Rowers endure hundreds of early morning hours on the river, sore muscles, blisters and long road trips in pursuit of a burst of rhythm.
For Wichita State’s rowing team in 1981, hard work, repetition and commitment came together at the perfect time at one of the sport’s most prestigious races. On May 9 that year, Wichita State’s women’s varsity four won the national rowing title at the Dad Vail Regatta on the Schuykill River in Philadelphia.
Lori (Anderson) Heger remembers the feeling in the racing shell and the music their oars and bodies created that day.
“It was unbelievable, honestly,” she said. “They say it’s like frying eggs on the hull of the boat. If you get rowing together well enough there’s like a crackling sound. I can remember we had that, and we were swinging together.”
Shocker Rowing, founded in 1975, will celebrate its 50th anniversary April 26-27 with activities honoring the history of the program at Wichita State.