Gregg hartsuff

head coach

A brief history

The team's indoor training situation has taken different forms since its formation in the late 1970s. Initially, indoor training was done through running (particularly stairs) and calisthenics, as rowing machines weren't readily available until the mid-1980s. The team ran around campus, sometimes in buildings, and housed equipment on the mezzanine of the Sports Coliseum. Rowing machines were eventually purchased in the late 1980s, and the team used the old ice hockey locker rooms, surrounded by brick. We were in that space in the fall of 1992, my first with the team.

From the winter of 1993 until 2002, we were in the mezzanine of the Coliseum. The space could only fit 25 machines, which required us to practice in 2-3 shifts. We had time restrictions on that space, as we shared it with the boxing team, and the facility was in use most hours of the day with other programming. We couldn't use it whenever we wanted to, so if foul weather like thunderstorms or fog forced us indoors, we couldn't just go there to train.

In 2002, Recreational Sports negotiated a joint use space with the Athletic Department to have our women's team use a large room on the second floor of the Intramural Sports Building (IMSB), adjacent to Cliff Keen Arena. This joint-use space of a varsity team and a club team was unique, but benefitted both programs.

The move to the IMSB marked a great era for us, as the 4,500 square foot room with high ceilings, natural light, and old school wood floors could accommodate the entire team at once. We joined our machines so the women could all practice at the same time from 3:00 - 5:15 PM, and we would take it from 5:15 PM onward. It allowed us to all train at the same time, and this environment literally allowed our team to grow in size, as well as competitiveness as the energy of full-team training environment pushed people harder. Our competitive results improved in large part to this training environment: in 2003, our Varsity 8+ finished 12th at the IRA National Championships, and in 2004 our Varsity Four won a bronze medal at the same regatta.

In 2015, Rec. Sports began renovations on the IMSB and we were temporarily moved back to the Sports Coliseum. Our women had a new facility on the South Athletic Campus being built for them, to open in 2017. It was back to training in shifts under strict time windows, and guys didn’t have the freedom to do extra workouts whenever they liked as they could when we were in the IMSB. The Sports Coliseum was not a long-term solution and when we were informed that Rec. Sports intended to charge us to rent the space, MRA came to the rescue and quickly found us a new space.

MRA negotiated to rent a 2,500 square foot space near Argo Pond in the basement of a facility on Longshore Drive. The space wasn’t perfect, but the upside was that we could use the space whenever we wanted, and we could adorn the facility with team paraphernalia to make it feel like home. We unfortunately still had a limitation on music volume, and we had to practice in two or three shifts due to space constraints. We knew when we moved into Longshore in February of 2018 that it wasn't going to be a long-term solution. The MRA Board had kept their eye on potential buildings that could be purchased by the association over the next several years. The aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic provided an opportunity that likely wouldn't have been a possibility prior to the pandemic.

The next chapter

A building near the boathouse that all Michigan Men’s Rowing athletes and coaches have driven by during their time on the team became available. We moved into the second floor of 1250 N. Main St., or the “Riverfront Building,” in late June of 2023 as tenants and began a new chapter of the team’s history.

This past fall offered glimpses at the future. Through a generous donation by MRA alumnus Patrick Finn '98, we purchased 40 brand new ergs in September, and MRA also put down athletic rubber flooring in the identified erg space. The previous tenant left many items behind, and the space configures nicely to allow us to function in there.  We once again can practice with everyone at the same time, and I am looking forward to this dynamic paying off on the water. I once calculated the speed difference between the IMSB and the Sports Coliseum, and the IMSB accounted for a 3.0 second positive speed gain, mostly due to the team training dynamic.

I can see how this space has started to shift team culture. It's only a few hundred yards from the boathouse, and guys are using it as a home base and walking to the boathouse for practice. There are a number of rooms in the space, including several bathrooms. With minor modifications, there is a conference and study area; good internet; a men's locker room; a smaller women's locker room; secure gear storage space; work space; a coach's office; a lounge; and a kitchenette. I have noticed guys doing their homework there before or after water practices, and treating it as a hangout space. They drop in and do extra workouts, much like we could do in the IMSB. The numerous team trophies and awards that we have won over the years can be proudly put on display. It's a cool place to be.  

This space can help us recruit. When Associate Head Coach Todd Gocken and I showed recruits the space through the summer and fall, they all were impressed with it. It makes a statement and shows we are serious about competition. Our recruiting events drew good numbers this past fall. In combination with the fall dues waiver endowment established by Ken Myers '01, it is a tremendous selling point to new team members.  

Purchasing this facility and making it the permanent home for the Michigan Men’s Rowing Team will begin a new era for our program. Please join the countless other alumni, parents, and friends of the team and contribute today to make this dream a reality.

Row Blue,

Gregg Hartsuff, Head Coach