Within the Terry Center on the Jesuit campus lurk committed athletes rowing their hearts out on the ergs, or rowing machines. But one young man clearly stands out above all the others. His name? Westford Lang, one of two captains on the Jesuit crew team.
Westford Lang ’12 did not know what crew was until he attended Jesuit. During his middle school years at Christ the King School, he was a very athletic kid who played most of the offered sports such as basketball, baseball, and football. When his freshman year of high school rolled around, Westford tried out for the freshman baseball team but did not make it. However, one of his friends convinced him to try out for the crew team.
“After an investment of a lot of time and dedication, the hard work finally paid off,” said Lang. “The management between crew and schoolwork makes it even more of a pain in the butt.”
Unlike most rowers, Westford has been on the Varsity team for the past three years. He rows on a boat called the Varsity Eight. “I sit in the sixth seat, which is one of the more important seats on the boat. It is also known as the Engine Room. I feel that the culture of the team provides me with a new atmosphere I have never felt or been in before. Now, I am able to excel and find my place within the team.” Westford also looks forward to attending Georgetown next year in order to row for the next four years.
As captain of the team, Westford has led his fellow rowers through amazing comebacks and victories. Westford and the Varsity 8 travel
around the country. For instance, this weekend, March 31-April 1, this group of rowers will travel to San Diego to compete against colleges and high schools from around the country (http://www.crewclassic.org/). In addition, Westford has traveled for the past four years to The University of Texas at Austin to compete in the Heart of Texas Regatta.
On March 3-4, the Rangers won the Varsity 8 race among other awards (see report here: http://www.jesuitcp.org/Page.aspx?pid=474). Likewise, he has competed in the Stotesbury Cup Regatta, one of many tournaments held in Philadelphia.
On a much larger scale, Westford has qualified for the Regional Southeast division whose tournament will be held in Oklahoma City later this year. “After the Regional competition, I hope to qualify for the Junior Nationals competition which is to be held in Oakridge, Tennessee. Our Varsity 8 competes against middle and high school rowers, as well as universities and colleges.”
Like most successful athletes, Westford keeps close tabs on his personal records. At the Southwest Ergometer Amateur Tournament, held in Jesuit’s Terry Center on February 4, Westford placed 4th in the Heavyweight Varsity division. His best time when rowing 6K was 21:07, while his best in the 2K was 6:33. Both he and co-captain Jack Newman ’12 have set incredible records that will be hard to beat.
Last year, Jesuit hired Georgetown crew coach John Fife. Fife, a graduate of St. Joseph’s Prep, a Jesuit high school in Philadelphia, was recruited to the University of Pennsylvania for his similar crew skills. After graduating, Coach Fife became the Lightweight Men’s coach at Penn and was then asked to become the head coach for the Georgetown Lightweight Men’s crew team. After a few years coaching at Georgetown, Fife went back to Philadelphia to attend Law School while simultaneously coaching at Penn.
In 2011, Fife came to Dallas where he is currently the head coach of the Jesuit Crew team. “Over the past few years, working at this multitude of places, I have learned about the ways to coach and I myself have matured,” Fife said. “I have learned about what works and motivates the students. Sometimes, it is more like a case of trial and error.”
Coach Fife praised Lang’s work ethic and growth. “In the beginning of his rowing career, I noticed that Westford was not so passionate about crew. But, over the past two years, I have observed him grow both physically and through his character. He is truly the best guy on the erg and definitely a standout…Westford truly personifies the culture that our team strives for through his character, intensity, and devotion to his teammates.”
Though Westford’s life is mainly centered on crew, he tries to find time in between intense workouts in the Athletic Center on the ergs and prolonged hours on the water of White Rock Lake to enjoy his other hobbies. Instead of having to focus on water as the team rows in circles, Westford gets to enjoy the landscape as he rides his road bike around White Rock Lake. He enjoys reading mystery books, working in the gym to maintain his physical stature, hanging out with his close friends, and playing XBOX.
