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Sunday, February 21, 2010

Interview with U23 Silver Medalist Mike Gennaro







This past summer you were invited to the United States U23 camp and selected for the 4-. Your boat took silver. Describe the experience.
It was more than overwhelming. I was not on the first set of invites and after they re-adjusted the list I was then invited. I went in with an open mind and the opportunity to bring that experience back to the team...After I got there it was 1-2-3 seatraces and I had made the top boat at the camp. We knew leaving the camp we had some speed but after the heat we didn't post the fastest time. In the last 300 meters of the final something just clicked. It was special to be able to share that experience with Dave and Martin Etem because they have had such an important impact on the program and contributed so much.

What are your goals individually and for the team while at Syracuse?
Individually I'd like to make the national team again and in continuing with that try to make the Olympic team. I have had and continue to have a tremendous amount of support from friends, teammates, family, and coaches. I am in a great position at Syracuse because of that support. As a team ...to get Dave his first EARC and IRA medals . More importantly it's to achieve our potential as a squad and walk away knowing we accomplished what we are capable of.

What's the best thing about being an athlete at Syracuse?
To be surrounded by other athletes. It is so competitive and I am not talking about just rowers....You hear these stories about the accomplishments of other athletes and realize your a part of this great tradition. The support system both in terms of academics and physically in terms of the training room and rehabilitation is incredible. I wouldn't be sitting here right now if it wasn't for the help of Brad Pike our head athletic trainer.

What are your career aspirations?
I want to stay with the sport of rowing as long as possible and see how far I can take it. I'd like to use my psychology degree and work in a school environment and possibly behavior specialist. I'd also like to become involved with coaching at some point. To be as good a parent as mine have been to me and my siblings.

In your expert pizza connoisseur opinion who has the best pizza in Syracuse and why?
If your going to sit down and eat then it's the Acropolis. Just to sit down though because they take 2 hours to deliver. If you want good bread sticks I'd have to go with Pizza Hut. If it's snowing outside and you have $14 bucks in your pocket and you want deliver then I have to go with Johnny's.





Friday, February 19, 2010

Hurts So Good - the 2k Erg Test

Report from Coach Kris Sanford:
We had great performances on the 2k.

In the morning, the team had to be within one split (4 seconds) of their year PR to go on to the final in the evening. Only one person did not make it. Between the 2 pieces, 23 of 32 people PR'd and another 4 PR'd for the year. The exciting thing about the results was that we saw big improvements with the seniors. Usually we see improvements of 1 or 2 seconds but some of our best people went 5 - 6 seconds faster. So as can be expected, spirits are high, confidence in themselves and the training program is high and we are ready to finish up winter training and get even faster.

3 weeks until Miami!

Meet the Athlete - Natalie Mastracci


Name: Natalie Mastracci

Year: Junior

Home Town: Thorold, ON

High School: Denis Morris High School

Sports Played in High School: Basketball 2003-‘07, Rowing ‘07

2K erg PR: 6:54.7

6K erg PR: 22:07.7

Favorite Workout: 2km test.

Describe your high school rowing experience:

Basketball had been the main focus of my life. From childhood I played throughout the year on different levels of teams with the hope of getting a scholarship. My mom and dad worked tirelessly with me in the gym perfecting my basketball skills. Whether it was passing me the ball or putting a hand in my face so I could practice shooting under pressure, they worked just as hard as I did at my goal. In my last year of high school I decided to start cross-training for basketball in the morning with the Rowing team. My parents noticed that in only a few weeks I had already put more of my heart into Rowing than I had in the last eighteen years with Basketball. Most of my best friends were on the team so it made the extra work fun. Eventually the girls convinced me to actually join the team. My parents, an unwavering pillar of support, quickly switched gears and bought me an erg. I went to work trying to catch up to the rest of the team. I was absolutely terrible when I started, but my friends were always willing to help me and they made all the difference.

We worked hard. High schools in the city of Saint Catharines are very competitive with Rowing because we have a premier training facility, the Henley, and a top-notch club, St. Catharines Rowing Club (SCRC), right down the street at our disposal. The coaches at SCRC like Kathy and Dave Boyse, Brian Dell and countless others who pour their soul into the kids they coach, made us want to work hard to make them proud. It’s that supportive, caring atmosphere that fosters my true love for Rowing and made me want to put in extra hours of hard work. When you have friends and teammates like Kristin Falovo (Louisville), Laura Cowal (Michigan State), Courtney Wilson (Brock University) and Rachel Flynn (U of Western Ontario) you know who you’re working so hard for, and why you want to work harder.

