AND THAT’S WHY WE ROW DEAR             

“Hey Momma, how did you and Daddy meet?”

Well, dear. The answer to your question happened a long time ago.  When your Daddy was a Junior at Lafayette College, his sister encouraged him to join the Crew Team.  Because he joined the Crew Team in college, he found the Baltimore Rowing Club after college.  He was lost, lonely and looking for friends.  And that’s where I come in.  I was lost, lonely and looking for friends too and joined the BRC for the same reasons Daddy did - to get a little exercise. 

Daddy’s and my relationship started with a word: Nerd-Alert.  You see, I was sitting on a log next to my roommate Sheila, who was also learning to row, when her boyfriend Will walked by.  I teased the heck out of Will all the time and on this particular occasion I called him “Nerd-Alert.” As it so happens, your Daddy was walking alongside Will at the same time.  He stopped short, looked around, then saw me.  He thought I called him “Nerd-Alert.”  What can I say; it was love at first sight.

Later that season, when I failed miserably as a bowman, the team threw me into the coxswain seat and told me to steer the boat.  They didn’t bother giving me a cox box because even spectators on the shore could hear me shout, “give me ten.”

We had so much fun rowing, your Daddy and me.  Daddy taught me how to steer the boat and made it possible for me to compete at The Head of Charles as a coxswain.  By the way, did I ever tell you about the day Robert Redford showed up at the boathouse?  It’s true!  In 1988, Robert Redford campaigned for Presidential Candidate Michael Dukakis on the shores of the Middle Branch River and I was there! (What do you mean you don’t know who Robert Redford is?)

Anyway, Daddy and I don’t row anymore because we have you, Ape.  Bobby joined the WJ Crew Team the second week of his Freshman year.  It took a little convincing on my part but in the end Bobby realized I was right.  And today he’s a Nationals Petit Finalist!  Next year, Tommy will discover I am right too when he learns to row.  Then, in seven years’ time, you will benefit from the wealth of my wisdom when you discover there is money for college for women who row. 

And so dear, because of Crew, I have you.  And that’s why we Voits row.