Featured Alumni Rower | Kam Kubesh

 

Nickname: I don't think anyone gave me one. Some people called me Chad Kroger...

Year: I was on the team in 2009, I transferred to the U of M.
Hometown: St. Cloud!
Major: It was art, I am now studying architecture.
Years on the team: One year and I truly miss it. They were my family.

Favorite Erg Piece:
--I don't recall what it was named, but Kayla Byrd and I got partnered up and we had to do a 10k erg piece, while one partner would run then switch off. No big deal, but we dominated our competition!

Favorite Cox'n Calls:
--I loved doing oar to the gunnels or ten and glides, so maybe that moment they say "glide" and then it is complete silence...

Favorite Rowing Memory:
--Rowing at the Annual Great Plains Rowing Championships in a four. The boat was in sync and the oars were perfectly off the water. You just knew it was a great race before you even finished.

What is your favorite type of shoe and brand?--Adidas Samba

Other information:
--I will always remember rowing with SCSU. I have been working on getting back out on the water, I am hoping to join up the local city team this summer, anyone else want to join in??? Otherwise, I will always be looking for a personal shell to fix up.

Featured Rower | Nick Jeffery

 

Nickname: Sexy Nick
Year: Freshman

Hometown: Rosemount
Major: Computer Science 

Years on the team: First year!

Favorite Erg Piece: 

--It was a partner 2k and Mike Steinman and I were together. We had to do a sea-saw motion and the couple that received the most synchronized time won. Obviously we won.

Favorite Cox'n Calls: 

--Mike Steinman: DON'T LET THEM CATCH US!

Favorite Rowing Memory: 

--Rowing for the first time ever and it was a novice mixed 8. We we the odd ones out. The practice leading up to the Regatta was rough. Everyone in the boat had the heart to perform, but not the experience. During the race some how for at least 30 seconds during a power ten, it felt like we were lifted out of the water. That is the best feeling that any rower could experience. We earned first place that day.

What is your favorite type of shoe and brand? 

--Heelys

Featured Rower | CJ Gallman

Nickname: CJ
Year: Senior
Hometown: Eden Prairie, MN
Major: Elementary Education
Years on the team: 4 years

Favorite Erg Piece: 
--30 minute relay, circuits, or the Don Craig workout.

Favorite Cox'n Calls:

--Drive!

We’re walking on them!

Drop bombs in the water! -Natalie

Favorite Rowing Memory:

--There are so many! Aside from watching the Captaraptor sprint across a distant field towards its prey, morning practice this past fall Renee and I rowed the double to practice for our race the following weekend. The set, timing, and water were perfect. We even had the early 90s and quick arms away down. That was the smoothest and best row I ever had.

Each year spring break is also amazing with all of the team bonding time both on and off the water. The women’s experienced quad that Myself, Kelly, Natalie, and Maren rowed during last year’s break was also a favorite.

What is your favorite brand and scent of dish soap

--Gojo Orange

Featured Alumni Rower | Jason Kilby

Nickname: J
Year: 1993-1996, Graduated from UNI 1999
Hometown: Halbur, IA
Major: Social Work
Years on the team: 1993/94, 1995/96

Favorite Erg Piece:
--I vaguely recall Ergs......Just kidding, these were located in a blown up racket ball court and required a map and sobriety to find.  We used to step out for a smoke in between time trials, and then generally vomited afterwards.

Favorite Cox'n Calls:
--Not sure, she just yelled a lot!  Seems like we were always doing Power 10's.

Favorite Rowing Memory:
--Wine and Cheese party's, Champagne breakfast courtesy of Coach John,  repairing boats under the bleachers, the crew camp out.  Nothing like the first time on the river in the spring and early morning rows with fog on the river. Running the bridges.

What is your favorite brand and scent of dish soap?
--Dawn-regular

Other information:
--I was chief rigger one year, I tried unsuccessfully to repair the boat that got stuck on the damn dam a few years prior....I was a bit ADHD at the time.  My work area was under the bleachers.  It was hard to find a spot to work on a 40ft boat when living in a dorm.  I think I missed a meeting the next year and ended up getting elected president. I did get my red coat prior to my departure back to Iowa.

