Space Coast Crew competed at C-54 Canal on Saturday in the Opening Day Regatta, the first spring race that signifies the start of sprint season. It was also the first regatta the Space Coast Crew women’s team experienced with its new coach Taylor Hetherington.

“The regatta was really relaxed with Coach Taylor,” junior Emily Eastwood said. “He didn’t bother us. He understood our need to zone in, while at the end of the race he told us that he was proud of us and then explained why we didn’t do as well as we thought we would, getting third in the V8 race, the varsity 4, the Varsity 4x, but we got first in the junior 2x and the novice 8. He then brought our training plan in and told us how it would make us a better team as a whole.”

Senior Marissa Scalise shared a similar view.

“Overall, the Opening Day Regatta was a good transition for the women’s team,” Scalise said. “Having a new coach will really help us in the upcoming season,and the results are going to help the team set longterm goals for the rest of the year. Coach Taylor has a really good training plan that will allow us to improve our times and be as competitive as we can.”

Space Coast Crew will race on March 3 at OARS invitational in Turkey Lake.

By Alex Matta