Success in rowing is only found when the strokes of one teammate match those of every other person in the boat. For just under seven minutes, the paddles must slice through the water in perfect unison to propel the crew to the finish line. The Virginia women's rowing team will work to this end as they host the ACC/Big Ten regatta at Lake Monticello this weekend.
In his eight seasons at Virginia, coach Kevin Sauer quietly has formed a program which consistently has been cited as one of the most successful collegiate women's rowing programs in the nation. Last spring, the Cavaliers won their fourth consecutive ACC title as well as the South Region championship on their way to finishing sixth at the NCAA finals. While the women's rowing NCAA championships has been in existence for only seven years, Virginia has raced in the competition every year and never placed below seventh in the nation.
The 2004 team has an interesting mix of experienced seniors and talented freshman. The elder statesmen of the squad have taken on the responsibility of pushing their younger protégés, both in and out of the water.
"It is a unique combination throughout the team," Sauer said. "There is a lot of leadership from the older kids and a lot of energy from the younger kids. When you combine that together, it is pretty powerful."
The squad holds dry and wet practices every weekday in a sport which could make the best athletes appear as mere mortals. Sauer also has instituted "You're on your own" -- or YOYO -- practices, whereby athletes are on their honor to work out several days a week.
In addition, the rowing team has a grueling travel schedule. Already this season, the Cavaliers have traveled to Boston, Seattle, New Jersey, West Virginia, California and Tennessee, and the team has intensions of revisiting New Jersey, Tennessee and California later in the year.
"What we try to do is say that we want to race the fastest teams," Sauer said. "If that means going to the West Coast, then we'll go. We'll do what it takes to compete against the best."
The Cavaliers have thrived on tough competition. The team now boasts a first varsity eight-member crew that is ranked sixth in the nation according to the latest Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association poll. Led by five key upperclassmen, this Virginia eight has defeated top-20 teams Washington State, Stanford and Duke, and will have a rematch with the Blue Devils in this weekend's regatta.
The most impressive characteristics of the women's rowing team are persistence and unity -- the products of successes in the boat and on shore.
"It's not just who is in the boat, but how well everyone gets along and works together," senior Lindsay Shoop said. "That's an aspect that you can't even really practice, but it comes out in terms of willingness and positive attitudes."
Team members, dedicating themselves to a sport which rarely decorates the headlines, have chosen to make themselves into good people first -- good athletes second.
This Saturday, Virginia will find tough challengers in its waters as the team hosts top-ranked Ohio State, No. 8 Michigan and No. 20 Duke in the ACC/Big Ten Regatta. Victories this weekend could carry the Cavaliers to the top of the national rankings and prove that Virginia's commitment to themselves and to each other has created a unified movement capable of making a good team into championship team.
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