|
History
 |
||
| In
October of 1985, two Brandeis students, Al Faierman
'87 and Steve Simons '88,
attended the annual Head of the Charles Regatta. Inspired by the world
class race, they decided they wanted to row. About that same time, Phil
Kesten arrived at Brandeis to continue his post-doctorate studies. Phil
had rowed as an undergraduate at M.I.T., and had coached at the University
of Michigan, and he hoped to continue coaching at Brandeis. Unfortunately,
in 1985, there was no Brandeis Crew. These founders held a meeting to
attract interested students in 1986, and the Brandeis Crew was born. Twenty
strong, the inaugural Crew raised enough money to purchase two old wooden
boats and two sets of oars. The Athletic Department donated money for
a coach's launch. However, without access to a boathouse or docks, this
equipment, and the Crew, found themselves landbound.
Soon after, an old agreement between Brandeis and the Metropolitan District Commission was uncovered, in which the University had reserved the right to build a boathouse on a strip of land on the Charles River behind school property. Shortly after they began clearing the land, upset neighbors summoned Brandeis and M.D.C. officials. In the end, instead of a boathouse, all the team walked away with were some mild cases fo poison oak. Construction was halted, and the Crew remained without a boathouse. In 1986, an invitation from Holy Cross provided the first opportunity for the Crew to race. In a borrowed boat the Crew battled inexperience and hostile weather, barely keeping themselves from rubbing against the rocks on the shores of Lake Quinsigamond. That October, the Brandeis Crew finally began to practice on the water. In the spring of 1988, the Crew purchased its first new boat, a four which was christened the "Phil Kesten." Since then, the team has acquired more boats, bringing the total to three eights and four fours. Brandeis Crew has now been running for over fifteen years. Over the years, Brandeis has fielded several successful crews, including the following:
The history of Brandeis Crew was compiled by Damian Payiatakis, Dan Povich, and Leah Weinryb Grohsgal. |
||
