The Observer, April 18, 2008
Volume XL, Issue 25
Crew club, alums row down the Cuyahoga River
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Have you ever wondered what Case Crew members do with a weekend off from tournaments? Well, they row some more. April 12, in coordination with the Spartan Alumni Rowing Association, Case Crew hosted the 2008 Alumni Regatta on the Cuyahoga followed by dinner at the Great Lakes Brewery.
With a new high of 13 alumni rowing along with this year's team, the event served dual purposes.
"After a season of tough practices in the morning, this is the type of event rowers look forward to. Also, it is a fun thing to get everyone together for networking, catching up with former teammates, and talking it up with former coaches," said Brian Chorney, former Case Crew member who had the idea for the event two years ago.
The alumni and undergraduates are separated into teams and row a 500-meter sprint, an easy distance compared to the 2000 meters in a competitive tournament. Some teams were more competitive than others, vying for bragging rights and a small trophy.
On the other hand, Chorney noted, "It's more of a fun race than a hardcore competition; it's a celebration of the sport. Just seeing the excitement on the coaches' faces when they get to see everyone they've coached throughout the years-getting a chance to appreciate the work they're put in,".
Most of the alumni that attended decied to race-even if they were out of shape.
This year's weather didn't cooperate as well as in previous years; it was a bit chilly with dreary cloud cover.
"It's a fun way to improve networking between undergrads and alumni in their fields. It also increases alumni involvement with the team in hopes of increasing donations-crew is a club sport," said Chorney.
The crew club will be back in action at the competitive Governor's Cup Regatta in Charleston, W.Va. on April 26.
