A Buffalo high school rowing team hopes to extend their historic winning streak this weekend.
Canisius High School’s Senior eight rowers are headed to Sarasota, Florida to compete in the U.S. Rowing Youth Nationals.
The crew’s final race as Crusaders follows two national championship victories — the Scholastic Rowing Association of America title last month, and the Canadian Secondary Schools Rowing Association championship on June 1.
Coach Jacob Filby explained how the team prepared for success.
"I mean the guys just put a lot in," he said. "I mean, you know, we're doing 17 to 18 kilometers per day of long rowing, tons of work here at pace, above race pace. But I mean they're training twice a day for most of the year. In the winter we're going, you know, nine to 10 practices a week and in the spring we're going, again, nine to 11 practices a week. That's what it takes to be a top crew."
This weekend's race includes high school crews as well as club crews, so Filby is expecting tough competition.
"They can draw from a larger pool of athletes, the standard is generally trending higher, and so I think it's good to test ourselves against crews that have generally been the best and see how we stack up," he said.
Captain Liam Feeney is one of three crew members who will be rowing on a division one scholarship at college next year. He said he has mixed feelings heading into this weekend.
"It's definitely bittersweet since it's my last regatta in the blue and gold. But, you know, very excited, very excited to race. It's the biggest stage of the year, but ready to get after it."
Crew member Isaiah Aljuwani will row division one for Boston University next year, but said he was "not into sports" going into his Freshman year and only started rowing after his Grandma encouraged him to approach the rowing information table at the school's open house.
"And the coach, at the time, took a look at me he was like, 'You look like you got a good build for rowing. Why don't you come down for a learn to row camp?' And I did that. And it really just stuck with me ever since, I mean, I could not have ever imagined that I'd be doing something like this."
