Practice Day 3: In the water, rowing strong, rowing together.
Our 3rd day of practice was MUCH more successful than the second. Despite the hot weather, we were all able to get in the boat and practice our strokes before actually untying from the dock. We worked on 3 people at a time rowing in synchrony. We learned how crucial it is that everyone does the motions at exactly the same time. It's a lot different rowing in the water with an oar than it is on the ergs, so it was really helpful to have Kyle's individual attention to help us get it right!
Once we got out on the water, we really had to work on setting the boat. That means making sure all our oars were flat on the water when we weren't rowing so that the boat is not tipping to one side, making it hard for those who are rowing to do so. Kyle was giving us commands from the motorboat (which is where I was, taking all these pics)...and he was making us a little nehhhvous at times....For instance he was guiding the boat and a couple times we came close to getting our heads taken off by branches or bumping into shore...
Here is Sarah, practicing her rowing technique and keeping a great attitude!
Monique was in the front of the boat today, which meant she had to set the pace that everyone else followed...she's such a natural that sometimes Kyle had to tell her to slow it down!
Here's the whole group at practice #3. Everyone did a great job- even JJ got into the boat and sat as the coxswain, yelling at Kyle to warn him about potential dangers in the river, like alligators and crashing into the dock....
All in all, it was a very successful and exciting practice. We are definitely getting the hang of this and can't wait for next week's practices. The only part we can all agree on that we don't like the most is carrying the boat back up to the boathouse- even with all of us lifting together, it's SO heavy!!!
We had to celebrate a great start to our rowing endeavors with ice cream yesterday. The perfect ending to a great week!!!! Awesome job girls!
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