Blair Crew

Great rowing today at the Head of the Potomac! The Girls Eight finished the 2.8 mile course in 18:46.8 — a very respectable 10th place, out of 19 boats entered. We finished ahead of all three B-CC boats, Woodrow Wilson, Annapolis and two Thompson’s Boat Club composite teams. The boys Four came in 6th, with a time of 19:23.2. They worked hard and held their own against Old Dominion, Bishop O’Connell, Wilson, and Bishop Ireton.

Blair Crew, Montgomery Blair High School’s crew team, is proud to announce the launch of the Trail Blazer, the team’s first ever racing shell of its own.

The Trail Blazer is a Vespoli 8 midweight shell and will be used by both boys and girls teams. Painted white with red stripes, the carbon-fiber hull was completely refurbished by the manufacturer.  The Trail Blazer 8 is 62 feet long, and will be stored inside the boathouse at Bladensburg Waterfront Park.

Founded in 2008, Blair Crew has relied upon rented equipment for its first 3 years.  Head Coach Eva Sullivan is looking forward to the competitive advantage she sees in the team having its own boat.

“Last year, we experienced heart-breaking equipment failure — a cracked hull at the starting line, a foot stretcher popping out of a borrowed boat, losing a race by 3/100ths of a second … The kids have worked really hard for three years, and deserve better equipment. This new boat will go a long way to making us more competitive. I’m really looking forward to a great year with a new boat.” said  Coach Sullivan.

Blair Crew is a club sport at Montgomery Blair High. As a club sport, the team receives no financial support from the school or Montgomery County Public Schools. Blair crew organized into an independent 501(c)(3) in 2010, and has been fundraising with an eye towards purchasing its own boats since the beginning.  “We have put an enormous amount of work into just getting the kids on the water. To finally have our own boat is thrilling,” stated club president Alyson Krogh.

The athletes themselves are probably the most excited, “The Trail Blazer is going be blazing fast, I can’t wait to get out on the water in it” said senior team captain Becca Ederer.

Returning rowers and their families can begin marking their calendars with the fall season events. Returning team members will have a team meeting on Wednesday, August 31 at 3 p.m., in room 162. Also, returning team members can register online and – coming soon – pay using PayPal through our website here.

Montgomery Blair High School Crew is seeking a Head Rowing Coach. This is a great opportunity to help build a young, growing and enthusiastic team and take them to the next level of competitiveness.

In just three years, Blair Crew has gone from start-up novice team in 2008 to medal-winners and Stotesbury competitors in 2011. Continued improvement is expected in the 2011-12 season, with new equipment and a higher level of motivation by a team that is just starting to taste success. This is a terrific opportunity to work with a diverse and motivated group of teen athletes, both boys and girls, from Montgomery County’s largest high school, located in Silver Spring, MD.

POSITION DESCRIPTION: The Head Coach works with assistant coaches, team captains and coxswains to plan and run water practices and land workouts. He or she communicates regularly with the team’s supportive Board of Directors, and works with the Board to hire and supervise assistant coaches, plan racing schedules and manage equipment.

The team rows from early March through mid-May and from mid-September through early November at Bladensburg Waterfront Park, on the upper Anacostia River. On-the-water practice is M-W-F from 3:30 to 6:30 pm, with land workouts on alternate days and through the winter.

ABOUT BLAIR CREW: The Montgomery Blair Crew team was founded in 2008 and has since grown to almost 50 rowers. It is a member of the Washington Metropolitan Interscholastic Rowing Association, www.wmira.info. The team is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, with strong support from parents and Blair High School and a strong commitment to the community. For more information, check our website:http://www.blaircrew.org.

If you’re interested, please call Alyson at 301-529-5506 to learn more details. Thanks!

Congratulations to all our Awards Winners, Coaches and Parents!

Our end of season dinner was our biggest, and yes, best yet.  Everyone pitched in to make it fun, happy, and a full menu of great foods.

Congratulations also to our new team Captains: Eli Fellow, Henry Lewis, Becca Ederer and Ellie Mejia!

Go Blair Crew!

Our short but powerful pledge drive is almost over!  Don’t disappoint our rowers – if we all pitch in, we can make this happen!

PLEDGE CARD         Submit by June 9!

Yes, I want Blair Crew rowers to keep growing strong and fast!  Please accept my pledge towards making great things happen with our first-ever boat purchase.

My name:________________________________________________

Email:____________________________________________________

Phone: ___________________________________________________

Amount pledged:  (donations are tax-deductible!)

___ $200                                                                    ___ Check enclosed (check #_____)

___ Other amount: $_______                                  ___ I will pay in July.

If we raise enough to buy a new boat, I suggest we name it ____________________________________ and paint it
(  ) Blazer Red
(  ) Stealth Black
(  ) Sleek White.

Please mail to Box 7056, Silver Spring, MD 20907 to arrive by June 9, or Email to blaircrewtreasurer@gmail.com.