After winning the overall point trophy in the state for the first time since 2002, the men’s crew is set to kick off its 2008 season.

Head Coach Dan Robinson ’79 said the point trophy from last season is positive, but the Bombers have bigger goals this season.

“The point trophies are a secondary goal,” Robinson said. “It’s a nice squad goal, but our primary goal is for our number one boat to win medals at states and nationals.”

The Bombers will race a varsity boat, a junior varsity boat and one or two novice boats this year. The team has approximately 40 rowers, most of which are novices. There are still nine or 10 rowers competing for the top eight seats, but two of the definite starters are seniors captain Eric Hojnowski and Julian Halfmann.

Robinson said having depth benefits the team, especially in the long run. The Bombers have a team similar to last year, and with so many youngsters, the team is bound to do well later on down the road.

But with so little experience, the training aspect is very important for Ithaca. The South Hill squad meets several times a week to practice at the boathouse on Cayuga Lake. There, they simulate rowing by using one-seated treadmill-like machines. The team also lifts weights and runs a few times a week.

“The biggest thing is to stay focused,” Halfmann said, “and to realize what you train for.”

Halfmann also said though the sport relies heavily on physical ability, the mental effort is just as important, if not more so.

Hojnowski said many of the sophomores and juniors step in to help guide the newcomers.

“I try to lead by example,” Hojnowski said. “As upperclassmen, we’re trying to make them comfortable. The more people we have around, the better.”

The often forgotten member of the team is the coxswain, the person who directs the rest of the crew. This year, the Bombers’ varsity boat will have senior Annie Bova onboard.

“[The coxswain] either makes the guys perform better or not,” Robinson said. “You need eight strong guys, but you can’t underestimate the coxswain.”

Unlike many other team sports, the men’s crew does not compete for an NCAA Championship. Instead, they participate in the Eastern College Athletic Conference tournament. Last year, the varsity 8 boat finished third in the preliminaries to advance to the semifinals, where they finished sixth in their heat.

“Our main goal is to have a great boat,” Halfmann said. “But we also want to win medals at states and ECACs.”