What's rowing like at the United States Merchant Marine Academy?

I'm curious about joining the rowing team if I attend the United States Merchant Marine Academy. Can anyone share what it's like and how competitive it is?

The United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) has both a Men's and Women's Rowing team that competes at the varsity level. Rowing, like many sports at service academies, is highly competitive due to the high level of commitment and physical fitness needed for the sport.

In terms of competitiveness, keep in mind that the team competes in NCAA Division III, which is known for its athletic rigor and competition. Therefore, prior experience and high physical fitness levels are beneficial for joining the team. The team competes against other academies and colleges in the Mid-Atlantic Rowing Conference and regularly takes part in regattas.

The rowing team, like many sports at USMMA, is also integrated into the academy's overall mission of developing leadership and teamwork skills. Therefore, the coaches emphasize not only physical fitness and technique, but also leadership, coordination, discipline, and teamwork.

The rowing schedule follows the typical collegiate rowing season, with regattas in the fall and the main competitive season in the spring. Practices are usually early in the morning before class and demand a high level of commitment.

Overall, joining the rowing team at USMMA can be a rewarding experience, offering not only the chance to compete in a sport you enjoy but also opportunities to build leadership, teamwork skills, and camaraderie among your peers. However, it does require significant commitment in terms of time and physical readiness.