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Darlington’s young rowing team holds its own, looks forward to wins in coming year
May 3, 2004 8:00 AM
By Stefan Eady - Faculty
School President David Hicks’ dream of Darlington crew was not only kept alive this year but took a major step in maturity with the addition of David Corbin as crew coach. The stars must have been aligned just right: President Hicks was looking for an expert crew coach at the same time that Dee Yancey ’77 was searching for an expert information technology person for his IT department. The answer to their quests came in the form of David Corbin, who wanted a job that would use his expertise in IT and would still allow him to coach his beloved sport, crew. Some things are just meant to be.
“Our getting together was a win-win-win for everybody, especially for our students, with whom David has a terrific rapport,” Hicks said about Yancey’s and his joint working relationship with Corbin. “Dee has allowed David to leave State Mutual every afternoon in the fall and spring to coach Darlington’s crew. Dee’s been the key to our ability to start crew at Darlington without having the funds to do so.”
He meets with the rowers at Rome’s Ridgeferry Park boathouse, in the basement of the 100-year-old building. “The guys work out on the rowing machines in the boathouse and then are on the water in boats owned by Berry College every day from 4-6 p.m.”
Corbin has had a core group of five rowers and as many as 10 participating this year. “It is hard work and I ask for two hours each weekday afternoon, including Fridays,” Corbin said. Aaron Tullos and Ed Bonnyman, juniors, and Jason Tullos and Norm Bonnyman, freshmen, along with senior Shashi Tiwari are the core group or rowers. “Daniel Carpenter and Caitlin Rivet, who are both freshman, also participated regularly until they had some physical problems.” Both girls and boys can compete on the same rowing team.
In the fall, the rowing team entered the Chattanooga Head Race, a 5,000-meter rolling start race against the clock. “We held our own and finished in the middle of the pack,” Corbin said.
They also rowed this spring in the John Hunter Regatta in Gainesville, Ga., a 2,000-meter sprint race with six lanes on an Olympic course. While they came in last in their flight, they beat other boats in their classification, in spite of the fact that in the last 200 meters one of their oarlocks broke.
“My goal next year is to polish these guys’ techniques,” Corbin said. “I’d love to see us enter every southeastern race in the fall.” Over the summer, he will be ordering jackets and racing uniforms for rowing team members.
Corbin started rowing in 1991 at Berry College on one of the last crews to use wooden boats and rows. He is thrilled to be able to continue his involvement with crew as a coach. “Dee has been very generous about letting me walk out of the office at 3:30 every day since the fall to go coach crew for Darlington,” Corbin said.
“Our getting together was a win-win-win for everybody, especially for our students, with whom David has a terrific rapport,” Hicks said about Yancey’s and his joint working relationship with Corbin. “Dee has allowed David to leave State Mutual every afternoon in the fall and spring to coach Darlington’s crew. Dee’s been the key to our ability to start crew at Darlington without having the funds to do so.”
He meets with the rowers at Rome’s Ridgeferry Park boathouse, in the basement of the 100-year-old building. “The guys work out on the rowing machines in the boathouse and then are on the water in boats owned by Berry College every day from 4-6 p.m.”
Corbin has had a core group of five rowers and as many as 10 participating this year. “It is hard work and I ask for two hours each weekday afternoon, including Fridays,” Corbin said. Aaron Tullos and Ed Bonnyman, juniors, and Jason Tullos and Norm Bonnyman, freshmen, along with senior Shashi Tiwari are the core group or rowers. “Daniel Carpenter and Caitlin Rivet, who are both freshman, also participated regularly until they had some physical problems.” Both girls and boys can compete on the same rowing team.
In the fall, the rowing team entered the Chattanooga Head Race, a 5,000-meter rolling start race against the clock. “We held our own and finished in the middle of the pack,” Corbin said.
They also rowed this spring in the John Hunter Regatta in Gainesville, Ga., a 2,000-meter sprint race with six lanes on an Olympic course. While they came in last in their flight, they beat other boats in their classification, in spite of the fact that in the last 200 meters one of their oarlocks broke.
“My goal next year is to polish these guys’ techniques,” Corbin said. “I’d love to see us enter every southeastern race in the fall.” Over the summer, he will be ordering jackets and racing uniforms for rowing team members.
Corbin started rowing in 1991 at Berry College on one of the last crews to use wooden boats and rows. He is thrilled to be able to continue his involvement with crew as a coach. “Dee has been very generous about letting me walk out of the office at 3:30 every day since the fall to go coach crew for Darlington,” Corbin said.
