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A spirit that is not afraid

Crew team rows boat year round

Rowing, running, push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups and more.

The Auburn Crew Team works hard to keep their bodies in shape for the races they compete in.

Van Jones, the men's vice president, said he first joined the team for the workouts.

"I didn't want to get out of shape and honestly did not care about the actual rowing aspect of the team," said Jones, a sophomore in building science. "Starting last semester, once I became varsity, the four-man boat I was in became really competitive, and I started really getting into the sport."

Jones said the team has races, or regattas, about four times a semester.

"Regattas consist of all kinds of races," Jones said. "2k sprints (2000 meters) in the spring and 5k races in the fall. The boats we race are the eight-man, four-man, pair and single."

Jones said there are different categories of racing, depending on the participants' classification and the type of boat.

Katy O'Bryan-Flannery, the women's vice president, said Auburn Crew is a close-knit team.

"Our team may only be considered a club team and may not be a true varsity team, but we do get to compete against top varsity schools, and we are able to hold our own and represent Auburn athletics very well," said O'Bryan-Flannery, a junior in human development and family studies.

Tammy Tipton, a recent Auburn graduate, said she learned a lot about dedication and teamwork while on the crew team. She said the practices were tough.

"We had morning practices three days a week from 4:30 a.m. to 8 a.m.," Tipton said. "Afternoon practices were from 4:30 p.m. to approximately 6 p.m."

Jones said he enjoys the team's water practices.

"(They) are a great workout, and you learn a lot about the techniques of rowing," Jones said. "Land training is a great workout as well, and they get more demanding as the team gets in better shape."

O'Bryan-Flannery said one of her favorite parts about being on the team is the exercise.

"Crew is a very demanding sport physically and mentally," O'Bryan-Flannery said. "The skills I have learned from that are priceless."

Both Tipton and Jones said the biggest advantage to joining the team was the people they met.

"I made a lot of good friends that I kept in touch with during my three and a half years at Auburn," Tipton said.

Jones said although he's made lifelong friendships, committing 100 percent has been tough.

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O'Bryan-Flannery said the team traveled to Tampa during Auburn's spring break to compete in the Tampa Mayor's Cup Regatta.

Jones said even though the water was rough and they almost sunk a boat, the men's team did well and learned from the experience.

O'Bryan-Flannery said anyone who is interested in becoming a part of the Auburn Crew Team should join.

"There is no need to be intimidated by the sport or the time commitment," O'Bryan-Flannery said. "We are a team that will take anyone who wants to come out and give it a try no matter what physical shape you are in or whether you have previous rowing experience."


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