With COVID ever-present during the school year of 2020-2021, the varsity crew team endured tough challenges. However, promising progress is also being made, and the team hopes to regain its full potential next year, when the boat club will celebrate their 100th year of rowing.

Mr. Houston, the head coach of varsity crew explained the “uniqueness” of crew under COVID: “This season is very unique in that we did not have the winter training that we usually have. Additionally, we lost our spring break training trip which is critical to our success in previous years as it allows us to get into shape before the season starts. Furthermore, the abbreviated season limited practices the number of practices we had to try out new combinations of rowers. Finally there were a handful of experienced rowers who decided to stay home and do remote learning this spring, which made the team lacking a certain amount of squad depth.”

Nevertheless, as the season approaches its end, the crew team will still try its best to pick up their best forms. There is still a lot of potential the team can give in races, said Houston: “I want to push the athletes to their limits and to teach them that they have a lot more in reserve than what they believed earlier in the season.” 

As Mr. Houston talks about prospects coming next year, he says that there are a number of rowers returning from this year’s team and a number of good athletes with some rowing experience coming to Kent as new students in the fall. “I am very encouraged about our prospects next year as we go into our 100th year of Kent rowing. It promises to be an exciting year.”