Awake hours before the sun has risen, eleven Hewitt girls sit in the white lobby of our school. There to greet them is Peter John Costas, better known as Coach Peter or just Coach. He is currently enrolled as a student at the University of Virginia, taking a semester off from his third year, so he can influence us and others on the technique and power that is crew.
Peter is 21 years old and will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and Economics in the winter of 2012. When he graduates he wants to stay in New York and continue to write, row, and go to graduate school.
“My passion and respect for the sport [made me want to be a coach],” said Costas, “From the first time I sat in a boat I’ve had a desire to learn as much as I could about rowing technique and fitness and the process has yet to stop.”
Peter added that he, “Struggled in other sports – I want to help others find their passion and potential the way I did. I know that I will not [stop rowing]. There’s a famous saying within masters rowing, (a category of crew for those older than 27) ‘the older you get, the faster you were.’ You develop some extremely strong friendships in rowing because it is the most ultimate team sport. All of my coaches through high school and college continue to row with old friends from school.”
Costas has confidence that the team has potential to win and is “very excited for this season and our race at the end of the season against Horace Mann.”
Good luck to the rowers, and go Hawks!
Come support the Hewitt crew team – check out this season’s schedule here.