What sets Crew apart from every other team at Malden High?
Crew is very independent. We aren’t the football team, the basketball, or baseball team so when it comes to support, we don’t get much of it from the athletics department. However, if you look into the crew team you’ll notice that we have some of the highest GPA’s in the school on our team. We also had boats placing in states for the past three years that I’ve been a part.
All of our regattas, especially our biggest one called The Moose on the Malden, is able to happen due to our amazing coaches and parents that volunteer. So while we may not have a lot of help from the school itself, our events and our team still strive in everything we set our minds to which is something that a lot of other schools teams cannot say.
What made you want to do Crew?
I wanted to join crew my sophomore year. After playing baseball for the high school my freshman year, I realized that I was looking for more of a team sport where the athletes genuinely cared for the well being of one another. Everyone suggested crew since it’s obvious how closely knit the team is, and so I joined. If I had any regrets from high school it would be not joining the team sooner.
What is the most challenging thing about Crew?
The most challenging thing about crew would be erging. When you’re sitting on a machine imitating rowing, it’s hard to get motivated. But once you get on the water, all the erging that you did prior to that becomes so worth it.
What is your favorite thing about Crew?
My favorite thing about crew would probably be the people. We spend so much time together between after school practices and weekend regattas that we become a family.
As a captain, what are your goals for the team? What are your personal goals?
As a captain I hope to see our team do well in all of our regattas, especially the States regatta. Knowing that our boats place 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in the entire state is really noteworthy. It’s such a great feeling when people are talking about Malden and how we’re the team to beat.
My personal goal for crew is to be able to keep it prospering. It started out as a very small team with people having little to no knowledge of it. However as the years have progressed, the team has become significantly larger and more successful. I hope it continues to grow and flourish as the years go by.
Do you have any motivations or inspirations?
My motivations for crew started after I quit baseball. I had played all my life and my dad was both my biggest fan and critic, so after I quit he wasn’t too happy. I set out to show him how amazing crew is and how I would succeed in that sport as well. I think he really started getting into it after my first States race when my boat came in 2nd. He’s been at every regatta cooking burgers for the team and cheering all our boats on.
What advice can you give to newer Crew members or newer athletes in general?
To new crew members I would say to not give up. It’s going to be hard and challenging at first, and it’s most certainly time consuming, but what you get out of crew is significantly greater than anything you put into it. That goes to all new athletes too. Join Crew everyone! It’ll be the best decision you make in your whole high school career!
