Light at the end of the erg machine
Tim McLaughlin - The Daily Iowan
Issue date: 3/6/08 Section: Sports
Tucked away in a fourth-floor nook of the Field House, inside a stuffy room once used as a racquetball court, at an hour reserved by most college students strictly for sleep, there is an assembly of self-proclaimed mental-barrier breakers hard at work. This seemingly foolhardy gathering is merely a daily procedure for a faction of 22 men that call themselves the Iowa men's rowing club.
Sure, you may never see them. Heck, you may have never even heard of them, but every day at 6 a.m., the club meets for practice. Fall, winter, and spring are the three competitive seasons for the dedicated bunch. With the winter season in the books and the spring season still some three weeks away, the club is currently in the midst of the dreaded and sometimes monotonous in-between time.
Coming off of one of the most successful winter seasons in more than 15 years, the club traveled to and competed in the Mendota Midwest Meltdown and the Chicago Indoor Rowing Championships. Among many individual improvements, the club had two consistent standout performers during the season: Matthew Coziahr and Victor Weese each broke event and club records during indoor winter competition.
The club has been on-campus for nearly four decades now, but it has never really had sufficient involvement.
"In 1994, the club became an established club after the women were uplifted to Division I status," said club member and President Myles Melyon.
The club has also lacked consistent leadership since its inception, and consequently, it has had to rebuild on a yearly basis. Poor alumni support and funding have also contributed to the tough times.
However, current member and vice president Matthew Arnold believes the program is headed in the right direction.
"Placing highly this year has really put us out there, and we have really become a name in the Midwest," he said. "We are starting an alumni association this year, and we are also starting a parents' association."
Sure, you may never see them. Heck, you may have never even heard of them, but every day at 6 a.m., the club meets for practice. Fall, winter, and spring are the three competitive seasons for the dedicated bunch. With the winter season in the books and the spring season still some three weeks away, the club is currently in the midst of the dreaded and sometimes monotonous in-between time.
Coming off of one of the most successful winter seasons in more than 15 years, the club traveled to and competed in the Mendota Midwest Meltdown and the Chicago Indoor Rowing Championships. Among many individual improvements, the club had two consistent standout performers during the season: Matthew Coziahr and Victor Weese each broke event and club records during indoor winter competition.
The club has been on-campus for nearly four decades now, but it has never really had sufficient involvement.
"In 1994, the club became an established club after the women were uplifted to Division I status," said club member and President Myles Melyon.
The club has also lacked consistent leadership since its inception, and consequently, it has had to rebuild on a yearly basis. Poor alumni support and funding have also contributed to the tough times.
However, current member and vice president Matthew Arnold believes the program is headed in the right direction.
"Placing highly this year has really put us out there, and we have really become a name in the Midwest," he said. "We are starting an alumni association this year, and we are also starting a parents' association."
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Bryce Carlson
posted 3/06/08 @ 10:57 AM CST
Whoo! Go Crew!
Elliot Bear
posted 3/06/08 @ 8:39 PM CST
REPRESENT!
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