HEAD FIRST: Members of the Princeton National Rowing Association’s Mercer Rowing Club (PNRA/Mercer) women’s youth 8 enjoy the moment after taking second in their class at the recently-held Head of Charles regatta in Boston. It was the highest finish ever for a Mercer boat at the event. The boat included coxswain Kate Edmondson, stroke Rena White, Haley Bork, Alex Natale, Kate Hickey, Kelly Fischer, Caitlin Cleary along with sisters Laila and Badia Shehab.

In crew circles, the venerable Head of Charles in Boston is one of the premier events on the calendar, often called the biggest regatta in the world as it annually attracts around 10,000 rowers and more than a quarter million spectators over its two days of competition.

This year’s event, which marked the competition’s 50th anniversary, proved to be a platform for the Princeton National Rowing Association’s Mercer Rowing Club (PNRA/Mercer) to solidify its standing among the elite youth programs in the country.

The club’s women’s youth 8 took second while its men’s youth 8 placed seventh to highlight Mercer’s performance at the regatta. Showing the club’s depth, the men’s youth 4 placed 10th, the women’s youth 4 took 12th, and the second varsity women’s 8 came in 35th.

Ted Sobolewski, Mercer’s head coach and manager of rowing program, was justifiably proud of his team’s showing.

“All of our juniors qualified so we have five automatic entries next year,” said Sobolewski, referring to the requirement that a boat finish in the the top 50 percent of its class to earn an automatic entry to the next year’s race.

“The varsity 8s had their best placings ever, the guys’ best had been ninth and the girls’ best had been seventh.”

The women’s 8 showed pluck and skill, starting 10th and passing a number of boats to earn its second-place finish.

“It is definitely something we have been building toward,” said Sobolewski of the boat which included coxswain Kate Edmondson, stroke Rena White, Haley Bork, Alex Natale, Kate Hickey, Kelly Fischer, Caitlin Cleary along with sisters Laila and Badia Shehab.

“There were 85 boats so the starting order is a big deal. When I started we were in the 40s.They worked hard from last spring to the summer and to the fall; five of the eight rowers are seniors so there is a lot of experience.”

The men’s 8, which was comprised of cox Matt Perez, stroke Elias Abilheira, Aaron Goodman, Kevin Borup, Alex Levine, Mark Hayton, Griffin Petri, Scott Hanks, and Dan Gleim overcame some adversity this fall in making the top seven.

“They did really well, they have gained a lot of speed this fall,” said Sobolewski.

“They lost some key rowers, we graduated some guys who have gone on to D-1 programs. There was a coaching change and a transition. I am happy with how they stuck with it. They put a lot of time in, it was a work-based approach. I am happy with how Justin (new coach Justin Ochal) prepared them.”

The work ethic of the club’s veteran rowers is being passed down through the ranks.

“The athletes at the top of the program are putting in a solid volume of training,” said Sobolewski.

“We have some good young rowers coming in, they have watched the seniors and what they do and they have an idea of the training it takes to do well. They have started at a higher level. It all goes back to work piece, we have asked more of the athletes in the last couple of years in terms of time, effort, and daily work in practice.”

Sobolewski, for his part, sees the club becoming a fixture at the highest level of youth rowing in the U.S.

“We want to be a top-5 program nationally in any given year,” said Sobolewski.

“We realize there are going to be up and down years but with the number of athletes we have, the varsity is capable of a top 5 finish at the youth nationals. We see ourselves as a pretty big program. Since we are a club, we can draw from a number of schools and areas.”