The Way Forward

BY CHIP DAVIS
PHOTO BY ED MORAN

You don’t have to remind us how bad the year 2020 has been, with all of its terrible losses. I probably don’t have to remind you, either. And it might get even worse before it’s over.

But we all could use reminding of what wasn’t so bad, of what was good, and of when the worst of times brought out the best in us. Longtime contributor Connor Walters, who recently became the head coach of his high school’s rowing program, does exactly that in his feature “The Things We’ll Remember.” Ed Moran, whose addition to the Rowing News crew is another positive part of this year, realized early on in the planning of this issue how it would be different, and better. In a normal year, the December issue is a “Best Of” edition, in which we recap the biggest wins from the top regattas and recognize the top-performing coaches, programs, and crews.

Of course, there were precious few actual regattas this year, and naming winners seemed meaningless, if not impossible. But in discussions with Walters, Moran heard the young coach’s joy as he described the enthusiasm and creativity with which his junior athletes had met the challenges of rowing through the worst year of their lives, recalling late-night workouts and the irrepressible optimism that underlies all training.

Andy Anderson, better known as Doctor Rowing to faithful readers (whose subscription support we appreciate now more than ever), writes with a positive tone about the benefits of diversity, equity, and inclusion for our beloved sport.

And so, the expanded Rowing News crew–including new assistant editor, Art Carey; recently promoted managing editor, Luke Reynolds; and our newest associate, Liz Hinley–has come together after our own terrible loss of our friend and editor of 20 years, Ed Winchester, and shone a positive light on the best parts of the year with an optimistic view of the way forward, and all the potential it holds.

As Walters writes in his feature, “We pursued greatness, and we did it together.”

The post The Way Forward appeared first on Rowing News.