University of Virginia Library

Yale Crew Here

Cavalier Crew Practices
For Opening Encounter

By Tom Sansonetti
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Pastoral Atmosphere Of Boat House, Reservoir Belie Rowing's Vigor

Oarsmen Are Practicing With Yale Crew This Week For Spring Regattas

Did you know that the fifth
best crew in the country has been
practicing on the Rivanna River?
Yes sir, Yale's in town! The
perennial Ivy League power is
spending its spring break working
hard in southern waters in preparation
for the stiff northern competition
ahead.

Jim Rathschmidt, Yale's highly
respected coach since 1950, has
been putting his men through a
two-sessions-a-day schedule as
of March 19 when they arrived in
Charlottesville. Having amassed a
total of thirty-one years of experience
as a coach at first Princeton
then Yale, Mr. Rathschmidt's
crews have won many honors, including
the 1956 Olympic Gold
Medal.

Yale Brings Three Shells

Although he still looks fit enough
to row stroke for the varsity eight,
Mr. Rathschmidt is content to
shout instructions from a launch
at the members of Yale's three
shells. The crew averages nine
miles a session, each of which
usually lasts for one and a quarter
hours.

The warm weather plus the
length and stillness of the Rivanna
drew the Bulldogs away from chilly
New Haven for the first time
in many years. From their comments
they will be sorry to depart
for Connecticut come March 29.

At the same time Virginia's crew,
which according to Mr. Rathschmidt
"has a tremendous
future," has been rowing ten miles
on each of its eight weekly practices
under the watchful eye of Coach
Tim Kerr. Varsity, JV, and Freshman
shells are currently out on
the water.

However, spectators at the river
this next week should hardly expect
to see an exhibition race between
Virginia and their highly-touted
guests; for they admittedly
would have trouble taking Yale in
a hydroplane.

Coach Kerr, a graduate student
in Education, has four years of
coaching experience behind him.
He believes the crew will be ready
soon for this spring's six races,
each being 2000 meters long.

Virginia's Top Eight

The Varsity shell, starting
from the one or bow position
and continuing through the eight
or stroke position, consists of:
Bob Tuke, Carl (Chip) Helmetag,
John Bakhaus, Pratt Rommel,
John Woodall, Steve Plott (Captain),
Peter Luke, and Harrison
O'Conner. The coxswain is Peter
Tilghman.

The crew has come a long way
since the revival of the sport last
year. Two major additions that
have been acquired include the new
Varsity shell and, even more
satisfying, a modern boathouse.
The funds came mainly from the
$50 membership dues and donations
from contributors to whom
the crew is greatly indebted.

The boathouse's cost was about
$5000 while the shell amounted to
$2535.

As the sport is hardly as well
established in the South as compared
to the New England states
in particular, funds for warm-weather
clubs have been hard to
come by. When approached for
monetary support by hopeful members
of the Clemson University
club, Athletic Director Frank
Howard replied, "I ain't gonna
give one cent to a sport where the
participants sit on their asses and
go back wards."

Coach Kerr's Goal

According to Coach Kerr, this
year's goal is the Dad Vail Regatta
in Philadelphia which occurs
in late Spring. Primarily for
colleges with small crew programs,
the Regatta invites thirty-six entries.
The experience that would be
obtained through such competition
would prove invaluable to Virginia
in the future.