons,” Clark said. “At Wisconsin, it’s not unusual, but compared to the rest of the teams, it just doesn’t happen.”</p>

<p>After the victory, the Badgers followed tradition by tossing their coxswain, Adam Barhamand, into the river. In addition to Walters and the James twins, rowers in the Wisconsin boat were Joe McMullin, Max Goff, Ed Newman, Zach Krupp and Derek Rasmussen.</p>

<p>It was a big day overall for Wisconsin, whose women won the lightweight eight for the fourth time in five years."</p>

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<p>I have been told…anecdotally…and a few years ago…that the Wisconsin crew coaches used to go to wherever the kids lined up to tryout as a football walk-on, and pluck kids from those lines! </p>

<p>Anyone willing to do what it takes to be a rower on Lake Mendota in Madison WI weather deserves to be a national champion!</p>

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<p>Actually it was where they used to line-up to sign-up for classes. With everything on-line these days they have to do something else. I don’t know how they get kids today but a fair number seek it out due to the good program–even without scholarships. They spend most of the winter rowing indoors. At least they have a nice facility now.</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.uwbadgers.com/facilities/boat_house/index_75.html[/url]”>http://www.uwbadgers.com/facilities/boat_house/index_75.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Seeing/hearing rowing practice when standing outside during the first weeks of the fall semester when the basement lakeshore Kronshage dining hall line extended up the stairs and outside is memorable- later people would figure out to not all come at once (that dining room is now a computer lab). The weather is usually hot and humid in September.</p>

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<p>Can’t even get on the lake until April. Sometimes very late April.</p>

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<p>Men’s crew here is a club sport, but I can say that the women’s crew team includes some “real” students, too (although I am not sure exactly what that entails, I think I know what you mean). My babysitter, for one. Her boat (first varsity eight) went to nationals on a wildcard bid but didn’t make a top finish.</p>