Fort Belvoir, Va. (May 8, 2014) - Members of the Mount Vernon High School crew team, many of whom live on Fort Belvoir where they got their athletic starts in the installation's youth leagues, are taking the definitions of teamwork, dedication and personal quality to the next level with the lessons they learn each day on the water.
According to Robin Jones, MVHS Crew Team assistant coach, the goal of each of the 54 athletes on the current roster is to apply the principles of unit cohesion and cooperation to all aspects of their sport, and every practice session aims to teach the life lessons and forge the friendships the rowers will take with them far beyond event day. This comprehensive form of training accounts for much of the sport's popularity and has enabled the organization to recruit large numbers of young athletes each year.
"I think we're different from other teams because, in addition to having fun, our main goal is learning life lessons and it's a lot about teamwork -- taking personal responsibility and working together, starting with getting the boats off the trailer and into the water; one person can't do it alone" Jones said. "We push hard to increase our own proficiency as rowers as well as for the team as a whole.
Winning is fun, but teamwork comes first."
Jones added that the team's commitment to operating as a unit is clearly apparent in the relationships the athletes develop during the season and the respect each shows to one another.
"It amazes me every year that the coxswain, who steers the boat and is the smallest person physically on the team, earns the level of respect they do within three weeks of being on the water; you have eight teenagers who will be quiet and listen to another teenager who is smaller than them and in a younger grade," she said. "The team knows that if we don't keep quiet and listen, the boat's not going anywhere. Those are the things that keep me committed to this team."
For many of MVHS's rowers the lessons learned during the crew season forms a lasting bond with the organization that continues long after graduation.
"We have a lot of alumni come back," Jones said. "We have a big board that we call the 'Boat House;' when you come to conditioning often enough you get a wooden tag with your name on it and when you get to practice at the marina you move your tag up to the 'present' area of the board. Then the coach builds a wooden boat and you put your tag on it where you're going to sit and when the team member graduates from high school, they're presented their name tag. You'd be surprised how many alumni bring their tag back because they're told they're always a member of this team and they're welcome back any time. Our head coach (Javier Castello) rowed for MVHS during his school years and became captain of the team his senior year. He came back and said he wanted to give back what the team had given him. Two of our other coaches are both graduates, too."
Jones said the closeness and mutual respect among the team members is a major factor in MVHS crew's competitive successes each year.
"We compete against schools from across the state. This is our 13th year as an organization, so we're relatively new compared to some of the teams in the area that have had crew for 30 or 40 years. For the last 10 years we've been the largest spring sport in the school," she said. "We've had a women's boat qualify for nationals the last three years, and every year we get at least one boat medal at State; last year we had two. Just this Saturday, the novice men's number 4 boat took 1st place at the State Regatta at Sandy Run Regional Park; they all got gold medals and a big trophy. We've also had a few of our rowers get full scholarships; our coxswain is going to Ohio State on a full ride."
According to Jones, Fort Belvoir is well represented on MVHS 2014 crew team.
"One of our coaches, Paul Phillips, is retired military and currently we have 11 rowers who live on post," she said. "A lot of the kids' parents are retired Army and we have a lot of civilians who live on post. Fifteen of those parents are still active duty and 10 are retired. Plus we really appreciate the fact that we have a place to row on Fort Belvoir and we have a really good relationship with the marina staff. Every two weeks everyone on the team helps to clean the marina; the kids get a bag at the gate and we swarm the grounds and clean it up."
For rising freshmen planning to pursue rowing on the MVHS team, Jones said a special program is in place that helps starting athletes make the transition from middle school and quickly fit in with the veterans.
"My daughter (Sara Jones) began a tradition we call 'Novice Buddies' in which a returning rower is assigned a new rower every year and they take them under their wing," she said. "They get a little goodie bag that the returning team members make for them just before the start of the season. And it's their job to make sure their Novice Buddy knows what to bring to the first regatta, how to rig a boat and those things. It's pretty neat to see a senior and freshmen become the best of buddies."
Jones attributed the smooth running nature of the crew program to the personal integrity and sense of responsibility of the team members themselves.
"Being on this team requires a lot of responsibility, with keeping up with homework after practices, and I think a lot of these kids will rise to the standard others expect of them; they want their freedom but they also want leadership and guidance," she said. "Like I've said, winning is fun, but what these kids learn about teamwork and responsibility is what really matters."
For more information regarding the MVHS crew program call Jones at (703) 587-4376 or visit www.mvcrew.com.
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