Spring Break Day 4

William KlockMajor: Computer Science & LinguisticsYear in school: SeniorYears on the team: 4Position: Men's CaptainThe spring training trip has been a staple each year for myself and myteammates, and this year is no exception. No matter how you measure it,meters rowed, calories consumed, jumpies performed, or planks held,this is the highest volume and highest intensity week that we see.Spring break sets the tone for the rest of the semester, and iscrucial for locking in the technical and wattage standards that eachcrew sets for themselves. This is my final spring break training trip,and it is not an exception.Today the men and women began the day with a 2k test on the erg. Intrue Illini fashion (and despite the trials of the past few days) wesaw success all around and even a sprinkling of PR's. The men were inthe second shift, and after the 2k we split into boats based on the testand set off doing some drills, and shifted into 30 stroke pieces toround out the morning's practice. After lunch and a nap, we returned tothe lake for a wicked row through some chop, with a decent tailwind onthe way up the course during some body position and catch placementwork. After a little drizzle and a lot of, "two strokes and pause atbody angle" we turned around and spent the rest of practice hangin' andbangin' our way back to the dock through the tailwind (now headwind)that had brought us so very far away. We rounded out the day with abrisk poolside stretch and some of Judy's famous spaghetti.My participation in this ritual each year makes me proud to be a memberof the team, since spring break is the distillation of our values asrowers narrowly and student-athletes broadly, and always brings me backto a quotation that I consider foundational:"Very nice"- Borat SagdiyevI am honored to be the leader of an extraordinary group of guys thisyear, and I am looking forward to what the returning varsity willaccomplish next fall, and where they will bring this team in the yearsmoving forward.