Confessions From The Bucket, Part I

The exact origin of the bucket is forever lost in time. James Sopko claims that the bucket was around when he first began rowing, so we can trace its existence back to at least the 1980’s. Unfortunately like all things that have become shrouded in myth and lore, the history of the bucket is lost after that. [Editor’s Note: this is completely untrue…Jimmy graduated sometime in the 80’s, but he began rowing shortly after the Vietnam War]

What is a bucket? A bucket is when two rowers from the same side row in consecutive order. Normally a boat will order port, starboard, port, etc. but when there is a bucket, two ports or two starboards sit one after the other.

Life in a bucket is difficult. The first thing that stands out from a boat with a bucket is the bucket. Rowers in a bucket are frequently ostracized from the rest of the boat. They often find themselves sitting alone during meal times, and are almost always picked last for spontaneous games of wall ball. Bucket rowers are frequently subjected to intense ridicule (common insults are ‘hey your mom is so bad at rowing that she’s always in a bucket…’) And you never get a seconds respite, even when your pair is setting up the boat you have to awkwardly move back and forth.

This aggression towards bucket rowers is probably a result of the mystery of the bucket. Why do coaches put rowers in buckets? No one will ever truly know. Some say it is because of their technical prowess, others say it’s their seemingly limitless strength. One thing for sure is that there is a strong positive correlation to how handsome the rowers in the bucket are.

Yup, life sure is different in a bucket. And I would know- the upcoming trials race will mark my fourth year of bucket rowing. Like everything, in order to understand life in the bucket now, we must first look back into the past.

The following picture is me rowing in 2005, senior year of high school. This is an example of the unusual and enigmatic 7, 6 bucket. The biggest downside of the 7,6 bucket is that the lead rower will frequently become distracted. It takes only one pretty bird to divert his attention. 

The next picture is me rowing in 2006, sophomore year of college. This is an example of the classic 5,4 bucket (the bucket pattern in the current eight.) Notice that when the bucket moves back into the middle of the boat, it is back rower that becomes easily distracted. 

I had to wait another four years before I went back into the bucket. This last picture was me rowing in 2010. It exhibits the 2,3 bucket, something that is very common in fours (at least that’s what my coach told me when I was feeling self conscious and the other rowers were making fun of me.) 

Thanks for reading my short history of the bucket. Stay tuned for Part II of Confessions From The Bucket!

-Nick