Rowing Team Returns Home for Regatta

The Daily Athenaeum (WVU)
9 October 2009
By John Terry, Associate Sports Editor

After a solid start to the sea-son last weekend in the Head of Ohio in Pittsburgh, the West Virginia rowing team will return home for the Head of Mon regatta Saturday.

WVU head coach Jimmy King said the team will continue to focus on using the fall season to prepare for the more competitive spring season.
"If anything, the fall racing helps break up the monotony of practice," King said. "It helps keep them on course for the spring. I'm trying to keep putting out a competitive lineup, but at the same time we're trying to answer some questions now that will help us later."

One thing King is specifically doing is finding rowers that can row from both sides of the boat.

Much like switch-hitting in baseball, King said finding girls that can row from both sides will add more options for the spring season.

"If someone gets hurt, it gives us more flexibility," King said. "That is part of the fall process. Not only is it better for the rower that can row from both sides because it will give them more opportunities to row, it will also help team the as well."

King said there are six girls he feels comfortable with rowing from both sides of the boat.

"Ideally, I would love to have everyone (be able to row from both sides)," King said with a laugh. "There are some girls that can't do it, and that is fine. The fall is here, so we can figure those things out."

Even though the team has a long way to go, King is happy with the progress thus far.

"We're not really focused on preparing the race as much as our continual training," King said. "We've talked about where we are now and where we are going to go from here so we can be where want to be in the spring."

Despite (down playing) the importance of the fall competitions, King did say it is some-times useful to use fall races as comparisons on where the team's progress is.

At the Head of the Mon regatta Saturday, there is a strong likelihood that the Mountaineers could see both of its opponents, Dayton and George Washington, again in the spring.

"This race is so early in the year there isn't much to go on," King said. "I told my team that after this weekend, (our results) will just show us how we are doing relative to these two teams."

"They are excited that they are having a home race," King said. "It gives them a chance for their friends and family to come to Morgantown and see them race."