How did you end up at Syracuse?

It was a ten second conversation that I’ll never forget. A month into my rowing career, at the Ontario erg competition, I had just finished pulling my 2km and taken no more than five steps away from the erg when I see this tiny, blond woman running up to me. My parents were coming over to congratulate me on my new PR and she elbowed through them to say, “My name is Sarah Cannon, would you like to row at Syracuse?” Still out of breath, I nodded my head furiously. My dad translated, “Yes”, Sarah Cannon said, “awesome” and that was about it.

Outside of rowing, what is appealing about Syracuse University?

The resources at this school are incredible, not only in available equipment, texts and technology but in the standard of educators. I’ve had the privilege of experiencing both the Biochemistry and English department here at Syracuse and I have yet to meet a professor who wasn’t incredibly knowledgeable, inspiring and readily available to help any student. Some of the people here who have truly influenced my life and pushed my academic limits are Bruce Smith, Jolynn Parker, Patricia Roylance, Patricia Moody and Kevin Morrison. Each of these professors has a knowledge base that is unparallel but it is their willingness to pass on that knowledge, the high standard they have for their students and the energy they bring to the classroom every day that makes them invaluable.

Coach Sanford has made some changes in the program this year. How has the team responded to them?

Coach Sanford has always been a woman who demands every last ounce of effort from her girls. That hasn’t changed. We still get shouts from the coach boat: “This is not full pressure, I want FULL pressure” now and again, to keep us honest. But one area she wants us to improve in this year is our mental game and personally I think our team is putting in a good effort to change. Each of us has taken an honest, intrinsic look at the things that can slow anyone down: pain, self-doubt, fear; and decided that these words will no longer be a part of our vocabulary. This year it is not only about pushing ourselves individually, but as a collective. More now than ever we look to each other for motivation. You find that the best reason to pull at that full pressure Coach wants us at is sitting right next to you pulling her hardest as well. It seems that Coach’s increased workload is not only conditioning our bodies, but our team attitude, and bringing us closer together through shared labor.

Describe your summer rowing experiences. How does your participation on the Canadian Under 23 Team make Syracuse University faster?

These past two summers have been the most life-altering few months of my life. Being on the National Team has showed me the amount of work and drive it takes to compete at a high level, how to be proud of what you’ve done even when you don’t meet your goal and forced me to mature as an athlete. It’s easy to talk about the physical and mental demands of being on a high-performance team but it is much harder to do in practice. The difference between boats is seconds. When one stroke can make or break a race you realize how important it is to have discipline in practice. In 2008, my second year of rowing, our Canadian 8+ only had two girls with prior National Team experience while most of the other countries had almost their entire boat return to compete. At the final in Brandenburg we were solidly in 5th place through the majority of the race. With 200m left in the race our Coxie said that we were a length down on Germany. All eight of us jumped together on those words and managed to walk through the host country’s boat and claim fourth by 0.24 seconds. What’s 0.24 seconds? It’s nothing. Comparing that Canadian and German boat statistically, we Canadians might not have come out on top. This is why we race, because sometimes it takes a little more than erg scores and technique to do well. It is this ‘little more’, the x-factor, that Coach Sanford wants us to have this year and if it was possible for our Canadian boat, it is entirely possible for our Syracuse team to achieve it.

How has rowing at Syracuse helped you to achieve some of your national team goals?

The training facilities at this school, I believe, are some of the best in the country. The indoor tank we have allows for on-the-water simulation during the winter months we’re forced inside by the snow. As someone who started late in rowing I had a lot of catching up to do and this tank allowed me to just sit for hours working on technique.

Above all, though, Kris Sanford has been nothing but supportive from the day I haphazardly stumbled into her office with the bright idea that I was going to try out for the National Team. She’s always willing to lend advice when I have a question about proper training and nutrition; and seems to know when to let me go nuts with training pretending I’m not human and when to put my feet back on the ground.

What are your rowing goals both at Syracuse and internationally?

By May 2011 I would like to see Syracuse restored to its place as top 6 in the Nation at NCAAs. It happened once before in 2001 and there’s no doubt in my mind we can achieve it again. Personally, I’d like to have the chance to compete and medal at a few Olympic Games. It’s definitely a long commitment and maybe even a little outrageous to have as a goal but it’s something to work toward. Who knows what will happen until you try.

What do you want to be doing 20 years from now?

Like most kids in undergrad I find it hard to say what I’ll be doing even 5 years from now let alone imagining myself as a 40-year-old. I plan to go on to graduate school in English—hopefully some career will result from that. I also plan on still being involved with rowing at St. Catharines Rowing Club so I can help maintain the amazing family atmosphere that continues to propel my love of this sport. In addition, I hope that I will make Canada proud with whatever success I may be fortunate enough to help the National Team achieve in rowing.

