CSULB Crew Team, Women's side

            The CSULB Women’s Crew team has had a hard life.  “Its hard to get girls to join a team when they think they will only get ‘big muscles’,” said Pamela Van Diepen, one of the teams senior rowers.  It is hard for a strength driven sport like crew to recruit members, especially female members who fear getting too bulky or to ‘man-ly’ from the effort.  Despite this Danny Harris, the four-year head coach of the varsity team, is working night and day to make the crew and the lives of his athletes better. 

            “I got four points, Faith, Family, Academia, and Sport,” Danny said, “you have to have the other three in line for the fourth to happen.”  Danny Has worked hard these past four year to bring the women’s team up, and mold them into the best athletes and students they can be.  Danny coaches by a simple statement, “Give me two weeks and I will change your life for the positive.” 

            Academics are immensely important to Danny’s coaching philosophy.  Crew is a sport of commitment and sheer, brazen will power.  “If you are failing, you can’t row, we will ask you to leave,” Danny commented about academics.  He urges his girls to apply themselves fully to their education before even thinking about sports.  He wants to see the women on his team learn and grow to reach their highest potential through the commitment required by crew.  A third of his team consists of biology and chemistry majors who balance a full course load and a 5 am practice everyday, which is no easy feat.

            Danny believes this sport holds one of the highest levels of difficulty and fitness, only rivaled by cross-country.  “It is 100% body and 100% mind,” Danny said.  The girls are challenged daily to become better.  There is something to be said about waking up before the dawn, and doing more in 2 hours than most people do in an entire day.

            Despite the hard work and endless hours of training mind and body, crew has remained a club.  The women’s team pushed for NCAA entrance on the 2010 CSULB ballot, but were over shadowed and forgotten by the campaign for bring back football and the 100 other clubs who want to be recognized.  “I believe this is a top-tier sport,” Danny said, “yet most people still see it as a secondary.”  He hopes that someday NCAA status will be granted to both teams, and that Beach Crew will then be able to reach its full potential.

 

Photos courtesy of Pam Van Diepen