Time is now for Blue crew

By Albert Kim

For the Daily

The No. 6-ranked Michigan crew team kicks off the 2000 season this weekend with a race against No. 2 Virginia. The race will be held in Chapel Hill, N.C., and the Wolverines will also take on North Carolina over the weekend. The women are hoping to improve on last year, when they ended the season as the No. 5-ranked team in the country.

Racing against a highly ranked team such as Virginia this early in the season is not cause for celebration, but it will provide a good measuring stick in regards to how far the rowers have come from last year.

"It'll show us where we are, what changes we have to make, and how we stack up against the competition," Michigan coach Mark Rothstein said.

The Wolverines have been looking forward to the season, and there is a sense of urgency as the opening race looms near. The rowers have worked extremely hard over the winter, and have improved beyond expectations. The team is eager to race someone other than their own teammates, and intensity in practices has reached new heights.

"This is the time when the hard work over the winter is going to pay off. It's time to see what we can do," sophomore Liz Nelson said.

The team has just five seniors, and is top-heavy with sophomores. Some may point to this youth as a factor that might affect this team, but looks can be deceiving. Many of the sophomores that are 'youthful' raced on varsity last year, and are ready to take the next step.

"The team is much more mature - there's no more building to be done," All-American Kate Johnson said.

The addition of six new rowers, two transfers and four freshmen, has helped the depth of the team immensely. This has created some fierce intra-team competition, but it has actually helped the team by bringing everyone closer together.

"The intra-team competition has made us stronger, particularly in our ability to rise to the challenge," Johnson said.

In each of the past two years, the rowers have been within striking distance of the national title. Each year, they have fallen short.

Through all this, though, the team has gotten stronger, younger, and more mature. There is a quiet confidence that is building, a result of the dedication during the offseason, and a desire to win. With no major injuries, and no setbacks, the stage is set for the Wolverines.

"We've got the potential to be the best, it's just a question of whether we can capitalize on that potential," Johnson said.

Sit back, and enjoy the ride, because for this team, the time is now.