Featured Alumni Rower | Kimberly Schmidt

Nickname: Kim?
Year: Graduated in 2009
Hometwon: Chaska
Major: Communications/Business
Years on the team: 4+

Fav. Erg Piece:
--40's followed by skull busters. :)

Fav. Cox calls:
--Cut the Cake, Power 10's (duh)

Fav Rowing Memory:
--This one is extremely difficult to pick, but I would have to say it would be my first spring break in Topeka. We had taken out my favorite boat, the quad, and I was placed in the bow. We were flying along lake Shawnee and Don decided to check on the other boats as we were doing so well. Not much later than Don leaving our stroke caught a ridiculous crab....that created a downward spiral to everyone but me? As we wre nearly 90 degrees on the water, Don comes high speeding over to us and takes one look at the display, and says "Kim, don't be the idiot that holds on...jump in!" We flipped a quad. not many can (or would) admit they flipped a nearly impossible boat to flip.
Among other memories: Nature Bruce's dog peeing on Blake's sleeping bag, being in homecoming court and explaining to the announcers that my fellow homecoming royal king, Dylan, was graduating with a degree in women's studies, becoming captain, beating Purdue at Tail of the Fox, my last row at the Husky Sprints.

 What is one T.V show you can't miss?:
--American Horror Story

Featured Rower | Kailey Ganskop

Nickname: Dora or Kaiwee

Year: Freshman

Hometown: Rochester

Major: Deciding between accounting or Information Systems

Years on the team: This is my first year on the team

 

Favorite Erg Piece:

--I really like sprint pieces.  My favorite though is when we split into two groups, one started on the ergs and the other did abs, we did 2 rounds of a 5 minute piece and abs while we weren't on the erg.  The short endurance pieces are definitely my favorite and who doesn't like working on their abs a little?

 

Favorite Cox'n Calls:

--"Drive it with your legs" Megan

 

Favorite Rowing Memory:
--It was our last day of water practice and Megan and I were in a double and Cassie and Wubbs were in the catch boat.  Since it was our last water practice they had to use up the gas.  I remember they were messing around, we look over at them and the boat was pivoting in a wicked circle of death.  We saw a black circle next to to boat which we assumed was a log.  We later found out that Cassie was whipped out of the boat when Wubbs lost control of it.  It was very entertaining to see to say the least.

What is one T.V show you can't miss?:
--AWKWARD. I've also been recently addicted to Catfish.

Featured Alumni Rower | Jason Briant

Nicknames: Tatty, Tattoo, JT
Year: Graduated Fall of 2009
Hometown: Eden Prairie, MN
Major: Accounting and Finance
Years on the team: Fall 2004 to Fall 2009

Favorite Erg Piece:
--2k relays, always great competition and fun to compete it.

Favorite Cox'n Calls:
--I was a full-time cox so my favorite calls would have to be my own! I was well known for "Drive" probably the most famous or infamous call I used my freshman year..."Power Ten!" and "10 to wind, 10 to grind, 10 to find".

Favorite Rowing Memory:
--Too many to just pick one, but Mike DeNucci already gave one of them with the 400 meter sprint at Topeka my last race. I would have to say two other great memories both came at the Head of the Des Moines (one of my favorite courses to cox because of the windy river). First memory from Des Moines was fall semester of my first experienced year. We were racing a mixed eight and we were the last boat to start. We ended up passing every single boat that started ahead of us and finishing first by a good margin. Second memory from Des Moines was another mixed eight. Prior to leaving shore we heard the ISU coach bad mouthing our team...which only motivated us more. We started a few boats back from ISU and made it our goal to pass them. We did end up passing them on the final 500 meters right in front of everyone on shore, however no one in the boat believed we were catching them until we pulled up on their stern. When we got off the water, all the ISU coach could say was "good race" and look away in defeat. Priceless moment!

If you could be any superhero who would you be and why?
--Superhero: Iron Man, fighting evil and flying in a suit would be pretty awesome.

Featured Rower | Renee Kardell

Nickname: Bernice
Year: Senior (Third Year in school tho)
Hometown: Nisswa, MN
Major: Political Science with a minor in Mass Communications and International Relations; Pre-Law concentration
Years on the Team: 2.5
 

Favorite Erg Piece:

--An hour piece, where you start at a 20spm @ a 2:25 split for the first half hour, then move up to 22spm @ a 2:15 slipt for the next 15 minutes, then 24spm @ a 2:12 split for the next five minutes, then 26 split for the next five @ a 2:10, then 28spm @ a 2:05 split for the last five minutes.

Favorite Cox'n Calls:

--"THIS IS ST. CLOUD STATE ROWING!"- Maren Schieffer 

Favorite Rowing Memory: 

--There are two. One- The mixed 8 400, sprint my novice year in Topeka with Collin, Wubbles, DeNucci, Matt McCann, Kelly, CJ, Maren and myself.  Natalie Coxing.  We won gold!  It was Collin's last race, and the boat just flew.  Best feeling I've ever had in a boat! Second- Finishing the Million Meter Challenge!

If you could be any superhero who would you be and why?

--If I could be any superhero, I would be Wonder Woman because her outfit is basically the American Flag.