by Michele Coffill
photos courtesy of Grand Valley rowing, Elizabeth DuPree, unless indicated

Collegiate rowing conjures beautiful images of long sculls floating on calm rivers in a light morning mist, and rowers silently dipping in oars and powerfully sweeping through the water.

Grand Valley's rowers will tell the truth about what happens before that majestic image can occur. They will talk about the hours of practice, the blisters, the sweat and tears. They will gladly talk about rowing while snowflakes are falling, or when the hot summer sun is beating. They will talk about shoveling snow on campus to raise money to travel to regattas, and the long, tedious hours logged in a van.

And they will tell you how much they love it.

The Laker Navy was established at Grand Valley in 1966. The modern version is a club sport, meaning men and women rowers pay dues to participate. Walk-ons are welcomed, as are students who have never rowed before.

"That's part of our mission," said head coach John Bancheri, who has been at the helm for 12 years. "Rowing is an opportunity for a student who has never done this before to get involved in an intercollegiate sport and learn how to do it."

The teams regularly travel to elite collegiate regattas in Boston and Philadelphia, compete in Midwest races against Division I universities like Michigan State and Notre Dame, and host a two-day regatta in April in Spring Lake named for President Emeritus Arend D. "Don" Lubbers.

On a chilly day last November, rowers were at a quarry in Ottawa County for their last practice on the water before beginning indoor fall and winter training. Jessie Hasenau, from Livonia, was rowing in the No. 4 seat (out of eight) for one of the novice women's boats. New to the sport, Hasenau said it had been a good fit during her first year at Grand Valley.

"I had knee surgery from playing basketball in high school," Hasenau said. "I was looking for a sport I could do without having to pivot my knee.

"This does take a lot of time and dedication, but it's a stress reliever from school and makes you more responsible for having your work done on time."

The year's highlight for the varsity men's and women's teams was traveling to the United Kingdom in June and July for the Henley Royal Regatta. The tiny town of Henley expands by thousands of spectators during the regattas.

The men's four (four rowers with a coxswain) advanced to the Prince Albert Challenge Cup and were pitted against Durham University. "In the end of a six-minute, see-saw battle, Grand Valley came out ahead by about a boat length," Bancheri said. "This was a big victory for Grand Valley." Bancheri said Don and Nancy Lubbers were among the Grand Valley fans and parents who traveled to England to watch the races.

The trip to Henley was a homecoming for Eleanor "Ellie" Peebles, an international student from Kingston University who attended Grand Valley last year.

Bancheri said the women's varsity eight had an outstanding spring season. The team won the Lubbers Cup, made the finals at Dad Vail in Philadelphia and medaled at the American Collegiate Rowing Association championships at Lake Lanier, Georgia, site of the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

The All American from England

She is from the United Kingdom, but Eleanor "Ellie" Peebles earned All American first team honors for her skill in the No. 6 seat on the women's varsity boat.

Peebles was new to Grand Valley last year as an exchange student from Kingston University.

A high school rower, Peebles said she was familiar with Grand Valley's rowing history and success. "Having the opportunity to try out for the crew team was a deciding factor whether to come to Grand Valley," Peebles said.

Peebles, and Austin Gentry from the men's varsity boat, earned first team All American honors from the American Collegiate Rowing Association.

She said being a member of the rowing team enhanced her Grand Valley experience. "This is the best thing I've ever done," Peebles said. "The travel has been incredible. I never would have had the opportunity to go Philadelphia or Boston, or the other places we traveled to."