FAQ

1. What is Marquette Crew? 

It started in 1990 and has been going strong ever since. Nationally competitive rowing program, competing against both collegiate varsity and club programs. Recruits both experienced and brand new rowers. No rowing experience is necessary. 

 

2. Who can row for Marquette Crew? 

Anyone enrolled at MU. There are no prerequisites for prior rowing experience, physical conditioning, or height. 

 

3. Why row or cox? 

Get into the best physical shape of your life! (Yes, even coxswains can, too!) Learn new skills. Become an athlete in a sport for which lack of experience is the rule, not the exception. While college age is already considered "late in life" to begin some sports - it's the perfect time to take up crew. Go as far as your dreams and hard work take you. Represent your country in the Olympics. Go for the gold in a world championship. Take your college to a national title. And don't overlook another realistic goal: bringing regional, national, or even international acclaim to your new collegiate crew program. 

Racing is exhilarating, and even practices give you tremendous satisfaction on a daily basis. If you're already an athlete, rowing will boost your performance in other sports. You'll enjoy and benefit from rowing for the rest of your life. It's an activity that's done competitively and recreationally by men and women into their 80s and beyond. It's a safe and low-impact. Strengthen your academic performance. Sound of body, sound of mind - they do go together. Crew sharpens your alertness, concentration, stamina, and time management. It's an aesthetically beautiful experience offering concentrated sights, sounds, feel, even smell. You can take it with you, geographically speaking. Crew is an international sport that you'll be able to enjoy, whether competitively or recreationally, almost anywhere you live. Make new friends. You'll meet some great people, on your team and on others: crew is a bond that develops friendships that can last your whole life. 

 

4. Where do we row?

Practice: Held at the cove, which is located 10 minutes south of campus on canal street, and we row on both the Milwaukee and Menomonee Rivers. Winter training is held at the team’s Erg (Indoor Rowing Machine) Room in the Humphrey Hall Practice space.

Racing: Regattas will be held at home and away venues. Our home course is The Milwaukee River. Away races will be held at a variety of scenic river and lake venues throughout the Midwest, Philadelphia, and Boston. 

 

5. What distances do we race? 

Races cover 2,000 meters in the Spring. In the Fall, longer distances are rowed, usually around 5,000 meters. The standard distance for most races at the college, World, and Olympic levels is 2,000 meters. 

 

6. Who do we row against?

Both Varsity and Club programs throughout the US. 

 

7. When do we row? 

Principal seasons are fall and spring. Practices for novice (first year) rowers are usually in the evening, and Varsity tend to choose to practice before classes in the mornings. 

 

8. What's a typical practice consist of?

Practice is usually two hours long. Starts with warm-up run and stretching. Usually spend about an hour to two on the water. Indoor workouts when inclement weather (thunderstorms, freezing). Few injuries, but you will get blisters on your hands when you start. Always bring a plastic water bottle, running shoes, adequate clothing for the weather. T-shirt and spandex for the summer. 

 

9. How do we get to and from practice?

The team tends to run down to the boathouse together from campus, as weather permits. 

 

10. What will we row?

Major college programs row eight- and four-person shells, each with a coxswain.

 

11. How much will it cost? 

The fees for participation usually fall into a range of around $600 for the whole year. Although this is a lot and can be quite daunting, it's this much beause this covers equipment fees and transportation/regatta fees for the season. 

 

12. Why is there a participation fee? 

Since the rowing program is not an officially sponsored collegiate varsity program, it gets funding from themselves. Therefore, all funds used to get the program running need to come from student fees and donations. Our goal is to maintain Marquette Crew as a first class rowing program, and to do so requires first class equipment and coaching. Unfortunately, this equipment and coaching does not come for free. The costs involved with a rowing program include: the shells ($25,000+ for a new boat), the coaches' salaries, coaches' launches, motors for the launches, gas for the motors, parts to repair damaged boats, paying someone to fix the boats, oars ($250 for each oar), safety equipment, transportation and lodging for regattas, and more. These costs are all covered in the rower dues.

 

13. What is the proper clothing to wear? 

Tight fitting shorts (bike shorts or spandex/lycra "work-out" shorts) and a comfortable T-shirt are ideal for rowing. While some might not feel comfortable in tight shorts, it is almost required since loose shorts can get caught up in the rolling seat and cause major problems. During colder weather, rowers should dress in many layers. A long sleeve T-shirt or two over top of a short sleeve T-shirt can provide significant warmth especially when working out. A light windproof jacket could also be used as a layer provided that it is not too loose. A hat is also an important item in any cold weather activity.