I remember when I made my first team. I was so excited to go to Poland and race in the lightweight 8. So many great lightweights before me were able to row in that event and many great lightweights I know never had the chance. I was ecstatic. All nine of us were sitting in the boat bay discussing the paperwork with Margaux Jackson and she said, "are there any questions." Immediately, I thought of "how do we get from the airport to the hotel? What do we wear? Did I really make the US Team?" I didn't express any of these questions, but I thought them. Then one of my closest friends on the team raised his hand. "Yeah, I heard we may be getting track suits. Is that true?" I lost it in laughter. All summer, the heavyweights I knew made snide remarks about lightweights and gear and I resented every little comment. I was wrong and they were right. We are gear whores.
I myself enjoy a new gear package, especially when it's unexpected. Many times, I have been the designer of extra unisuits, vest or any piece of workout clothing I can think of. In fact, I designed the masterpiece to the right. A few of the US lightweight women may be sporting this gem as well. (RIP Seattle Supersonics) Well this lightweight 8 camp has a nickname: Lightweight Gear Camp. It started off slow, but the gear soon came like an EF5 tossing trees and houses at us from every direction (OKC Reference). First, we were blessed with some HOC gear from Fred Schoch. He was wearing a nice article of clothing and one of my teammates said in a half joking/half serious tone, "Fred, that's a sweet jacket. If you have any extra you should bring some by." Well Fred showed up 4 days later with a box full. It reminded me of Christmas with my 3 brothers, CHAOS. We tore through the boxes like vultures, ensuring that we all had the correct sizes. Then came the boat gear. We tested out a King and Fillippi this year. The King rep gave us all hats and the Fillippi rep gave us all t-shirts. There is a another jacket on the way too. THEN, our coxswain shows up with t-shirts that say Hanover Training Center. Then a few of us got some NYAC gear. Then we got our U.S. team gear packages. We're riding the gear wave and it's not over yet.
Today I started talking to shirt makers about the t-shirts for our big donors (for a small donation of $500 dollars you can have one, www.firstgiving.com/2011uslm8). We have gotten them made in the past and will again this year. Due to an excellent suggestion from our coxswain, Jack, we are going to try to change the design a bit from previous years. I found myself getting a little excited and saying, "I might buy myself one." The problem is that I have huge tupperware full of t-shirts at home. T-shirts from high school, college, the Navy, Pocock, different regattas, blah, blah, blah. My wife, Shaunnah, who I love, is going to kill me if I show up to our apartment in Annapolis with ANOTHER t-shirt. God knows I don't need another one.
The worst part is that I probably will get one. Why? Because I'm a LIGHTWEIGHT.
- Jimmy
P.S. from Jack -- as further proof of the obsession Jimmy describes above: somehow unsatisfied with the copious amounts of gear we have already received, 6-seat Nick LaCava saw fit to charm a Black Bear Sculling Camp bucket hat straight off of the head of one of our launch guests ! Perhaps Nick just has a penchant for all things "bucket" (see his post below)...
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