GREENE – There are no waves on the Androscoggin River at 5:45 a.m. Not one ripple. There are early birds chirping in the trees, the rumble of a scant few passing cars half a mile back up the dusty path leading down to the riverbank, and the occasional call of an eagle passing overhead.

But no waves.

Two vans lumber down the rut-filled road, following a black truck with a long trailer. The trailer is loaded with boats, and the vans with Bates College students.

It’s now 6 a.m, and like every day during the spring and fall seasons (and some in between) the Bates College crew team is traveling through the breathless morning air to practice.

“It’s early for anyone, even when you’re used to it,” said Kate Strum, one of the Bates team captains and coxswain of the first varsity eight team. “Even though it’s early, though, it’s a beautiful spot to come to to get away from things. We are far enough away from campus, and it’s beautiful out here.”

In just four years after becoming a varsity sport at the small, liberal arts college, the women’s crew team has qualified for the ECAC National Invitational, and has been ranked as high as No. 5 in the country in Division III. Much of that success comes from the environment in which the athletes train, namely the Androscoggin and its surroundings.

“This river is one of the best kept secrets in New England,” said coach Andrew Carter. “The boathouse is bare bones and has only what we need, but the setting is just immaculate.”

Building a program

The scenery along the banks of the Androscoggin is priceless, but looks alone can’t form a crew team and give it success like the Bates team has seen over the past few years. That job goes to a coach and assistant coaches, as well as to an athletic department and a student body willing enough to embrace a new sport.

“They were around as a club team in the early ’80s,” said Carter. “The Physical Plant built the house in the late 80s, and they have been rowing out of here ever since. The varsity program itself is only four years old, though.”

From sub-varsity to No. 5 in the country in four years seems like a daunting task, especially for a smaller school, but the team has persevered.

“It was harder the first year because we were all walk-ons,” said Bates senior Leana Nordstrom. “When I was a novice on the team, only one person had ever rowed before. Now, look at the newcomers we have.”

Last year, the novice boat, or second varsity eight, won the New England Championship and the ECAC national invitational. This year’s team is scattered with freshmen and sophomores. In fact, Nordstrom and Strum are the only two seniors left.

“Having experience in the boat makes a lot of difference,” said Nordstrom. “They’ve been rowing longer, and they know what they are doing”

Keeping with the program

Despite the elevation to varsity status and the ability to recruit rowers, Bates still needed a way to retain and recruit top athletes. Enter Carter, who worked with the Canadian national team that swept the 1992 Olympic women’s rowing events

“I came in three years ago and brought in some newer ideas,” said Carter. “My background in the sport is a bit different, and I had been coaching in Canada. They weren’t used to seeing some of things that I introduced in practice, but in the long run I think it helped the team.”

The school has helped, as well. The gym at Merrill Gymnasium has rowing equipment suited for a varsity program. The ergometers that measure rowing strength have been pivotal in developing strong, resilient rowers. This season, the team was allowed to work out at the pool with specially-designed rowing mechanisms, helping them get into shape and stay in shape during the long Maine winter.

“It’s tough here because of the weather,” said Carter. “The first week of the season, in February, we spend in Florida just training, with no competition. Then we come back home and train indoors until we can get on the river.”

The weather isn’t the only problem Carter and the rest of the team endures.

“It’s a tough sport,” said Carter. “We have a large turnout at the first meeting of the year, usually, and then by the next one it’s usually cut in half. With our ability to recruit now, we are getting better athletes in here all the time, and they have been conditioned for this. It’s a grueling sport, though. I’d put it up there with nordic skiing and cycling as one of the tougher sports in terms of endurance.”

And then there are the practices. Six in the morning is a way of life for many, but few of those are college students.

“I don’t know if you ever get used to it,” said Strum. “But it’s much better than trying to row in choppy water in the middle of the day.”

“I don’t know that you’d ever see the water like this in the afternoon,” agreed Carter. “It’s flat calm, and that’s ideal to row in. Anytime there are whitecaps, it’s a bit dangerous to be rowing out there.”

Next stop…

In four short years, Bates has risen to a place of prominence in the New England rowing community. Now, with an increase in participation and an increase in notoriety thanks to solid performances at crucial meets, the team is looking at ways to further improve the program.

“Maybe some wood floors and a heater for the boathouse would be nice,” joked freshman rower Ellie Ficken. “Actually, we don’t really need everything that all the bigger schools have because we have a lot of the machines and things on campus.”

What the team is really looking for now is recognition. Last fall, the preseason polls had Bates ranked at No. 18. The Bobcats quickly proved the prognosticators wrong for the second season in a row, and qualified with an at-large bid to the ECAC national invitational this weekend.

“I think we sent a message this year, especially when we went and beat (No. 1-ranked) Williams two weeks ago,” said Strum. “It’s kind of nice to be feared now. It helps us when other teams know who we are. We don’t feel so much on the outside anymore.”

“Everyone in the NESCAC was surprised at us again this year,” said sophomore Dora Plummer. “We were surprised to be ranked so low at the beginning of the season, but it’s felt great to be able to prove them wrong.”

[email protected]