Write-in ballots allow locals to row for national titles
ALPLAUS, N.Y. » For this weekend’s Scholastic Rowing Association of America national championship regatta 35 boats earned entry automatically on Fish Creek two weeks ago at the New York State Scholastic Rowing Association championship regatta.
For the remaining 28 entries that will be rowing this weekend in Pennsauken, NJ, at the SRAAs, they had to be fast enough to be competitive, they had to have the faith of their coaching staff and have their own petition accepted by the organization.
“We had a pretty frank conversation with most of the athletes at states on Sunday after we knew we didn’t receive any of the official bids,” Shenendehowa girls varsity coach Mike Gilbert said at the Shenendehowa Crew boat-
house earlier this week. “We had some of the parents involved too just to key them into how complicated the decision process is and they’re really isn’t a formula. It’s as much a gut instinct.”
Based on their performance in the championship finals and accepted petitions by the SRAA competition committee, the girls freshman eight (fifth-overall in NY), the girls junior quad (fourth overall, third scholastic entry) and girls lightweight quad (second overall) join the five other Shenendehowa entries, taking on champions from six other regions and other petitioned entries in the twoday regatta on the Cooper River. The petition process works for both invested properties, the regatta can fill out fields in each racing category with competitive and willing available crews and it allows an organization to have another try in a different category.
“We were trying to qualify our eights and that did not work out, so then had to re-group and think about it seeing the quad performances, decided that coming from a strong sculling region it made sense to petition, we would probably be accepted and would probably be competitive,” Gilbert said.
The athletes are expected to be aware of where they need to place at the New York State regatta to earn automatic entry into the SRAAs.
“We have the qualifying bids chart up so the kids, if they look, all know what they need to do at states,” Gilbert said. “I hate to have them thinking ‘If we’re within two spots of qualifying we’ll probably get the petition,’ we want them to try and achieve definitively what qualifying is. Based on their efforts, how young they are, we decide whether to petition or not.”
The decision to go is based on the performance of the boat on and off the water by the entire boat.
“Its separation, it’s placing, they’re overall demeanor,” Gilbert said. “Are they really working for it hard and if it went pretty well and they’re still making progress, it’s worth petitioning.
“If they’re half-hearted about their efforts, then maybe they’re season is over and it’s not worth their parent’s spending money and missing school for another outing.”
The Shenendehowa petitioned entries, along with local petition entries, two from Burnt Hills Rowing, two from Augustine Classical Academy and Niskayuna, along with all 14 Saratoga Rowing Association’s qualifying entries begin side-by-side racing 8 a.m. Friday morning with semifinals continuing into the afternoon. Saturday is set for championship races beginning at 1 p.m.