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Dear Prospective Rowers:
We will be having an introductory meeting at a place and time TBA, where we will be introducing the sport and the team to those who are interested. There will be flyers posted around East Campus to remind you of our meeting. Also, keep an eye out for our boat trailer the day of the meeting. Additionally, we will be on East Campus Quad for Sports Club Day.
For those who are interested, we will be having practices to expose you to some of the rigors of rowing crew. Please come dressed with running shoes, shorts, and drinking water if necessary.
Just as a reminder, there are no weight/height limits for Duke Crew - all are welcome to join and enjoy in the tradition here at the University. This is an excellent opportunity to get in the best shape of your life.
Row hard,
Duke Men's Team
How much time does crew take up?
Does crew interfere with school and other activities?
What's the practice schedule like?
Does the crew team wake up at 5:00 in the morning everyday?
Is there a height/weight requirement?
I'm visiting Duke. Is there someone from the team I can meet with?
Is prior rowing experience required?
How should I be training if I want to join the team?
Can the crew team get me into Duke?
Crew is a sport where men learn how to row and then compete against other teams in races called regattas.
Crew requires dedication and a time commitment that rivals many other sports. You should plan on practicing six days a week for approximately an hour or two.
Crew members are students first and athletes second. Members of the team major in a variety of areas and have succeeded in both school and sport. The time management skills that you will learn as part of the team will prepare you for futures in law school, medical school, or the work place.
We adjust our practice schedule every semester to accommodate our changing academic schedules and other extracurricular activities. During the regular season, we leave campus for water training at 4:15 PM and return around 7:45 PM on most weekdays. We leave for water practice on Saturday mornings at 9 AM and arrive around 12:30, in time for lunch. Land practices are shorter (less than 1.5 hours) and usually involve erging, running, stadiums, or a team game. We have a total of 6 practices a week, plus weightlifting, with 1 day off. Though it sounds like a big commitment, it is actually quite manageable.
Not this crew team. We began phasing out early morning water practices Fall 2006 to just one a week. This semester, we might not have to have any 5:00 AM practices. However there are some days that will be designated for 6:30 AM land practices (usually for stadiums, erg sprint workouts, or 2K tests)). You will be back in time for classes, even if they are 8:40s.
There are two seasons a year. The fall season starts at the beginning of October and ends in mid November. During the winter, when it is too cold to row on the water, we have land training. The spring season starts in mid March and ends in late April. Duke Men's Crew trains all year round.
We practice at Lake Michie in Bahama, NC, about 25 minutes from Duke. We also have an erg room in Card gym where we do our land training.
No, men of all sizes and shapes are encouraged to join. More than likely, you will get into better shape.
The Duke Men's Crew Team is a club sport - this means that it is student led and student run. We do, however, row against varsity programs from other universities and often win. As a club sport, we conduct open recruitment of freshmen and any individuals with a desire to row will be given that chance. Being a part of the team requires dedication and like other endeavors, a whole-hearted committment is essential to succeeding.
The team's vice president, Kasey Geibel, would be more than happy to meet you, or arrange for someone who can.
Justs contact Kasey Geibel, and let us know you're interested.
Rowing experience is obviously a plus, but not required. In fact, many of our best rowers have had no rowing experience before college.
If you know how to row/erg, those will obviously be the best ways to prepare for joining our team. If not, don't worry. Running, biking, running stairs, etc. for 45 minutes a day, four times a week will give you a great base to start from. Weightlifting, especially leg work, will also help.
Although women cannot row for Duke Men's Crew, we are always looking for female (or male) coxswains.
Unfortunately, due to Duke Men's Crew's situation as a club sport, we do not actively recruit. We are always looking for dedicated, team-oriented people with a desire to excel. We do not have any sway with the admissions office and if you want to row at Duke, you will have to get in on your own merit.
Just email Kasey Geibel for more information.