The Alabama women’s rowing team will host Iowa in the Crimson Tide’s first and only home meet of the year Saturday. Not only is this weekend’s event a night of celebration for the eight seniors on the team, but it is also a wrap-up of Alabama Athletics’ Power of Pink Initiative for the year.
This year, nine women’s teams participated in the Power of Pink Initiative sponsored by Tuscaloosa Toyota. Started by gymnastics head coach Sarah Patterson in 2004, the remainder of the Women’s Athletic Department joined the cause in 2009 to raise help raise awareness in West Alabama.
Head coach Larry Davis said the team is happy to support the cause.
“It’s a cause that a lot of the team is very passionate about,” Davis said. “It’s great to have the support of Tuscaloosa Toyota and helps us to some of the things that we want to do for the regatta. So that, in and of itself, is a great thing.”
In addition to hosting a Big Ten competitor for the first time in the history of Alabama’s program, the event will also host the Whiskey River Band, and various sponsors will be having giveaways.
“We’re sort of an unknown commodity in a lot of respects,” Davis said. “We are very happy to have them come down and see the Power of Pink and also some of the things that the University has to offer, other than just athletics.”
Davis said it is sometimes difficult to draw highly competitive teams from conferences like the Big Ten to Tuscaloosa, but it is key to the growth of the program at Alabama.
“I’ve seen a lot of regattas around the United States, and I don’t think there’s any kind of duel race that will be anywhere comparable to what we do,” Davis said. “We want to have a tailgate-type atmosphere. Sometimes there is entertainment at these type of events, but this is something that is unique to Tuscaloosa, and I think it will be an opportunity for us to get people excited about coming down here and spreading the word.”
The team has traveled frequently over the past month. It traveled to California on March 31 for the San Diego Crew Classic, where both Varsity 8+ crews took sixth place. The team also made a trip to Rhode Island last Saturday to participate in the Rhode Island Quad Meet, where the team’s Second Varsity 8+ came in second place and the First Varsity 4+ took fourth.
“Last week, when we were up in Rhode Island, the Second Varsity 8+ exemplified what we’re shooting for this year: Very tenacious racing, good execution, a lot of heart and desire, not giving up and pushing through a number of crews to where we actually showed our best speed of the entire race, and that’s what we want from all of our crews,” Davis said.
Seniors Stephanie Varner and Audrey White said they are proud of the work the team did in Rhode Island.
“I feel like our next race will be a good one,” Varner said. “It’s a duel meet, which means it’s just us and Iowa, and those are always good, hard races. We’ve got some good competition this year, and since we’re on our home turf, we’re just hoping to get the community and the school together and do well.”
White said since the team has had so much success over the past few weeks, the rowers have a certain driving force to keep the winning feeling going as long as they can.
“I think that we’re all really amped for this weekend and looking forward to the competition we have coming,” White said. “Winning gives you a positive attitude and really makes you want to work harder.”
Davis said his team has made strides during the season but still sees areas his team can improve on before the Conference USA Championships on May 11.
“All of our crews are not quite there yet, but I think that shows that that’s the kind of progress we’ve made and will continue to make and bring some of the other crews along to that level,” Davis said. “I think that if we have that by the time we go to Conference USA’s, it should be a good championship for us.”
