As the 2022 school year winds down to a close, so too do their sports. Crew, one of the many summer sports at the high school, is nearing the end of their season, with their last matches approaching in the coming weeks.
In terms of the team’s performance, both coaches are proud of what the team has done. Coach Tiffany Cane and Coach Kevin Isaza, the two coaches of the rowing team, have both expressed pride in what the team has accomplished, with Coach Cane stating that “the team performed better every day and truly showed growth from day one to the last days of the season.”
In terms of the team’s strengths throughout this season, both Coach Cane and one of the captains, senior Natalia Carillo, stated that a major part of the team’s success came from their teamwork. Carillo especially said that “our team spirit is awesome and one of our best qualities as a team is the way we constantly support each other through good and bad outcomes.” Coach Cane seemed to agree, saying “they truly worked together by giving each other pointers, communicating, and helping each other throughout the season.”
Some things, however, have proven to be slightly troubling for the team. The crew team has not been a running sport at the high school for over two years as a result of the COVID lockdowns and the switch of Malden to virtual learning. Coming back from COVID, the team was filled with people entirely new to the sport. Coach Cane emphasized this, saying that “some of the challenges we faced were learning how to set up the boats, how to move the boats, and how to row in general…this year was a learning and experience year.” Captain Carillo also mentioned a need to replace items, stating that the team needed a major increase in funding.
The chemistry of the team has also proven to be a major factor in helping the team. Captain Carillo stated that the team filled a support role for its members, helping them in the various issues of their lives and offering a way to develop communication skills and trust. Both coaches agreed that the team’s social capabilities were helpful to how it functioned throughout the season.
In the way of future predictions, everybody seemed to have a positive opinion of next year. Seniors on the team are relieved by the fact that most of the team is underclassmen, allowing their departure to have a minimal impact on the team’s performance. Coaches are glad that the team has managed to stick it through for the entire season, and hope that the team can come back strong next year. Coach Isaza also has a dream of the team’s future success: “…more meets with eyes on possibility joining the state tournament.”
