Should we go to the CRASH Bs

Question
Hi Al,

Yesterday, my son, a 6'4" HS junior lightweight pulled a 6:49.2 in the local CRASH B qualifier, beating 50 other competitors.  As a father, I couldn't be prouder (he even beat my time).  I know that time would be respectable, but not competitive at a national level.  This was his first 2K of the year, and he could be reasonably expected to improve a couple seconds off that time with some additional practice over the next couple weeks, but it is not reasonable to expect him to be anywhere near a medal, which would take a 6:30 or less.  He has only been rowing a little over a year, but has some aspirations of rowing in college.  Is there any benefit in going to Boston to row in this event? He and I would prefer to just stay home and continue preparing for the spring season(his coach agrees).  His mother seems to think that some additional exposure will help in his rowing resume for college.  Complicating matters is that he is a singles sculler and is not very interested in sweeping in college.  

Thanks for your thoughts!!

BD

Answer
Hi Brian: Your son's time is outstanding.  However, your assessment of your son's chances of winning the Jr. Lightweights at Crash-B are correct.  He'll have a very respectable finish, probably in the Top-20%, but he's probably 20-30 seconds away from the winning time (The 2009 results are in the link below:)

http://www.concept2.com/us/racing/crashb/crashb2009/results2009.asp?race=5&w=l

Other than the experience of going to Boston and participating in the world's largest indoor regatta, I have to agree with you and the coach -- your son is not going to get that much value-added by attending.  I don't know where you are driving from but Boston is a nightmare in terms of driving, parking and cost for food and hotels (I travel all over the country with my job and Beantown is one of my least favorite cities to go to).

I always tell people that rowing races are won or lost on the water.  If you live in a region where the weather supports your son rowing a single (i.e., water's not frozen), he's going to get more out of perfecting his technique logging some miles on the water, rather than driving for two days and sitting around in a crowded gym for 10 hours waiting to row a piece on the erg.

As for the decision to continue sculling or row sweeps in college, that's a toughie.  The key decision point is SCHOLARSHIP.  If he's really that good, it's a matter of time until his high school coach is going to ask him to row in the Varsity boat (if he has not done so already).  It is a huge financial windfall for you if your son gets an athletic scholarship.  I've know some very talented single scullers in high school and club rowing who take the plunge and row sweeps in college.  I think he would come to regret it -- years down the road -- not competing in crew if he was in college.  He can always scull in the summer.

The only other point is I'm amazed he's 6'-4" and rowing lightweight.  If he could move up to heavyweight, I think he'd be a more powerful rower.  

I Wish Him the Best/AP