But whatever happens in the future, I want to be able to look over my shoulder at an NCAA medal and come back to Syracuse as an Alumni and watch the women’s rowing team continue to ascend to new heights.

Monday, February 15, 2010

The CRASH-Bs...

Spending Valentine's Day at the Charles River Association of Sculling Has-Beens' annual painfest is not your typical romantic getaway - unless your idea of romance is jacking up your lactic acid to levels that would require emergency intervention in the general populace.

This being my first foray into the weird world of stationary erg racing, I didn't know what to expect. Fortunately, SARA Prez Tracy Smith took care of all the thinking, and all I had to do was comply with her directions. For a tall rower, she's a great cox'n.

Jeff Schaeffer was also in attendance, looking well and hearty and glad to be back. And Ham Dixon's world class performance was one of the truly notable events at a day filled with world records and personal bests.

Me, I've never been much of a fan of the erg (probably because I had to follow Tom Darling in a testing session once, and try as I might, couldn't come close to his 3600 on the old Gamut...), but the Crash-Bs were actually enjoyable. A welcome break from sitting on the erg in the basement watching old video of the 2002 Tour de France.

For you younger athletes out there, think on this. A 51 year old Italian gentleman pulled a 6:11.3.

Coach Weiss, he may have a few years of eligibility left...

Sunday, February 14, 2010

This is How It's Done....

Sunday's CRASH-Bs, the famed Boston-based indoor rowing regatta which brings in the best of the erging best from around the globe, was the scene for some serious SU alum domination. Joe Paduda (SARA Secretary and all round good guy) brought home a 6th place finish in the Veteran Lightweight Men's (A) event. Fantastic!

Ham Dixon made the trip all the way from Georgia to defend his title as champion in the Veteran Men's (F) event. Ladies and gentlemen....Ham is 75 years old and pulled sub 1:58 splits for 2000 meters...blowing away his competition by over 30 seconds and doing SU so proud.

Below are some images along with some video (at the very bottom) of both men preparing for battle. Nice technique Joe and Ham. Congratulations to you both on your impressive showings.







Saturday, February 13, 2010

CRASH-B -report...the Day Before


By sheer coincidence, SARA Members Tom Darling and Ham Dixon were seated next to each other at a pre-CRASH-B event.

Tom Darling reports:

I spent the entire day at Sonesta checking in and classifying the adaptive athletes... at the Concept Two luncheon I went to sit down at an open seat and ironically the person sitting to my left was non other then Ham Dixon..pretty funny.. We had a great talk about Bruce Chamberlain and SU Rowing and how when Ham was a struggling med student Doc would send him home with food from his freezer... always generous Doc...Ham has won his age group several times at CRASH -B's ...is buying a new Staempfli single and lives in Georgia...lets cheer him on tomorrow.

BTW Ham told me his name sake was an amazing sculptor and I checked out the web site...truly amazing stuff..

Go Ham!


Sledding Injury

This snow burn was the extent of the injuries from today's sledding workout. All in all...not a bad day.


Cross Training Report From Coach Sanford




The Syracuse Women took it to the hill today for workout followed by a team breakfast at a local restaurant.

Report from Coach Sanford:

It was a great morning of sledding with only one casualty with the snow burn. Breakfast was awesome as well - a well deserved treat for a lot of hard work so far this winter.

This week is a taper week with preperation for 2K racing on Thursday. Heats are in the morning. They have to be within 1 split of their PR from this year (4 sec) in order to make it to the final in the afternoon.



Friday, February 12, 2010

Interview with Men's Captain Mark Vyzas





1. Before coming to Syracuse you had never picked up an oar in your life. Describe the journey from being a novice to varsity oarsman and captain of the team your senior year.
I became involved with rowing because a few guys on my floor were friends with the guys on the team. I contacted the freshmen coach and was explained the tryout process. Eventually, I made the team after the month long tryout. I raced a few times my first year and as an upperclassmen I put in extras over the years. Being selected captain I think was a result of seeing how hard I worked even though I did not always compete on race day.


2. What are some of the changes and progress you have noticed over your four years with the team?
Our team is very close. We are all good friends. In terms of the team itself the ability from top to bottom has improved and the drop off from the top end to the bottom of the squad isn't as dramatic in past years. This years team handles adversity well and together we overcome the challenges we face
.

