NSU University School VIEWPOINT Spring 2019

18 USCHOOL ATHLETICS Crew Team he said. “I credit the students and their parents for the results. Together, their dedication and passion are unmatched.” Tryouts for the 2019-20 crew season will take place in early fall, so the students can prepare for trials for the Head of the Charles Regatta. “This was the first year wewere accepted to the Head of the Charles,” Aligem said. “I look forward to the upcoming year, when we’ll have that opportunity once again.” What’s next for this ground-breaking crew team? “My goal for them is to learnmore and refine their skills, maintain their love for the sport, and allow their passion to grow,” Aligem said. “In that regard, I have been very successful. In fact, I don’t think any of these athletes will hang up their oars once they graduate.” Pulls Ahead as One of South Florida’s Top Teams Three years ago, Arik Aligem brought his experience, expertise, andpassiontoNSUUniversitySchool’sCrewTeamasheadcoach. “Due to Coach Arik’s leadership, direction, and commitment, the crew program has grown tremendously,” said Paul Herfurth, director of athletics. With upgraded boats and equipment, the team now has 43 rowers, which is more than double its membership three years ago. “I’m very excited about this program and its reputation in the rowing community,” Herfurth said. “The crew community recognizes them as one of the top teams in South Florida, and I couldn’t be more proud.” Aligem (pictured below, bottom right) is originally from Tiberius, Israel, where he rowed for Tiberius Rowing Club’s national team for seven years. Though it began as a small boathouse, today the Tiberius Rowing Club is a highly ranked international training camp where athletes have the unique opportunity to train on the Sea of Galilee. Aligem is proud to still be a member of the club, which, he says, feels like a family. Most recently, the USchool Crew Team competed at states in Sarasota. All of the boats placed well, yet the quad boat consisting of three juniors and one sophomore placed second in their heat, which allowed them to proceed to Final A, where they finished sixth among 25 boats. Making it to the Final A was a first for USchool! Aligem noted that it normally takes four to five years for a team to see huge gains. “But we’re seeing them after just three years,”