The Beach Crew Journals

In efforts to keep the local community, alumni, and parents informed about our program, we invite you to take a look at the Beach Crew Journals. Every few weeks we will post journals to beachcrew.org from a few rowers about their experience and anticipation of the activities upon them.

About a month ago, these rowers came aboard, not knowing what to expect. Here is what they thought:

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On my first day of crew practice at 5:30 AM, I arrived at the Pete Archer Rowing Center a little tired, scared, and nervous. The first thing that struck me, however, was the immediate kindness towards me from the varsity rowers and coaching staff. This is the first sport I have ever been involved with that didn’t have an over-cocky and judgmental varsity team. I felt welcomed in such an unfamiliar place.

After that, being able to watch the varsity go out on a boat and make it fly across the smooth water with perfectly, synchronized strokes, I was sold. I wanted to be one of those girls, with perfectly synchronized strokes, gliding across the water, gracefully. I knew it would take a lot of time and hard work, but I knew immediately that this was an amazing sport to be involved with.

Don’t be daunted by the start time of practice. It’s really not as hard as it seems and I’m not even a morning person. Don’t be discouraged by the intense workouts; they’ll get you in good shape and the cool mornings make them much easier to run through. Don’t think that you can’t get involved without prior experience or athletic training. The coaches teach you everything you need to know. Come out and you’ll see that the first time you get on that water, you’ll be amazed and enchanted with what you are a part of.

– Sabrina Ramos
Women’s Novice Team

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My name is Joseph Jaklevick. I am a freshman this year at CSULB. Prior to arriving at the university, I played baseball all four years in high school but was unfortunately no good at the sport. The only reason why I stuck with it all four years was for the benefit of fitness.

One of the things I began to look for after enrolling at CSULB was a new activity to keep my body in peak physical condition. I came across Beach Crew while attending my overnight SOAR orientation camp when the idea of joining the crew team sparked my interest. “Crew,” I thought to myself, was this not supposed to be one of the hardest sports to pick up from scratch? I found myself debating weather or not to join for fear of the stresses I would be putting on my body and mind. I was, however, determined to not let myself sit and do nothing through college, and when no opportunity seemed to offer the same benefits that Beach Crew could, I decided to try it out.

On the first day of practice, waking up at 5:00 AM was a struggle, but as time passed the exhaustion eased. The coaching staff and all varsity members of the team created a very understanding learning environment for everyone. We worked on technique on the ergometers for the first couple of days and the sport began to seem like torture. When we finally made it on the water, I realized the meaning behind the phrase, “ergs don’t float.” Being out on the water rowing with seven other oarsmen is an experience unlike anything that can be offered at CSULB. I am truly satisfied with my decision and am looking forward to a great year with Beach Crew.

– Joseph Jaklevick
Men’s Novice Team