By Sander van Casteren
It is the year 841. Inspired by the supreme god Odin, warmongering Vikings invade the future province of Zeelandia. Not much later, the town of Middelburg is first founded.
Back to 2016. Ever wondered what has happened to sporting excellence here at UCR after the intense Introweek? Behold Middelburg Student Rowing Association (M.S.R.A.) Odin. Set up by UCR students over the last two years, Odin has brought collegiate rowing to Middelburg. With over forty members, in no-time rowing has become the most popular student sport at UCR. But why exactly is it a success, apart from the obvious ancestral bloodlines that run through us, rejuvenating our history?
First of all, Odin brings a formula to Middelburg in the spirit of our educational program: striving for excellence is what rowing is very much about. In many countries, the (competitive) university rowing culture is rich, with examples being the Oxford – Cambridge Boat Race and its Dutch cousin the Varsity. At the finish of the latter, the fans of the winning boat collectively jump (nearly) naked in the water to congratulate the rowers. Its traditions and roots are within universities, both Dutch and foreign. It might therefore be the case that UCR has been the right place for this sport to take root.
Because of this cultural heritage, what Odin values in its rowers is performance (at national ‘rowing regattas’), discipline and good health. Yet Odin’s success mostly comes from the recognition that performance increases when the preconditions for athletic achievements are taken care of as well. By organizing weekly dinners, core/beach trainings, trips to rowing events, coaching lessons, rowing proficiency exams and much more, it gives you more than the average student sport. Odin believes that when the atmosphere and community feeling are good, the chance that you enjoy your sport increases. By setting personal and boat team goals, you train towards what you think excellence entails.
Besides this, rowing is a sport that can be done at the individual level up to the Odin Eights, which makes it perfect for both soloists and team players. What also helps is that it can be learned relatively easily at later age. Add to this the stellar environment of the Kanaal door Walcheren, the close reach of the rowing club in the centre of town and the existing framework of our hospitable host, civilian rowing club De Honte, and altogether you can drink a cocktail of sportive enthusiasm.
To facilitate all this for and with its Odinites, this academic year a 7-person board has been put in place. Together, the goal is to be a thriving, independent rowing society for all who want to optimize their sportive experience in Middelburg. MSRA Odin shows that academic and sportive excellence go hand in hand. Building on the recent progress, among the coming plans are to recruit more (applied sciences) student rowers from Middelburg, consolidate the association’s position within the practicable range of sports, find sponsors and other parties to stimulate student rowing and eventually acquire a private club building.
Last but not least, the reputation of rowing is worth to mention on the side. Being one of the most demanding sports at competitive level, when asked about your hobbies and your reply is “I’m a rower”, often a somewhat jaw-dropped awe can be seen on the inquirer’s face, as if you just answered to the phrase: “Spartans, what is your profession?!”. Reputational rumour even has it that disciplined rowers have been accepted into key positions when summarizing their sportsmanlike achievements during a job interview.
Wish to find more information on ODIN? You can find us on Facebook or send an email with all your questions to [email protected].
Sander van Casteren, Class of 2016, is an Economics & Political Science major from Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
