the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Just ahead of Ridgewood Schools going virtual on Friday, March 13, Ridgewood Crew (RC) distributed rowing machines known as “ergometers” to those rowers of the 2020 Crew Team, that did not have their own machines at home. Since then, RC Coaches have been issuing and tracking the practice and progress of the athletes virtually.
Despite most spring sports’ seasons being completely cancelled, the local rowing community has been participating in a dynamic series of virtual scrimmages where each athlete participates from their own home, competing for best time.
The North Jersey Virtual Scrimmage Series is an unofficial, optional, virtual regatta series intended to help NJ junior rowers stay motivated during the season of COVID-19. The series was developed by Ridgewood Crew Head Coach Boris Roque Alvarez with collaboration by Coach Marc Monplaisir of Don Bosco High School, in Ramsey, NJ. 1500m and 500m dash events are offered across the varied categories. The North Jersey Virtual Scrimmage Series is scheduled for April 5, 19, May 3 and 17.
Coach Roque Alvarez recognizes the challenges of continuing the season, independently on ergs instead of on the water. After 4 months of indoor winter training, it takes true perseverance and dedication on the part of each individual athlete to continue training and competing, alone at home. But that’s what this team is all about. Identifying the challenge and building resilience to push through it. Coach Roque Alvarez is very proud of his team.
Ridgewood Crew finished scrimmage one in second place behind Nereid Boat Club with 18 total points. They competed against 8 other clubs with a total of 117 entries. Ridgewood Crew athletes won 3 gold and 3 sliver medals.
Individual results:
-Men’s 1x: 2nd Place, James Scalon, (4:59)
-Men’s Novice 1x: 7th Place, Michael Manevich, (5:58)
-Men’s Novice 4x: 2nd Place, Farres Kamel, Henry Hersperger, Thomas Clark, Jack Swartz, (5:43)
-Women’s 2x: 1st Place, Llian Riedel, Caroline Villemoes, (5:48)
-Women Novice 2x: 2nd Place, Cadence Ignoffio, Anna Mevissen, (6:46)
-Men’s 1x Dash: 1st Place, Gabriel Martinez (1:27)
-Women’s 1x Dash: 1st Place, Victoria Hoy (1:45)
-Men’s Novice 1x Dash: 5th Place, Kamel Farres (1:47)
6th Place, Jaime Papin (1:53)
North Jersey Virtual Scrimmage Series #2 had ten clubs participate with a total of 110 entries. Ridgewood Crew won 3 Gold, 4 Silver and 1 Bronze. At this race, RC finished 3rd with 80 points behind Gwynedd Mercy Academy and St. Benedict Prep. In the Series after two scrimmages, RC is in 5th place with 151 total points.
Individual results:
-Men’s HS 1x: 3rd Place, Ian Darby, (5:03)
-Women’s 4x: 1st Place, Lilan Riedel, Victoria Hoy, Eva Galbraith, Caroline Villemoes (5:47)
-Women’s Novice 1x: 5th Place, Kate Hoffman (7:23)
-Women’s Novice 2x: 2nd Place, Olivia Kim, Skylar Kliesch (6:18)
-Men’s 1x 500m Dash: 2nd Place, Matthew Lepis (1:29)
4th Place, Everest Galbraith (1:30)
6th Place, James Scanlon (1:31)
9th Place, Thomas Woods (1:36)
-Women’s 1x 500m Dash: 1st Place, Victoria Hoy (1:43)
2nd Place, Lilan Riedel (1:44)
4th Place, Jasmine Parpel (1:47)
7th Place, Sara Wong (1:53)
-Men’s HS Novice 1x 500m:2nd Place, Farres Kamel (1:35)
9th Place, Thomas Cheng (1:48)
10th Place, Ariel Reyes (1:49)
-Women’s HS Novice 1x 500m 4th Place, Cadence Ignoffo (2:08)
-Men’s HS 1x Coxswain 500m 1st Place, Matthew Lee (1:46)
Ridgewood Crew finished scrimmage three in sixth place. They competed against 10 other clubs with a total of 118 entries. Ridgewood Crew athletes won 1 sliver medals.
Individual results:
-Men’s 1x: 2nd Place, Ian Darby, (5:01)
-Women’s Novice 1x: 6th Place, Anna Mevissen, (6:50)
7th Place, Juliana Frattini, (7:16)
-Men’s HS Novice 1x 500m Dash: 6th Place, Sam Boogaert, (1:55)
-Women’s HS Novice 1x 500m Dash: 4th Place, Skylar Kliesch, (1:58)
14th Place, Cadence Ignoffo, (2:09)
With one more scrimmage coming up, the team continues to train and prepare for success. The addition of 2000m events will add another element of challenge to the last scrimmage.
Ridgewood Crew is lining up arrangements to return to the water as soon as New Jersey lifts the current Stay-At-Home order and it is safe to do so. All parties interested in joining Ridgewood Crew should investigate the Learn To Row Program on our website: https://www.ridgewoodcrew.com
About Ridgewood Crew
Ridgewood Crew not only introduces participants to basic and advanced rowing techniques, but also instills and promotes character values including discipline, focus, teamwork and sportsmanship. Ridgewood Crew rowers are challenged individually and as a team. The philosophy of Ridgewood Crew is to elevate each athlete to the status of MVP. By doing so, we believe that a team of young leaders emerges. These leaders not only make fast boats, but also significant contributions toward their individual pursuits. Founded in 2004, the team rows on the Passaic River in northern NJ and competes in the sport’s premier regattas held throughout the Northeast.
In the program’s short history, our youth, board and parent volunteers have moved Ridgewood Crew forward by leaps and bounds. That success is represented by the widespread individual and team achievements of each of the student-athletes on the roster. To facilitate that success, Ridgewood Crew continues to make investments in coaching and new equipment. The coaching staff is one of the most experienced in program history.
In our typical season, Ridgewood Crew athletes compete in the Philly Flicks on the Schuylkill River as well as at the highly competitive SRAA Nationals, Stotesbury Cup Regatta, Philadelphia City Championships, Passaic River Northern NJ Championships and Garden State Championships. Additionally, the team’s overall performance continues to attract interest from top rowing colleges and universities including: Bucknell, Boston College, Boston University, Columbia University, Drexel, Duke, Fairfield, Fordham, George Mason, Georgetown, Harvard, Holy Cross, Lehigh, Marist, Notre Dame, Purdue, Syracuse, Trinity College, University of Delaware, University of North Carolina, University of Wisconsin, Williams, and others.
Ridgewood Crew offers Learn-To-Row and various development programs throughout the year for students as young as 7th grade to experience what Crew is all about. Come row with us!
For more information, to support or join the team, contact Ridgewood Crew at https://www.ridgewoodcrew.com and on Facebook at Ridgewood Crew!
