This past Saturday, November 29, Jesuit alumni gathered for a crew race at White Rock Lake. Four boats participated in the competition: two alumni boats, one current varsity boat, and one current junior varsity boat.
This Jesuit tradition spans back four years and is a very exciting yet laid back event. With well over 100 people in all, alumni, parents of alumni, current rowers, and their parents gathered for a fun race day.
When asked about what it was like to compete against his former teammates and coach, alumnus Luke Uetrecht ’13 said, “Racing with the old alumni boats and current Jesuit oarsmen is a lot of fun primarily because you get to see all your brothers again. Some of them were my closest friends in high school so to be reunited in a competitive setting is a lot of fun. Seeing my former coach is always one of the highlights of my Thanksgiving break because he was such a prominent and influential figure in my high school life”. Uetrecht was not alone in his joy in seeing and competing against old teammates and coaches.
When it came time to race, things were very close up to the 600 meter mark between the four boats, with the top alumni 8 coming in first by just under one boat’s length, the current varsity 8 coming in second, another alumni 8 boat coming in third, and the JV 8 boat coming in fourth. As the race drew to an end, all gathered for a big barbecue and enjoyed hanging out and catching up with their old friends.
Not only do the current crew members enjoy this race, but the crew alumni also love reuniting with former teammates and coaches. Reflecting on a great day and this unique tradition at Jesuit, alumnus Jordi Perez ’14 said “The Alumni Race is a great tradition that brings the the whole team, current and past rowers, together. It was great to catch up with the guys that have gone off to do their own thing and to see how everything I loved about Jesuit Crew has stayed the same. The race is a chance for us alumni and parents to show our support for the current rowers and the program as a whole”.
This race seems to bring nothing but positive responses from all who attend. Even though this race has only been going on for four years, it seems that this tradition will continue to flourish in the upcoming years.
