caption: EYES ON THE PRIZE: With the Thames River in the background, Becca Fein holds the trophy earned by the Mercer Junior Rowing Club (MJRC) women's varsity eight for winning their division at the Reading Amateur Regatta. Standing, from left, are Kiki Rosa, WWP-N, 4 seat; Erin Conlon, WWP-S, stroke seat; Harriet Kadar, Princeton High, 5 seat; Rachel LaBella, WWP-S, 6 seat; Halley McDaniel, Princeton High, 2 seat; Katie Suyo, Pennington, 3 seat; Libby Clark, Princeton High, bow seat; Lauren Alba, WWP-N, 7 seat; and Head Coach Sean McCourt. The crew later took second in the final of the Peabody Cup, the junior division at the famed Henley Royal Regatta.

With Fein Guiding the Way at Cox, MJRC Crew Had Special Henley Trip

By Bill Alden

It was the spring of 2003 and Becca Fein was not enjoying her freshman year at Princeton Day School.

Searching for an activity outside of school to lift her spirits, Fein headed over to Mercer Lake in West Windsor to attend a practice of the Mercer Junior Rowing Club (MJRC).

Almost immediately, the diminutive Fein found her spot in the MJRC community as a coxswain, the person who commands and steers a crewed shell.

Fein's initial trip to West Windsor culminated in a special journey earlier this month as she helped the MJRC women's varsity 8 take second in the final of the Peabody Cup, the junior division at the famed Henley Royal Regatta on the Thames River in England.

In reflecting on her jaunt to England, Fein relished the special atmosphere that pervades the crew-mad hamlet of Henley, which is proud of its place in the rowing world.

"At high school, everybody is always asking what rowing is about," said Fein. "At Henley everything is about rowing. There are pictures of rowers all over the place. It was an honor to be there and to be the first boat from the club to come there."

While the MJRC crew was disappointed to fall by one and one-half lengths to the Oakland (Calif.) Strokes in the title race, Fein and her teammates were able to put things in perspective.

"We knew Oakland was good, they had been second in the nationals," said Fein, reflecting on the regatta which saw MJRC post wins over the Molesey Boat Club of England and London's Kingston Club as it advanced through the bracket-style format with boats meeting head-to-head with one loss eliminating a crew.

"Once we got out there we both rowed really well. We were really sad but we raced to our potential. We didn't do anything wrong; there is nothing else we could've done."

MJRC head coach Sean McCourt concurred with Fein's analysis. "They were a stronger and more powerful crew," said McCourt, whose team started its England trip by winning a regatta in Reading.

"We were level most of the race. No one wants to hear after losing a race that you did a good job. But looking at where we were at this point last spring, there is no way way we could've competed at this level. We weren't the strongest or most powerful boat but we were the most committed."

The fierce commitment of Fein to the crew certainly helped the boat reach its potential. "I started in the spring of 2003; I wasn't really happy at PDS and not getting along with people," recalled Fein, who is a co-captain of the crew. "A guidance counselor recommended that I come out for crew. I felt like I had found a team immediately. The thing about our crew is that the nine of us are best friends."

Fein also enjoys the special challenges that come with her role in the boat. "It's really hard," explained Fein, who is heading to Brown University this fall where she will cox for the crew program.

"I don't do the ERG workouts but there is so much responsibility on my shoulders, the girls rely on me so much. At Henley the course had buoys called 'booms,' it was like rowing in a cage. We always have a race plan but sometimes in a race you have to make a decision and say we have to go now."

MJRC teammate, Halley McDaniel, certainly respects Fein's leadership and decision-making. "I can honestly say she is the best cox that I have seen," maintained McDaniel, who just graduated from Princeton High and will be rowing at Penn this fall.

"She is inspiring to the team. She's the team captain and the cox which means she's very important. She and Sean spend hours putting together race plans. In a race, it's her call to change plans."

Becoming invloved in the MJRC has certainly changed the direction of McDaniel's life. "I think this is the best thing that has happened to me," said McDaniel referring to her crew experience.

"It's helped me realize my potential through seeing the rewards of hard work. You really develop a focus. I have also developed some great personal relationships. We all genuinely like each other; I think that sets us apart. Some teams just go to practice and want to get it over with. We enjoy each other and spend extra time with each other."

Fein, for her part, has gotten something extra out of her MJRC experience.

"I think it's really given me a lot of confidence," said Fein. "I used to keep to myself; I've had to learn to say things with authority. I think we are like a family. It's all about sacrifice. You're not doing it for yourself, you just don't want to disappoint the person next to you."

Fein didn't disappoint her teammates or herself as she helped pilot the crew on a journey which ended with international success.

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