Commonly asked questions of those thinking of joining the Rutgers Men's crew team

What is crew?: Crew is the oldest intercollegiate sport at Rutgers dating back to the 1860's. It involves, strength, stamina, teamwork, and dedication.

Who does the team compete against?: we train and compete just like a varsity sport. We compete against the best collegiate rowing programs in the country, including Princeton, BU, Syracuse, Columbia, Navy, and Wisconsin, to name a few. We are consistently ranked in the top 20 nationally.

I don't have any experience rowing competitively, will I be at a disadvantage if I try to walk on to the crew team?: NO! More than 90% of all college oarsmen have never rowed before entering  college, yet many of these athletes become top college and Olympic oarsmen.

I heard crew practice is at 5 a.m. and takes up all your time, is that true?: No. We practice in the afternoons, and encourage you to do well in your academics. In fact, most of our oarsmen say it helps them in school by developing self- discipline and time organization. All fields of study are represented on the team, including Arts and Sciences, Pre-Law, Pre-Med, and Engineering.

How tall do you have to be to join the crew program?: It depends. Typical heavyweight collegiate oarsmen are usually between 6'2" and 6'8" in height and weigh between 170 and 220lbs. Lightweight oarsmen are between 5'10" and 6' and weigh under 165lbs. Coxswains are usually smaller in height and weigh less than 130lbs.

What is a coxswain?: The coxswain is a major part of a sucessful crew. The coxswain steers the crew shell, and is the eyes, ears, and voice of the crew. He also helps coach the oarsmen, and is responsible for executing the race strategy during competition.

How do I learn more about the crew team?: Come meet us at one of our introductory meetings in September or e-mail freshman coach Chris DeYoung at cdeyoung@rci.rutgers.edu