Contact: Jenni Brockman
Telephone: 804-443-3357 (w); 804-443-2703 (h)
Fax: 804-443-6781
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
St. Margaret's Crew Team Strong in Debut
SMS ninth-grade team practicing one afternoon in Pescataway Creek. Pictured (r. to l.), Coxswain (seated backward) Anne Czechanski, Olivia Dix, Kelly Proctor, Sarah Taliaferro; and Ruth Redfearn.
St. Margaret's crew coaches Jenn Klar and Cathy Boyd, found a way to prove that 5:30 a.m. workouts, frigid practices, and rigorous weightlifting sessions do pay off. Their 1999 crew team, St. Margaret's first-ever, gave a successful debut performance in its first regatta of the season on Saturday, March 27 in Occoquan, VA.
With a brand new program, snazzy new outfits, and a host of eager participants, this year's inaugural crew team is full of excitement. SMS, sparked by a little creativity, decided to paint a different design for each teams' oars to allow fans, teammates, and coaches to differentiate between the three competing teams from the shore.
The Scotties first 1500 meter straight course race featured SMS' varsity lightweight team, led by junior coxswain Laura Austin. Rowers included: junior Catherine Redfearn, at stroke (first rower in boat; facing the coxswain); sophomore Claire Stephenson; and seniors Hilary L'Allier and Hanna Bowen.
After shaking loose pre-race jitters and tuning out crowd noise, which included cheers of support from Headmistress Margaret Broad and her husband, David, the team focused on its race strategy and pulled together a series of steady and consistent strokes, good enough for a strong, overall performance.
Despite a last-place finish, SMS celebrated Saturday's race with lots of laughs and a hopeful outlook toward its next competition. "We were able to row as a team and keep a steady pace. I don't think any of us expected to win our first race. We just wanted to have fun and compete," said Austin. "It was the biggest adrenaline rush!"
The ninth-grade team seemed poised for the upset in SMS' second race; however, technical difficulties with the boat happened at an inopportune time and took the charge out of a hard push that ended in a second last-place finish on the day. The all ninth-grade team included: Anne Czechanski, coxswain; Ruth Redfearn, stroke; Kelly Proctor; Sarah Taliaferro; and Olivia Dix. "We really surprised ourselves by getting out and taking the lead," said Dix. Despite finishing last out of three teams, this young team made a strong statement about where it hopes to be by the end of the season.
"The girls believe they have a chance to climb closer to the winner's podium with each race. After their strong performance on Saturday, we have to smile at that," says Coaches Klar and Boyd.
