What is the Cascadilla Boat Club (CBC)? The answer to that question may be different depending on who you ask. Nestled on the southwest shore of Stewart Park, along with what is known colloquially to CBC members as “the small inlet,” sits the Cascadilla Boathouse. Completed in 1896, the boathouse originally belonged to the Cascadilla School, a preparatory school that continues to operate in Ithaca today. In 1923, management of the boathouse fell to the City of Ithaca. Today, the Boat Club, unaffiliated with the Cascadilla School, owns the boathouse, which is home to dedicated rowers of all ages.
A modified team exists for middle school-age rowers, and a novice team caters to high schoolers who want to start rowing. Additionally, a varsity team exists as the most competitive offering for older high school rowers who began rowing on the club’s novice team. The varsity team requires high amounts of dedication and often progresses through the season to compete at regattas, or rowing competitions, such as States, Nationals and beyond.
CBC brings in rowers from all across Tompkins County, spanning from Newfield to Trumansburg to Lansing, and of course including many IHS students. No matter the team, CBC offers a constructive environment for athletes to not only develop their rowing technique, but to also make long lasting connections and friendships as they navigate the age-old landscape that is the world of crew.
What makes a good rower?
No criteria exists to judge who has the potential to be a good high school rower. CBC is a place for people of all shapes, sizes, backgrounds, interests and goals. CBC does not hold tryouts, and while boats are created based on skill and speed, no cuts are made on the team.
What are practices like?
Due to the water-based nature of the sport, rowing is weather dependent. As long as there are no large waves on Cayuga Lake, rowers can expect to head out on the lake or up Cayuga Inlet along Cass Park during practice. CBC crews spend hours practicing drills, going on long rows up the lake, and practicing harder segments called “pieces.” All of this is in pursuit of perfecting the rowing stroke meter after meter. Novice rowers practice from 5:00-6:45 p.m. on all weekdays, while varsity rowers can expect beautiful mornings on the water as practices run from 6:00-8:00 a.m.during the week, and 8:00-10:00 a.m. on Saturdays.
What are regattas like?
Rowers can expect to participate in roughly five regattas per season. Each crew is given a plot beside the body of water on which to pitch tents, one of which houses an area for rowers to relax and put their gear. Another adjacent tent contains an enormity of food provided by parents of the rowers for athletes to eat throughout the day. During the fall season. rowers compete over a roughly 5000 meter course. In the spring sprint season, this is decreased to around 2000 meters.
“What does CBC mean to you?”
I discussed this question with a set of CBC seniors and captains:
Stella Whittaker, IHS ’18: “CBC fosters teamwork, and although we are in separate boats, we come together as a loving, encouraging community.”
Cid Decatur, IHS ’18: “CBC is a place to find your footing. Plus the coaches are basically just handing out jacked lats and quads with the workouts we do.”
Molly Stoff, IHS ’18: “CBC takes groups of strangers and turns them into a family. And Cid is right, CBC is quad central.”
Aidan O’Dowd, Homeschooled ‘18: “CBC is an opportunity to experience the satisfying thrill of cohesive teamwork propelling of a 44 foot-long, eight-oared racing shell across the water.”
Isabel Gephart, IHS ’18: “It’s the best thing ever.”
Arjun Sweet, IHS ’18: “CBC is a small, hard working community whose talent continues to surprise me.”
Cameron Grover, IHS ’18: “Our sport and our team caters itself to competition and we have a community built around these ideals. CBC is a group of people who want to win.”
Camille Vandermeer, END ’18: “Have you ever wanted to get into a prestigious Ivy League without actually having the academic qualifications to be admitted? This is how.” (Camille has committed to Princeton and will be graduating in 2022.)
How can you get involved with CBC?
All information about CBC can be found online, including pricing for seasons, descriptions of various programs and information about scheduling and the dates of regattas. The fall competitive seasons begin the day before school starts in September 2018. Summer camps and seasons also exist for those who want to get a head start on their rowing and get a feel for crew as a sport. Additionally, International Learn to Row Day is on June 2, 2018. This is a free day where members of the public can come and get a taste of the rowing experience.