User:Nicksmarto/Carnegie Mellon University Rowing Club

The Carnegie Mellon University Tartan Rowing Crew is a club-sponsored team sport organized by students of the university. They participate in several regattas across the northeast, including the Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia. The team currently consists of 23 female rowers, 21 male rowers, three coxswains, and three coaches. The team's boathouse resides on the Allegheny River in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, about three miles from the University's campus. The team also is known as the Carnegie Mellon University Rowing Club.

History
The Carnegie Mellon University Rowing Club was founded by Carnegie Mellon University alumni Harry Printz. On September 26, 1987, Printz, then a student, oversaw a regatta occurring in Pittsburgh, and having rowed for a semester at Oxford University, found himself in a conversation with a representative of one of Pittsburgh's foremost rowing associations, the Three Rivers Rowing Association (TRRA).

After collecting a few other Carnegie Mellon students interested in the sport, Printz rowed on an outing with TRRA. The then president of TRRA, Mike Lambert, inquired to Printz if he was interested in forming an organization at Carnegie Mellon University to row. Printz drafted a simple flyer to announce a information meeting:

Men and Women: Do you want to Row?

The meeting was held on October 5, 1987, and featured a video of the United States men's eight team. Only eight students showed up to expressed interest, and these eight students became the first board of the University Rowing Club. The next three months would be spend by formulating a team budget and preparing a constitution as a requirement by the University's Student Senate Funding and Recognition Committee. It was estimated that the club would require $17,000 to purchase necessary equipment. They successfully scheduled a meeting with the president of the University, Dr. Richard M. Cyert.

After several meetings with University officials, the organization has obtained recognized status and were given permission to hold a general body meeting. Unlike the last meeting, significant interest in the sport had accumulated on the campus and over 100 students from the university paid their $5 dues to join the club.

As the organization became established, significant need for an adult coach was shown. Board members researched along side of TRRA members and discovered Elizabeth Winter. She had recently moved into Pittsburgh and had significant rowing coaching experience. She had rowed and coached at Oxford, a University famed for it's rowing crew. She was brought on first as a volunteer coach and the club moved to promote her to a University administrator.

Having grown ten-fold and obtaining much University support, they club received word from Dr. Cyert that they would get the necessary $17,000, and upon receiving official funding, the organization bought two 4-person boats and a set of oars. They began to compete in the spring season of 1988.

Current status
Since 1987, the team has grown significantly and has taken many steps to become a well-recognized competitor. The team currently owns 6 four-person boats, 3 eight-person boats, 4 two-person boats and a variety of singles. Based on its history, there are boats named after Harry Printz and Elizabeth Winter, as well as other important figures in the development of the club.

During the winter training sessions, the team practices in their own practice room complete with several ergometers.

The team supports itself through many fundraising ventures, and to this day, the club is entirely student run, including a student president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, fundraising chair, publicity chair, equipment manager, and captains.

Spring break training camp
Every year during the University spring break week, the team travels to Camp Robert Cooper in South Carolina. They spend the week practicing racing and rowing technique.

Spring race schedule

 * February 2, 2008 - Pittsburgh Indoor Sprints (Pittsburgh, PA)
 * February 9, 2008 - Valentine's Heart Attack (Pittsburgh, PA)
 * March 29, 2008 - Murphy Cup Regatta (Philadelphia, PA)
 * March 30, 2008 - UAA Championships (Pittsburgh, PA)
 * April 12/13, 2008 - Knecht Cup (Camden, NJ)
 * April 26, 2008 - Governer's Cup Regatta (Charleston, WV)
 * May 4, 2008 - Mid Atlantic Championships (Fairfax, VA)
 * May 9/10, 2008 - Dad Vail Regatta (Philadelphia, PA)

Recruiting
The team is not a varsity sport, and therefore does not recruit, however the team highly encourages interested students to join and try out the sport. Students join during all times of the year, and it is encouraged for students of Carnegie Mellon University to visit the Official Carnegie Mellon University Rowing Club Website and gather more information.