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ROWING A Symphony of Motion
A
S DANIEL James Brown
and to the betterment of the ’Wick
writes in The Boys in the
program as a whole.
Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at
the 1936 Berlin Olympics, “Great
And they did so from the day practice began last fall. Buoyed by the senior leadership
crews may have men or women of
of captains Jack Duggan, Reed
exceptional talent or strength; they
McMurchy, and Chase Stitzer, the
may have outstanding coxswains
Bruins reaped the results of their
or stroke oars or bowmen; but they
hard work and amassed one of
have no stars.
the more successful seasons in the
“The team effort — the perfectly
history of the program.
TOP The Bruins’ second varsity eight boat — consisting of (left to right) coxswain Alec Esmond ’17, stroke David Ruf ’15 , co-captain Chase Stitzer ’15, Matt Womble ’17, Ridgley Knapp ’16, Alexander Kutner ’16, co-captain Reed McMurchy ’15, Alex Wada ’17, and bowman Will Marvin ’17 — had a stellar season for the Bruins. ABOVE Varsity eight mainstays (left to right) Jack Duggan ’15, Thomas Kern ’16, and Will Bass ’16 were all keys to fast times on the water.
synchronized flow of muscle, oars,
Firsts include winning the
boat, and water; the single, whole,
Head of the Schuylkill Regatta
unified, and beautiful symphony
— a storied race held annually
by claiming a bronze and a silver
seniors — many of whom will row
that a crew in motion becomes — is
in Philadelphia during the last
medal at the National Schools’
at established, elite-level college
all that matters.”
weekend in October — and the
Championship Regatta on the
programs throughout the country
team’s best-ever showing at the
Occoquan River in Fairfax County,
— Falco and Martin are now forced
Brunswick’s 2014–15 rowing
Founders Day Regatta, where the
Va., in early June.
to fix their eyes on the future.
season, too, can be defined by
Bruins took home medals in three
this very same team effort that
of four boat levels.
On a lesser scale, indeed,
Brown describes among that
And, at the Stotesbury Cup in
Veteran coaches Joe Falco and
And, as a solid contingent of
John Martin pointed to the excep-
rowers will return another year
tional senior class as the key to
older and more experienced this
such a fine year on the water.
fall, it looks considerably bright.
gold-medal-winning boat from the
Philadelphia — the largest high
University of Washington.
school regatta in the world — the
“We had great leadership in all of
varsity eight placed a strong fifth
our boats,” Martin said. “Each eight
Team Selection Camp participants
— it was a squadron of five eights
among the top 36 teams in the
had good, technically strong rowers
Will Bass ’16, Thomas Kern ’16, and
in all, in fact — Bruin oarsmen
country to secure another school-
who pulled together to improve
Will Powers ’16 — along with fellow
committed themselves to the
best finish.
their times throughout the season.”
rising senior Gamble Freydberg —
From the varsity eight on down
grueling realities of their sport
46 | TIMES
OF BRUNSWICK • FALL 2015
The Bruins capped their campaign
With a clear sense of pride in the
U.S. Rowing Junior National
will be the team leaders.
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