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Penn State Crew was founded in 1994 by a few individuals with an interest in rowing. At that time, the team owned no equipment, had no coaches, and borrowed boats for races. Through the dedication of its members, the team has grown to over 90 active members and attends races throughout the northeast showing a fleet of racing shells. The team practices daily under the guidance of one varsity coach and two novice coaches in preparation for the races attended by the club.
- Racing
The club travels to many races throughout the year that are typically held in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Virginia, and even Boston. We attend races such as the Head of the Schuylkill, Head of the Ohio, Head of the Charles, Knecht Cup, Dad Vails, and many more. In the fall season of rowing, the races are usually around 5000 meters long or approximately 20 minutes of rowing. In the springtime, the races are much shorter. The races are 2000 meters or roughly 7 to 8 minutes of rowing. The spring is considered the true racing season. The team travels to all races via charter buses and vans. The cost for racing is covered by the dues that all members pay to join the club.
In preparation for races, Penn State Crew practices on land during the week from 5:00 AM to 7:00 AM, 4 days a week. Depending on the weather, and rower availability, water practices take place on the weekends, as well as during the week in the morning, afternoon, or early evening.
- Land Practice
In the fall, during the long distance race season, the training is focused on cardiovascular endurance. The team goes for long runs, has long rows on the rowing machines, and works to increase general conditioning. In the springtime, the land practices are focused on increasing strength, as the races are much shorter, and require anaerobic endurance. Typical practices include line sprints, running stairs, and circuit training.
- Water Practice
Penn State Crew practices on the water at two different locations - Stone Valley Recreational Area and Bald Eagle State Park. Stone Valley is located approximately 25 minutes from State College and is home to Lake Perez, a body of water 600 meters in length. Members of the team travel there for technical instruction on the water. The team also has a structure at Stone Valley for year-round storage of boats and equipment.
About a 35 minute drive from State College is the other practice location, Bald Eagle State Park. PSU Crew spends most of its time for water practices on the 4 miles of rowable water at Bald Eagle. In the future, the team hopes to build a boathouse at Bald Eagle.
Water practices usually follow the same training schedule as the land workouts. In the fall season, the workouts are geared toward long distance rowing, whereas in the springtime they are focused on sprints.
- Involvement
Penn State Crew is an organization which reaches all corners of the University. Its members come from all Colleges and a great number of different majors. The team also participates in campus activities such as Homecoming and Dance Marathon. Each Fall before the end of the semester, the team holds an annual semi-formal dance for its members and their dates.
These team bonding activities are the framework for long lasting friendships. Many of the team’s members live together in off-campus apartments or together on the same dorm floors. Penn State Crew is a great way for many students to meet different people through an enriching experience.