Go Abby!

Lewis & Clark 2005 Alum Abby Broughton, stroking the US National Team lightweight quad, made the life magazine photo website. . . cool! Best of luck to her at Worlds.

Had a great time today putting our new wakeless launch in the water and taking it for it's first drive; also an excellent time talking to lots of folks interested in novice rowing this fall. Great crowd & I'm getting really fired up to get started.

Good rowing is beautiful to watch. . .

The Lowe is Dead. Long Live the Lowe.

The Lowe is the launch pictured above, driven by her most recent faithful attendant, our ever-patient volenteer coach Jim, who for the last two years has bailed out the gallons of water that leaked in before practice every morning.

She was purchased March 22nd, 1991 with the help of a grant from the Beaver Crew Association.**

She was used (abused) faithfully by Lewis & Clark Crew for 18 years.

Traded in today for a value of $100 (One Hundred) for the trailer and $0 (Zero) for the boat, bound for the recycling yard.

Let us all stand and salute a life well lived.

On a more outstanding note-- the freshman have arrived and campus is hopping! I know among the crowd exist future standouts and stalwart teammates, waiting to discover the sport. I'm excited to meet them and very excited to get out on the water!

**- Bonus content after receiving the following from Peter, L&C Alum, coach, and general all around supporter of our program for many years;

"I remember when Charlie Brown first drove the new Lowe downriver to the old boathouse after launching it at Willamette Park. Our previous launches had 9.9 and 15hp motors.

He left the thing at full throttle, until he almost hit the dock, and Charlie had that wide toothy, cheesy grin going, which is the expression I most like to remember. . ."

Peter

Week One

Are folks getting tired of these sunrise photos from the river? You can tell me. I won't mind. Personally I'm pretty blown away every time; I feel amazingly lucky to get to spend my mornings taking in scenes like this one.

Big week coming up-- the Freshman arrive Wednesday, those that aren't already on campus for fall sports or out doing Breakaway Adventures. I'm getting geared up to meet all these folks and more importantly to work on enticing them to get fired up about rowing. I also saw several of our returning athletes last week, getting me equally fired up about getting out on the water with those guys.

Although classes don't start until next Monday this is the first week of fall to me. Another cycle begins.

Use the Difficulty

Great quote from a non-rowing source;

“I was rehearsing a play, and there was a scene that went on before me, then I had to come in the door. They rehearsed the scene, and one of the actors had thrown a chair at the other one. It landed right in front of the door where I came in. I opened the door and then rather lamely, I said to the producer who was sitting out in the stalls, “Well, look, I can’t get in. There’s a chair in my way.” He said, “Well, use the difficulty.” So I said “What do you mean, use the difficulty?” He said “Well, if it’s a drama, pick it up and smash it. If it’s a comedy, fall over it.” This was a line for me for life: Always use the difficulty.”

Michael Caine, interviewed by NPR’s Terry Gross, from her book All I did was ask

This applies so much to what we do; difficulties abound in every situation. People get sick or injured, weather is bad, equipment gets broken. It's about management to reduce the difficulties but it's also about recognizing the opportunities to challenge ourselves and stretch beyond what we think is possible.

Confronting and managing adveristy on a daily basis is tremendous preparation for race days where it's very rare for everything to go exactly to plan.

A brief public service announcement to all of our current and future rowers.

When it comes to the requisite paperwork (physical, van clearance, NCAA forms, whatnot) we need to get done, PLEASE just do it. Trust me when I say I know it's a pain, hassle, whatnot. Believe me even more when I say I think I hate it more then you do. I'd very much like to get it all done so we can get back to things like the post below this one.

Now back to your regular scheduled programing.

River Dawn

One of the best parts about coaching is getting to be out on the river as the sun rises in the morning. Here's three shots from this morning's practice with the Lake Oswego Masters.