Freshman Crews Lack Experience

The unpredictable forces which guide the destinies of all athletic teams seem to have ganged up on the freshman crew this year. Generally a Yardling crew coach can hope for as much as forty-percent experience among his men. This spring, out of 28 heavyweight rowers, there are only seven with previous crew background. In the first boat, there is only one experienced rower.

Coach Bill Leavitt is at a loss to explain this phenomenon, but he has had no difficulty spotting its effects. "The boys are still learning what its all about," he said yesterday as he came in from a chilly afternoon's workout. "We've had only a few time trials and are just starting to find out what this crew is like."

Poor Weather Conditions

Unfortunately, there have been adverse weather conditions to affect every trial, and Leavitt has therefore been unable to record any significant times. He emphasized the fact that one cannot at this point compare the '59 crew with last year's highly successful first boat, since the weather has cut down the Yardling's practice by about ten or twelve days.

However, Leavitt says that this could certainly be a "very good crew" if the months of practice in the fall and winter and the recent overtime work on the Charles can turn inexperience to experience in time for the season opener on April 28.

The first boat will rely largely on Sam Williams, who got his rowing experience at Groton. Williams will pull the number seven oar. The rest of the crew's membership had been very uncertain until quite recently, but now it appears that Leavitt has found, by a painful trial-and-error process, the right combination to row the first boat.

Mark Hoffman will hold the stroke position, followed by Williams on seven oar. After Williams come Townsend Swayze, at six oar; Dean Wood, fifth oar; Willey Anderson, fourth oar; Jim McClennen, third oar; Tom Nuzum, second oar; Pete Weldon, bow; and Barry Peale, coxswain.

Joe Brown, coach of the 150-crew, echoed Leavitt's problems, only to a slightly greater degree. Out of 24 rowers, he has only four experienced men. He feels that this drop in rowing talent is caused mainly by the fact that fewer prep-school graduates are coming out for crew. In general, it is only the private school, according to Brown, which has the necessary facilities for developing a crew.

However, the drop in experienced men is partly compensated for by an increased interest in the 150-pound ranks due to the addition of a third boat in this category. In the past there have been only two 150 shells.

Emphasizing the loss of practice time during the past few weeks, Brown said that "it takes 600 miles to propare for half an hour of competitive rowing" and in spite of the extended rowing sessions, the crew still has a long way to go. The half an hour of rowing mentioned by Brown is approximately the sum total of times for the 150's races.

Enthusiasm and Practice

Despite the adverse conditions, Brown maintains that there is every possibility that this year's crew will be as good as 1958's excellent group. With only two experienced men, Mike Adair of Exeter at bow and Joe Noble of Milton on sixth oar, Brown hopes that enthusiasm and practice will shape a successful group.

For the 150s, Mark Earle will be stroke; Bill Leatherbee, seventh oar; Noble, sixth oar; Hugh McMahan, fifth oar; Dave Davision, fourth oar; Court McKeeman, third oar; John Wunderlich, second oar; Adair, bow; and Vic March, coxswain.