.png)
Spring Break Training Trip: Day 1
3/12/2023 6:46:00 PM | Men's Rowing
Each spring, the men's rowing team travels south for a spring break training trip. For the past several years, the Orange have traveled to Clemson, S.C. to stay at Clemson Outdoor Lab with other collegiate teams from the north who spend the week training on Lake Hartwell.
While down in Clemson, S.C., senior oarsman and intern in the Syracuse athletics communications office Connor Toomey, will be journaling the team's week-long training trip to Lake Hartwell. Each day, Toomey will log his experience on the trip, which will be the last of his collegiate rowing career at Syracuse. Below is one of Toomey's entries.Â
Day 1: Overnight travel and first practice at Clemson
The team departed for the Clemson Outdoor Lab in Clemson, on Friday night at 10 p.m. so that the afternoon would be available to rig and row the boats on Lake Hartwell. Getting on the bus, everyone's energy was high for the first hour before we settled down and the majority of us went to sleep. We had a full bus so we are very strategic in finding space to get comfortable.
While down in Clemson, S.C., senior oarsman and intern in the Syracuse athletics communications office Connor Toomey, will be journaling the team's week-long training trip to Lake Hartwell. Each day, Toomey will log his experience on the trip, which will be the last of his collegiate rowing career at Syracuse. Below is one of Toomey's entries.Â
Day 1: Overnight travel and first practice at Clemson
The team departed for the Clemson Outdoor Lab in Clemson, on Friday night at 10 p.m. so that the afternoon would be available to rig and row the boats on Lake Hartwell. Getting on the bus, everyone's energy was high for the first hour before we settled down and the majority of us went to sleep. We had a full bus so we are very strategic in finding space to get comfortable.
 
In the morning, we stopped in Virginia to get breakfast around 8 a.m. Once we got back on the road, half the group went back to sleep and the other half was up chatting or watching movies. After I finished watching a movie, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, I broke into some of the snacks I brought for the trip. I did a better job of packing snacks this year as I brought chips, Cheez-Its, pretzels and trail mix from home. I also baked chocolate chip cookies for the team and the guys in my cabin, so I shared some of those.
The squad was a little tired upon arrival to Clemson, but spirits were high with this group. After get got off the bus we got acquainted with the Clemson Outdoor Lab staff and grounds before meeting with Coach Reischman to chat and unload the trailer. Everyone got assigned to a cabin that holds eight to ten people. This year I am in the "Hummingbird" cabin with my Rory Taylor, Sam Fernandez, Tristan Wakefield, Chris Young, Scott Zimmerman, Ethan Graham, and last but certainly not least Joe Willis.
Following unloading, we launched five crews of eight on Lake Hartwell for a 10-12K row to flush out our bodies after such a long bus ride. It was a beautiful afternoon for a row. The weather was partly cloudy and around 60 degrees, a difference from the impending winter storm we left behind in Syracuse.
Following practice, the team retired to their assigned cabins to freshen up and get ready to head to Clemson University's campus for dinner. The team got on the bus excited for the adventure as it is the first time that the team has gone to the dining hall since the COVID-19 Pandemic. The bus dropped the group off outside of Memorial Stadium, which has been newly renovated, so everyone was checking out the renovations as they exited the bus.
Coach [Forrest] Sears had to grab dining cards for everyone when we got to the dining hall and but once everyone got their cards to swipe in, it was off to the races. Clemson University is still not on spring break so a lot of students are around. Seeing a group of 50 men wearing Syracuse apparel in a group confused a lot of them and even spurred some playful banter between both parties
Following practice, the team retired to their assigned cabins to freshen up and get ready to head to Clemson University's campus for dinner. The team got on the bus excited for the adventure as it is the first time that the team has gone to the dining hall since the COVID-19 Pandemic. The bus dropped the group off outside of Memorial Stadium, which has been newly renovated, so everyone was checking out the renovations as they exited the bus.
Coach [Forrest] Sears had to grab dining cards for everyone when we got to the dining hall and but once everyone got their cards to swipe in, it was off to the races. Clemson University is still not on spring break so a lot of students are around. Seeing a group of 50 men wearing Syracuse apparel in a group confused a lot of them and even spurred some playful banter between both parties
.
Other college rowing teams are training down in Clemson this week as well, so the guys got to see the men's and women's teams from Marist and the women's team from Hamilton College's this evening. Some of the 'Cuse guys have friends on each of the teams, so it was nice to interact with some familiar faces at dinner.
Once dinner wrapped up everyone walked back to the bus and we saw the Clemson football team practicing. A few in our group peeled off to watch some reps before getting on the bus to go back to the Outdoor Lab and retire for the evening.
My cabin got back and played Cards Against Humanity together and planned fun games and things to do as a cabin throughout the week before heading to bed around 10 p.m.
Overall, the trip is off on the right foot, and I am excited to see what our second day brings.
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Rowing
/ Men's Rowing
/ Men's Rowing
/ Men's Rowing
/ Men's Rowing
/ Men's Rowing
/ Men's Rowing
13th Annual Evening at Ten Eyck Recap
Thursday, October 09
2025 Soladay Award Winners
Thursday, May 01
Syracuse 8 Courage Award | Benjamin Campbell-Reide
Tuesday, April 29
Stevie Chuck '25 Giving Day Broadcast
Thursday, April 03
