Michigan Tech has quite a few interesting clubs and the rowing club is one of them. I had the good fortune of meeting up with Kevin Yates from the club and have a chat about what how the club functions and why he enjoys being a part of it. And it’s only natural that he’s a part of the rowing club as looks like a modern day Viking! Here’s what Kevin had to say:
Sid: Hello Kevin! You’re a part of the rowing club. Could you give me an idea about the club and how you got into it?
Kevin: Well the rowing club by name is a club sport, but the way it seems to work is not at all like any other club sport. You work very hard as a rower. Discipline and dedication are key aspects. Without discipline amongst the rowers, a boat just doesn’t function properly. I actually started it in my freshman year – I’m a junior now – when I saw one of the boats hanging in the KBC and I thought to myself ‘This will be a great opportunity to do something fun in college and might not get the opportunity to do something like this elsewhere.’
Sid: Yeah I’ve always thought the KBC is a great place for inspiration. You’ve been rowing for 2 years now. How has the journey been till now?
Kevin: I have enjoyed the journey immensely! I don’t like to get up early, but it’s something you have to do as a part of the team.
Sid: Tell me about your practice routines.
Kevin: Practice usually takes place four to five days in a week. We have to hit the docks by 5:30 in the morning, try to get into the water by 5:45 and we do drills up and down the Portage Lake. Some days we’ll practice rowing while on others we’ll stay at one place and work on our balancing. Practice goes on till about 7:30 am, so it’s about 90 minutes of grueling practice.
Sid: Starting out so early in the day must be getting your adrenaline pumping.
Kevin: It sure does! It’s a pretty good way to start the day. By the time you’re done, you feel exhilarated and it is way better going to classes like that than crawling out of bed and dragging yourself. Even when the weather is bad, we head to the coach’s house where she has a bunch of rowing equipment and we’re given strenuous assignments. Dry land practice is actually more difficult than being in the water!
Sid: Well, that rules out bad weather as an excuse to skip practice. Who’s the coach and what does she bring to the table?
Kevin: Our coach is Terry Smythe and she has been coaching since the early 90s. Rowing is her passion. She teaches not only MTU students, but the local people too. First and foremost, she brings in the expertise and experience. With it, she brings in very high expectations. You don’t miss a session without a very good reason. You have to be willing to learn and practice till you get it right. Rowing needs a lot of precision and she is there to make it happen.
Sid: Coach Terry for the win! What sort of competitions do you guys participate in?
Kevin: We take part in all sorts of competitions. We race singles, doubles, fours and eights. There’s men’s boats, women’s boat’s mixed boats. So there’s quite a few formats. Every year we do the Iron Oar’s Regatta in Negaunee, Tail of the Fox in Wisconsin and a few other competitions. The season is short so we have to make the most of it.
Sid: What’s your favorite format?
Kevin: I like eights.
Sid: Did you develop the Viking look after you started rowing?
Kevin: I always had a beard but it was cropped. The Viking look developed when I got here.
Sid: It complements the rowing pretty well. Probably helps in scaring the opponents.
Kevin: Quite possible. If it does, hey, all the better for us!
Sid: For the students who don’t have an idea of this club, how do they do it and do you have a message for them?
Kevin: First and foremost, I would say definitely take up this experience. If you love a challenge, this is the place. I wasn’t an athlete when I started, but these 2 years have helped a lot in my development. It’ll be hard to find an opportunity to do something like this anywhere else. I would suggest anyone who is interested to check out the Michigan Tech Rowing Facebook Page. They can also contact me at kmyates@ mtu.edu and I would be more than happy to help them.
Sid: Thanks a lot Kevin. It was nice talking to you. I wish you all the best for the upcoming competitions.
Kevin: Thank you!
I think we’ve heard enough to pick up our oars and head to the lake!
