As the regular season is beginning to wrap up for spring sports, many teams have begun training for playoffs. Girls crew competed in the Stotesbury Cup on May 17 and May 18, which was held in Pennsylvania on the Schuylkill River. The team has started practicing to compete in states, working on their timing and communication to be able to cover as much distance as possible in a short amount of time during their regattas.

“I would say that my team has improved a lot with strength and conditioning,” junior Angelina Thomas said. “Our goal is to move the boat as fast as possible.”

The team practices early in the morning, performing high intensity workouts and focusing on exercises that allow them to build muscle and develop their strength on the water. Participating in scrimmages has allowed the girls to find details they want to improve before heading into important regattas.

“As we go into states, our team just needs to have a positive attitude and remember that [they’re] not only racing for [themselves], but racing for eight other girls in that boat,” sophomore Leyal Barakat said.

Along with fierce competition this season, the girls have had to overcome untimely setbacks. The poor weather caused frequent cancellation and boats were destroyed. from the wind and rain The equipment shortage made it hard to practice and the team was frustrated with the unfortunate circumstances. Their ability to persevere, however, has allowed them to qualify for states and represent McLean in an intense competition where they are sure to succeed.

“Despite our challenges, this year was extremely fun,” Thomas said. “We gave it our all and performed well in the races we were able to attend.”