3. What is the best thing about being an athlete at Syracuse?
People look at you differently. There is an aura of respect you get from your peers because of the acknowledgment of being held to a higher standard.


4. What are your plans post graduation?
I will be going to grad school for healthcare administration. I've applied to GWU, Georgetown, Xavier, and Columbia. I'm should hear back around mid March or early April.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Remember These?

Well, the tanks may be out of commission but the Dome always promises a good workout!

The SU Women reach the summit...




and return to base camp....



to tackle the mountain again.


Sick Tanks


The tanks at Archbold have been slowly leaking water to a mystery location for several weeks.

An initial fix was unsuccessful so the tanks have been fully drained and now their fate is in the hands of some roofers and many gallons of roofing tar.

Things are a little messy and a little stinky in the crew room right now but the return of the tanks is eminent.


Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Bring on the LADIES!




The SARA men continue to contribute to the future of the SU women's team by way of their beautiful offspring.
Here are the two newest members of the SARA family:

Daughter of new SARA Board Member Josh Stratton:

Sarah "Superbowl" Lynn Stratton

Sunday, February 7, 2010

5 lbs. 8 oz.


and

Daughter to SARA Advisory Board Member Skye Michiels:

Mckenzie Susan Michiels

Monday, February 8, 2010

6 lbs. 6 oz.






















Both babies and both mothers are doing great. The dads however....


Congratulations to Josh, Skye and their families on their gorgeous healthy girls.

Monday, February 8, 2010

Syracuse Best 41 on A.D. Honor Role

This just in from SU Athletics:

Forty-one members of the Syracuse University women’s rowing team were named to the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll for the fall semester. The recognition goes to a student-athlete who achieves a 3.0 grade-point average. The 41 rowing honorees mark the most from one single team.

Freshman Laura Adams, junior Mikela Almeida, junior Brandis Arcadia, seniorSydney Axson, freshman Paola Benevento, freshman Gina Biascoechea, sophomore Tija Bross, senior Heidi Bulk, sophomore Naomi Carlson, seniorChristine DePompeo, sophomore Victoria Di Napoli, junior Allison Ehrke, sophomore Meryl Engler, sophomore Carmen Failla, freshman Katie Flatley, Sierra Fox, senior Kaitlin Grant, senior Susan Groff, freshman Kristina Herb, senior Brittany Jock, sophomore Emma Karpowicz, junior Jacque Lee, freshmanHeather Lewis, senior Katie Lynch, Karly Lyons, senior Chelsea Macpherson, junior Natalie Mastracci, sophomore Elizabeth McGehee, freshman Jenn McKay, sophomore Erika Merola, freshman Macey Miller, freshman Emily Moomey, junior Rachael Ogundiran, junior Ali Sayer, freshman Kate Severino, sophomore Zoe Silverman, senior Ildikó Tòth, senior Anne van Houten, juniorCatherine Wilcox, freshman Mary Wilson and senior Lydia Wong each qualified for the honor.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Winter Training Report from Coach Sanford





As relayed by Coach Kris Sanford:

Saturday's Practice (February 6, 2010)

The team got together and did a winter training shirt with the word "Decide" on the front and a phrase on the back that they can fill in with different answers depending on the day: "I am stronger than _____ today".

They wear these shirts every Saturday for our competition days.

Saturday's workout was 5 x 1k. There was great energy in the room and people pulled good numbers.



Meet the Athlete - Naomi Carlson


Name: Naomi Grace Carlson

Year in School: Sophomore

High School: Kenny Lake School; Kent Prep School

Other Sports Played: Hockey,Volleyball, Basketball, Softball, Baseball

Clubs/Extracurricullar Activities: Rowing, FCA

Major: Public Health

Brothers/Sisters: Sarah, Hannah, Isaiah, Mary, Leah, Sam

Describe Family Life in Alaska:

I am really blessed with the family I have. Growing up with 6 other brothers and sisters, everyday there was always so many things in store. I can honestly say that I could always find something to do, even where I grew up in Kenny Lake Alaska, out in the middle of nowhere. Just to paint a vivid picture on where I lived, literally the closest mall, McDonalds, Movie Theater etc… is 5 hours away, so my family and I spent the beginning of every month loading up in our 15 passenger van and road tripping to the grocery stores and “civilization” to store up for the next month.

My dad was the principal of the K-12 school in our community. There were no more than 150 kids in the whole entire school. Our town was a hockey town where skating was right alongside breathing. I was four years old when I began skating. I grew up with frost bitten feet, hands, and the passion and love for the game of hockey. I played hockey my whole life. Along with my twin sister Mary, I played on a boy’s varsity high school team and on my comp U16 and U19 Team Alaska hockey team. Playing hockey was my first love and passion but I also grew up playing many other sports such as volleyball, baseball, and softball. I received many MVP and Player of the Game medals in my years playing volleyball and learned how to be a better athlete with baseball and softball.

