March 2023

March 2023

Scrimmage with Cape Coral

25th of March …. the team of Cape Coral arrived at our Boatyard. Three hours of racing right infront of our dock gave all athletes multiple opportunities to race. From Singles to Pairs and Doubles and finally the Quads. Do row in multiple races the coaches to shorten the course to half a Mile - so that with hot seating and repeated racing because the finishes have been too close to call we could host 21 races.

All HS and MS athletes have been supported by the great support of the parents and officials of their clubs. The athletes enjoyed the various boatclasses to race and not to be stuck in their priority class during the season. See some picture below the great day.

Thank you so much to the coaches of Cape Coral and we hope to see you soon again

In the newspaper - coach

I arrived in December 2022 and started my position as the Head Coach of the Scullers. During this time my athletes had the closest contact and learned more about me … for the rest of you - The Sarasota Observer send over an journalist and he picked my brain … do you want to know more about your new Coach … read here:

New Race-Uni

2023 will be the year of changes. Covid left its mark all over the country - and did not stop unfortunately at the Scullers. The team shrinks to a low number. To mark a new beginning the coaches and board of director started to change things up to reattract the youth of Sarasota. The (in short) approach “Person first - Success follows" will be always our motto and therefore not only the words but also all what we are doing needs to be on a professional level. That starts from our approach to the athletes to our boatyard - clubhouse and finally also what we wear to represent us. We are working tirelessly on all of these frontlines and here we present our new racing uni.

Movie-Night and more

1st / 2nd and 3rd MOVIE NIGHT at the Scullers Clubhouse are history. Domino Pizza and parents are great in supporting the social event with Pizza, Popcorn and Pop … the 3 important P’s in our life hahaha.

The MOVIE NIGHT grows into an institution, and we see now athletes bringing their friends. Our showings are irregular but regular every 3 weeks … ish but there are happening.

SkyCaptain will be shown the next time in two weeks … and if any alumni is around we wish to see you and join our team.

Clubhouse change

If you open the doors to our Clubhouse you will see changes coming and already happening. We want that the Clubhouse is representing us … representing the Scullers in an organized professional fashion. The big clean-up finished and now the fine tuning starts. Inventory, Organization, Cleaning the window front, new signs and and and.

But not only the the Clubhouse itself gets an upgrade, also the trainings facility itself. By adding stationary bikes (thanks to our donors) we added an important training tool to our team. At the moment the Scullers thankfully can sit six athletes on bikes - our goal will be 12. For any bike or money donation … please find our Head Coach or write us [email protected]

Scullers and Masters

Scullers and Masters of SCRC belongs togethers. In the morning-night the Masters of SCRC show up for training. Committed 50+ athletes daily hit the water in 1x, 2x, 4x and 8+ to prepare themselves for the regattas in Florida, USA and at the World Master Level.

Of course, it was just a matter of time, that I, the Head Coach of the Scullers, would show up and enjoy a) the sunrise and b) the training with coach Dragos.

Out of this occasionally training visits in the morning it became a Wednesday + Friday routine for me to look after these amazing morning athletes. I was happy welcomed by the Masters Team and it is great to give my expertise. I think the work with the Masters and the Juniors will create a great synergy and we will have in the future a great team to help each other out - without being stranger on the same boatyard. Thank you

To find out more about the Masters of SCRC get informed here:

SCRC Masters

Remember 10 years ago

A decade ago a small Jacob Franks started rowing at the Scullers. Our office mail received a few weeks ago an email from Jacob. He would be visiting his family in Sarasota and he would like to come back to find his roots. Jacob met our Head Coach at the Boatyard and followed on an Saturday morning our HS Team on the water. “Stompo” was so impressed of Jacobs last 10 years that he asked him to write about himself, about what rowing meant to him and how he recalls everything out of a more majored view in time. Jacob was more than happy to shard his thoughts about his time and I want to THANK him for sharing.

JACOB:

“When growing up I was always very active. Playing sports with neighborhood kids and longboarding miles and miles throughout Sarasota to go to places like the beach and parks. During the younger years I never played organized sports like a lot of the other kids. Mine was more causal play and exploration. Then my 7th grade I remember my mom coming home with a flyer from Sarasota Scullers. I'll never forget seeing the purple and green together like that for the first time.

She gave me a little info on what it was and how they had a summer camp I could attend. My sweet mother knew nothing about what she had just begun. After the summer camp I was exhausted. Hands blistered. Sunburnt and overall tired. I didn't want to join the team that upcoming year, 8th grade. Well, my mom had other plans for me. So I joined. 🤣 

Once I got the ball rolling in the sport and we did our first 2k of the year to see where all the novice sat I pulled a 7:20 for my first 2k ever.

Randy Higle walked over to me and said "that's Mundo power!!" I'll never forget these words either. During this time in my first years I really took to the sport and was competing against second years rowers and freshman's a year older. Although the first few weeks I couldn't even run a lap around the parking lot that still exists today. Fast forward two years on Sarasota Scullers (so by the end of my freshman year) I was a 6:45 2k, competing against seniors for spots in boats, became the first freshman athlete to become "Sculler of the year awards" then competing for the junior national team that summer at the CanAmEx regatta in Oklahoma city. OKC river sports complex.

What a wonderful experience that was!

Though After a disappointing end of my scholastic year with Scullers I was left with a loss at the state championship after an undefeated year in the freshman 8+. When I sat down with the coaches to discuss the loss they didn't have any answers why they thought we tanked so hard.

After this discussion and my desires with the sport I decided to switch teams and join Sarasota Crew.

Oh boy

In my two years on Sarasota crew I quickly became a top athlete there as well as in the country. I ended up bowing the junior men's quad in Hamburg Germany the summer of 2014.

After two years of competitive high school rowing for Sarasota crew I was burnt out by the training, mentality and drama of such a big money making sports team. I was done.

The thought of going to college and rowing 4 more years for a coach who could potentially be gone or continue to have a negative impact on my mental and physical well being. The decision was to not take any of my scholarship offers and to go a different route with fitness.

After highschool I ended up getting 5 separate certifications in CrossFit methodology and coached for a well known gym in downtown Sarasota, Seaward CrossFit. During this time I became top 20 athletes in Florida below 21.

Fast forward to today my focus is on breath work, flexibility and sustainable movement patterns. I work with people to improve their stability in everyday tasks as well as there eating and cooking habits.

My interests are wide and inclusive. I love to backpack, cook, do carpentry and landscaping design as well as drive motor cycles and go to concerts.

The biggest lesson from Rowing I still hold with me dearly is the thought of going in backwards in a direction to victory, looking at where you've came not as a regret or holding onto the past, but to pace yourself and learn from for the future, the finish line. The medal or the honor.

It's all about every stroke you take. How you speak and how you represent yourself to other. It's about the oar hitting the water at the exact right time to achieve to perfect propulsion of the boat.

Rowing is life and I will never leave that thought behind.

I owe everything I know and have to this sport and maybe one day I can be involved in bring that to other peoples lifes :)”

Next Regatta - Sarasota

DONT FORGET ….. The Nathan Benderson Park April 14 and 28 will see Scullers again in action at the Florida Championships