News from TC Crew - 2007

ODBC boys win at Occoquan

The boys eight finished their season taking first place with a time of 16:18.1167, the fastest time of any boat in the regatta.  The girls eight was second.  The boys four took 5th and the B eight was 12th.  The girls B eight was 14th.  Go to ODBC Crew for details. 

Another TCW sighting at the Head of the Charles

Alum Mary Higgins, rowing in the two seat on the gold medal winner in the lightweight four (Undine Barge Club, Philadelphia).  Here's a photo.

TCW rowers are National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists

Among the three TC Williams who seniors qualified as semifinalists this year are Paul Blakeslee and Zach Whitacre, both from the boys varsity 8.  The nationwide pool of semifinalists, who represent less than 1 percent of high school seniors, includes the highest scoring entrants in each state. They will compete for Merit Scholarship awards, to be offered next spring.

2007 Season Awards

Letters, certificates, scholar-athlete awards and the following special were handed out in a special dockside ceremony at the Dee Campbell Rowing Center. 

Congratulations to Scholarship Award Winners

Senior rowers Enoch Cleckley and Kasey Cosier, seen here with Alexandria Crew Boosters President Keith Smith, are the recipients of scholarships funded by Crew Boosters and awarded by the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria.

TCW Rowers Volunteer at the Law Ride

The team was helping out ICOP Digital, one of the companies who co-sponsored the event along with Sprint/Nextel.  ICOP is a manufacturer of in-car video systems for police cars.  John Walsh, of America's Most Wanted and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children rode the lead motorcycle with the ICOP motorcyle in second position riden by Robbie Knievel.  The ICOP vehicle was equipped with the ICOP video system which sent live streaming video from the ride.  In exchange for the help, ICOP has made a generous donation to the team.

TC Crew Christens the Debbie Owen Wells

On Saturday, April 7, 2007, TC Crew honored the past president of Alexandria Crew Boosters by naming its newest racing shell in her honor.

The Debbie Owen Wells was christened at a ceremony in the Dee Campbell Rowing Center, attended by the current team, alumni, members of Alexandria Crew Boosters and the community.  

Crew Boosters president Keith Smith officiated, citing Debbie's strong and decisive leadership and devotion to the organization, the sport, and the youth of Alexandria. "Debbie’s ability to get the right people to do all the jobs necessary to keep Crew Boosters going is ample evidence of her administrative and leadership skill," he said, and "her influence on TC Williams Crew and Alexandria Crew Boosters will be felt for many years."  Read the citation.

Head girls' coach Steve Weir introduced Debbie, suggesting that we rename the city "Debbie, Virginia - the dedicated side of the river.  I'd live there," he said.  Steve spoke of the "nobility of crew" - success measured by an athlete's ability to prepare and train for the moment of victory.  "Coming over the finish line, spent beyond your wildest expectation, is the greatest accomplishment of any rower," he said.  

"Debbie Wells is a metaphor for the nobility of rowing," he said. "Her selfless dedication to the TC Williams Crew Team for the past eight years is unprecedented."   Read Steve's remarks here.

The newest addition to the T.C. Williams rowing fleet is a Resolute Z8, manufactured by Resolute Racing Shells in Bristol, RI.   

The Debbie Owen Wells is the second white shell from Resolute in the TC Williams fleet.  Designed by a collegiate rowing coach and a team of America’s Cup yacht builders, it’s 53’ 5” long, 27.6” at the beam and weighs about 200 lb. Resolute shells were the three top finishers in last year’s NCAA Division I Championship, not to mention the Virginia and Canadian Championships won by the TC Crew girls varsity eight.