History

Team History:

The Clarkson Crew Team was started by Charles Tinney and Damian Micomonaco in 1998. They went to Dr. James Thorpe with their idea and gained his support. Dr. Thorpe assisted with fundraising and together they raised enough money to get the club off the ground. In the 1998-1999 school year, Steve Titus, Jonathan France, and Petra Sergent joined the group and the club constitution was submitted to CUSA in 1999. Our first boat was bought from the Syracuse Chargers Rowing Club, in poor initial condition, extensive work was done to the boat in CAMP as well as in a local barn. When the Chargers discovered that we were starting a club, the allowed us to trade the boat for one of better condition. Work was started on the Tyler as soon as we were able. The Grateful Oars rowing club built a boathouse on Norwood Lake, and allowed us to store the boat and other equipment there permanently. When the Tyler was first taken out onto Norwood Pond, more issues with the boat became apparent after the wood around the rigging for the 8 seat cracked and pulled away. After the necessary repairs were completed, regular practices began and the Clarkson Crew Club finally brought competitive rowing to the Clarkson community.

In the fall of 2000, the club began inter-collegiate racing with limited success. Nevertheless, the club prevailed and continued to grow, purchasing new equipment. During the winter of 2000-2001, we acquired a motor boat and promptly dubbed it the "Pea Pod" due to its green color. More equipment was acquired and borrowed, and the club continued to grow. We quickly outgrew the Grateful Oars boathouse and became nomadic. Boats were stored on our new trailer and in the grass off of Norwood Beach. Other club possessions were stored wherever space could be found over the winter. As time progressed, the club built a dock, making the frigid rowing in Northern New York much more pleasant. During this period from 2001-2004, the club grew dramatically from a rag tag group of people who liked rowing to a serious club that began winning medals.

Everything changed in the fall of 2004 when construction of a new boathouse began. It was completely built by rowers, and after many weeks of difficult days (practicing in the morning and building in the afternoon), the facility was complete. The new boathouse has room for 10 large boats and several singles, and uses solar power for lighting. As of 2018, the club owns ten shells: two eights, three fours, five double/pairs and five single person boats. The team also owns two launches that accompany shells during water practices.

When we started our efforts back in 1998, it was with the hopes that this team would become a varsity sport in the future, and that it would compete against such teams as Cornell, Yale, and Harvard. One day, all of the hard work and dedication contributed by its members will come to fruition.