Growing up in Alaska I have experienced such a different world. It’s normal for my family to go out hunting for a weekend to try to shoot a moose or a caribou for our meat for the rest of the year. It's normal for our electricity to just go off because of how much snow we had or how cold it was outside. It’s not considered weird to go running in the middle of the night in the summer because it stays light all summer long. My parents always would take all of us, 7 kids, up mountains on 2 four wheelers to go crystal mining, to go camping, and just to get outside in the beautiful Alaska tundra.

My family would sing at our church a lot of Sunday mornings, and we would all be really involved in the school events since my dad was the principal. My family made up a hockey team, and we would go late at night and play against each other, as we braved the bitter cold nights in Alaska. My entire family, except for my mom that is, is competitive, so you can just imagine the games we played or the things we did together were always that much more intense. I was always told to work hard at whatever I do which I still believe and feel that that is a part of my character. My family really pushed me to be who I am today, and the reason I work as hard as I do.

What was the biggest transition coming from rural Alaska to the States?

The biggest transition for me coming from rural Alaska to Syracuse New York would have to be the busyness of every day life and going from a life of living on storing food, and shopping every couple months to being thrown into a society where I can go to the stores, shop for clothes, and be in the hustle and bustle of city life everyday. I was ready for a change from my home town life in Alaska and was, surprisingly enough, pretty adaptable to the new lifestyle that the east coast represents.

How did you “find” rowing?

During my junior summer, my twin sister and I was offered a very large scholarship to go to a boarding school on the other side of the country called Kent School in Kent, Connecticut. I took this new step in my life, a chance to learn and experience new opportunities that I might never be offered again. I went to Kent primarily to play ice hockey for their program but in the spring after hockey season decided to row for Kent as well. It was at Kent that both my twin sister and I fell in love with crew. I am thrilled to be able to row for Syracuse University.

How did you end up at Syracuse?

My Freshman Coach Alicea Kochis came and watched me row at Kent and offered me a scholarship to row for Syracuse University. After that I came to look at Syracuse to see if I felt if it was a fit for me and I fell in love with the area.

Describe what it takes to be a Syracuse University Rower.

Dedication and the drive to be the best you can be. Also you have to have this toughness that I have never had to have in any of my other sports I played. You also have to love it. Waking up at 6 am is not something you do unless you can truly say you love it. I come to practice with an attitude to want to work hard and know that yeah, sure its hard and man there are days when I wish I could sleep in, but I get up because of the love of the sport and my team.

What are your individual goals for rowing?

To become the best athlete I can through the training I do every morning and afternoon every day. I want to make the Varsity 8 as well.

What are the team goals for rowing and why do you think you will get there?

To be a faster and better team from what we were last season. As a team we come to practice with a mindset to be the fastest we can possibly be. Since that is our goal as a team, we all are making our team fast, which will help us reach NCAAs at the end of the season.

What do you want to be when you grow up? In a perfect world, what would you be doing 20 years from now?

I hope to be married and be raising a family. I hope to be working a job that will allow me to be the best mom and wife I can be. I want to be working with teenagers and possible be coaching a team.



Interview with Varsity Coxswain Ken Marfilius


Ken giving technical advice during an indoor ergometer session.



1.
As a freshmen your crew finished 6th at EARC and 10th at IRA. Last year the varsity finished 8th at EARC and 8th at the IRA. Where do you feel the team can place this year? We have the ability to improve upon last year. It depends on how we respond to the winter training cycles and our ability to adapt to making changes on the water.

2. How do you see your role vary from being indoors as opposed to being in the coxswain seat? You learn a tremendous amount about how guys individually respond, both physically and mentally. The mental component during the winter months shows a lot about their character.

3. What is the best thing about being a student-athlete at Syracuse?
Syracuse Athletics, in general, is exciting and the atmosphere around campus is pretty special. Due to the success of other sports we have great facilities. To be in the company of great athletes past and present is a great tradition to be a part of.

4. What are your personal aspirations after college?
I'd like to continue rowing after college. Eventually, I'd like to become a coach. I'd also like to put my psychology major to good use and do something with counseling.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Winter Training Trip in NOLA!

.....Breaking Open
























Lining up for pieces at the housing stretch on the Bayou.
















On the Bayou...







Sunset at one of the bunkhouses in Bayou Segnette State Park.