8/24/2006

August 24, 2006

Hello Tulsa Women’s Rowing Alumnae, Family, and Friends!

Greetings from Green Country Rowing HQ.  This is the first of our Women’s Rowing Team e-letters for 2006-07.  We use this forum to give our fans an in depth look at what’s going on in the program.  As the head coach, I have to say that I am very excited for this upcoming year.  I also wanted to promise everyone that I will endeavor to keep these letters shorter! 

Our rowers started their academic year this week and I have to say, I am very pleased with the team as a whole.  In my four years at Tulsa, I have never seen a group return happier and more eager to get going than this rowing team.  The rowers know that we have some business to attend to and they are eager to get started.  Blue is Back!

I have one major announcement directed toward our alumnae.  2006 is the 10^th year that Women’s Rowing has been a sport at The University of Tulsa.  We would like to honor that fact by inviting the women who built this program back to campus for “Homecoming 2006”.  I am sure many of you have already seen the events listed in the Alumni Magazine.  However, I would like to extend a personal invitation for you to come back to TU and see what your hard work has made possible.

The Golden Hurricane Rowing team can claim a lot of success in its 10 years of existence.  From a club to a varsity team that can claim victories at the San Diego Crew Classic and Head of the Charles, it has been a great journey that promises to only get better.  It’s rare in life that you can look at something in your past and see the linear progression of your accomplishments.  This rowing team owes a lot to its alumnae, alumni coaches, and friends.  We’d like you all to come back and be honored by the University of Tulsa Athletics Department and to row in our Alumnae Regatta.  We’d also love to have your family hop in boats and see what our new site is like on the Verdigris River.  The events schedule is:

Friday, September 15

1-6pm Rowing Reunion and Open House in the Jack Zink Indoor Rowing Center, Mabee Gymnasium

3-6pm Open House at the Arkansas River, Charles Boathouse

6pm     Distinguished Alumni Dinner, Donald W. Reynolds Center

Saturday, September 16

7:30-10am       Alumnae Regatta at TU’s new site in Catoosa.  Come show your stuff on our 500 meter race course!

                        note:  We also hope to christen our newest 4+ during the regatta

4:00pm            Rowing Tailgate (location TBA)

6-10pm            Football Game vs. North Texas.  Rowing Alumnae will be honored on the                                       field between the 3^rd and 4^th quarters

By the way, that last part is very cool.  The Athletics Department added that into the schedule a few weeks ago without telling me.  I only just found out about it.  I think it’s great that Rowing has “arrived” in our Athletics Department and that you, as alumnae, are being recognized for your dedication and contributions.

In any case, please don’t hesitate to email me at kevin-harris@utulsa.edu or our wonderful new assistant coach, Julie Domina at julie-domina@utulsa.edu if you have questions.  Either way we’d like to hear from you if you are coming.  Please also indicate how many of your family and friends there will be in your party and your t-shirt size.

We look forward to seeing everyone here for Homecoming, it promises to be a great event.  Personally, I am especially looking forward to meeting those of you I have never met but are legends in our program.  I am also excited to meet those of you who originally who rowed for the club.  I know many of you are still active in the sport and it will be a blast to have you bring that back to TU!

Practices started for your TU rowers on Wednesday with a 20’ physiological test.  After that we are full speed preparing for our fall races.  As always, you can check us out at http://www.goldenhurricane.com.

Good Rowing,

Kevin Harris,

Head Coach