- A former men’s crew member and now assistant coach, Gregg Murray ’06 is no stranger to early May predawn rows. The ride will be a bit sleeker for the team now, after crew alumni pitched in to buy two new boats.
This past spring, the UMass Amherst men’s crew team was pulling oars at sunup on the swollen waters of the Connecticut River. Through the winter, they logged hours indoors “erging,” lifting weights, running stairs, swimming, even doing yoga for better balance and flexibility. All the practice and cross-training is in preparation for meets around New England in spring and fall.
“It’s a huge commitment,” says assistant coach Gregg Murray ’06, but the effort pays off. UMass Amherst men’s crew has a fine record both on the water and off. Its alumni have gone on to become attorneys, doctors, businessmen, chemists, and to qualify for the Olympics. (Look for Wes Piermarini ’04 going for the gold in Beijing this August.) Murray himself, who rowed as an undergraduate here, is now studying for a master’s at the School of Education.
Because men’s crew is a club, not a fully funded varsity program, the
rowers must raise funds to cover costs. Those costs can be sizable:
for example, an eight-man shell goes for $34,000 and
can quickly become outdated or less competitive. That’s why, last fall,
the club launched a fundraising campaign.
With a commitment upfront from the Office of Student Affairs to match alumni donations up to the cost of a new boat, the fundraising campaign got off to a great start. In 90 days, the fundraiser brought in $35,000, drumming up support via e-mails and phone calls. There was a $17,500 gift in stock and many smaller donations. Thanks to the outpouring of gifts from alumni rowers and other supporters, the club raised enough to buy two new boats.
Scott MacLellan ’07, Murray, and his fellow assistant coaches, Jeremy Andersen ’06 and David Snowdon ’06, took on another labor of love during winter break: they remodeled a weight room for the team’s use. They finished the job—which called for putting nearly 15 gallons of paint on the walls—just in time for the team’s return in late January. Says Murray with a laugh: “I was high on the paint fumes for two weeks.”
Head coach Tony Cronin and the coaching staff now can experience the high of getting two sleek shells into the water. Let’s hope those boats carry them across the finish line in first place at the races this fall.
If you are interested in supporting the UMass crew team click here.
