East High School students immersed themselves in the lives of rowing legends by sinking their oars into a sports literature story.
Thirty-three Spartans made the pages of a best-selling book come alive by skimming across the waters of Pawnee Lake this fall. They gained firsthand knowledge of rowing by trying the sport for themselves with University of Nebraska-Lincoln coaches and students. Their experiences helped them become more familiar with the characters of “The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.”
East seniors Kyle and Huxton felt they learned a lot from their time with Nebraska Crew Club members. The Spartans toured the UNL Boathouse, practiced proper rowing techniques and hopped in their boats – also known as shells – for trips on the lake. The activities put them in the same position as the people featured in the nonfiction book’s storyline.
“I thought it was fun being able to work with our classmates like that in a real setting,” Kyle said. “You had to physically do something in sync with everybody else. It was fun doing something like that.”
“Rowing was a new skill for all of us,” Huxton said. “We’ve never had to work as a team like that before, so we all thought it was going to be easier than what it was. Once you get out in the water you learn right away how hard it is. But once you got the hang of it, it was pretty fun.”
East seniors Kaiya and Katelyn were also excited about their practice session. They teamed up with other juniors and seniors who are taking the Sports Literature course this semester.
“I really enjoyed learning the behind-the-scenes of rowing/crew,” Kaiya said. “It was really fun to row on the rowing machines and to see and hear how the boat functioned. I also really enjoyed being part of the process of putting the shells away because it really brought the whole experience together.”
“I enjoyed getting the opportunity to try a new sport with the other kids in my class,” Katelyn said. “It was fun learning how to balance the boat and row with others.”
“The Boys in the Boat” tells the story of nine working-class Americans from the University of Washington who claimed a gold medal at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. They used a wooden racing shell christened the Husky Clipper to win the men’s eight crew race ahead of Italy and Germany. Daniel James Brown wrote the 2013 manuscript that later inspired a movie.
East teacher Sarah Staples-Farmer decided to organize her first field trip in 34 years of education after reconnecting with Nebraska rowing alumni this summer. She competed on the UNL rowing team when she attended college, and she felt students would benefit from learning more about the sport.
“I knew the kids would need to get on the water themselves to really understand the accomplishment of the 1936 gold medal crew,” Staples-Farmer said. “Rowing may look easy, but it’s the most challenging sport I’ve ever competed in.”
Staples-Farmer also felt it would teach them about life skills that helped the Olympians. The squad’s victory was significant because it symbolized dedication, determination and trust. Many rowers overcame economic hardships while growing up, and each person counted on his teammates to do their part to help the group win.
“When they read the book, they see that they’re salt-of-the-earth, hardworking people who were living in the Great Depression, and they came together for this once-in-a-lifetime moment,” Staples-Farmer said. “There are a lot of lessons there in terms of resilience, perseverance and teamwork. There are all sorts of things that they can take from the book and apply in their own lives, whether that’s in school or sports or life in general.”
Kaiya and Katelyn said they have incorporated many of those lessons into their daily activities. Katelyn is on the varsity volleyball team and has earned multiple track and field medals, and Kaiya is contributing to this year’s volleyball squad as the student manager.
“This was really important for me because it shows what hard work and effort can get you in life,” Kaiya said.
Kyle said he has been impressed with the subjects students have covered in class. Sports Literature students are exploring themes such as sports culture, sports nutrition, psychology, team dynamics, individual grit and the influence of sports media. They are also focusing on how compelling sports stories such as “The Boys in the Boat” can bring people together.
“I’ve liked all of the topics and conversations that we’ve had in class,” Kyle said. “Tying it all back to sports makes it more engaging for sure.”
The trip also created valuable community engagement. Kaiya said one conversation with a UNL rower was “really eye-opening and very enlightening.” She and other students learned that many Midwestern colleges and universities have club sports such as rowing, rugby, lacrosse and curling to explore.
Katelyn felt the book and field trip provided gold medal lessons to everyone in class.
“Experiences like these are important for students to have because it keeps students engaged and creates a curiosity that you wouldn’t get without experiencing it firsthand,” Katelyn said. “It gives students the chance to try something new that they wouldn’t have ever done without having it as a field trip.”
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