While it may feel there are some additional steps that can be taken to grow the program further, the Valley Regional co-ed crew team is certainly proud of the waves it has made in the water this spring.

For the first time ever in program history this 2023 season, the Warriors, whose roster includes individuals from Old Saybrook, qualified for the New England Interscholastic Rowing Association (NEIRA) Regatta. Additionally at that event, Valley’s second girls’ boat earned a spot on May 27 at Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Second-year Head Coach Ashley Malinovsky indicated that she is certainly more than pleased to be part of this dynamic distinction with the Warriors, though she added that as the squad looks to add depth as it treks into the deep currents, it would like to add a second season to the school year to bolster its readiness for the spring.

“They have worked hard and we’re very proud that they have achieved this recognition,” said Malinovsky. “Our goals for this team are to build our numbers, particularly with the boys, so that we can be more competitive. We need to create some depth in the team so that we’re not starting from scratch every spring. It would also be very beneficial if we could run a fall program. Many of the other teams that we compete against already have such a program. That means we’re already behind when we get started in the spring.”

Prior to taking the helm at Valley, Malinovsky was an assistant coach (for 3 years) and then head coach (2 seasons) for the Old Saybrook co-ed crew team. At the end of 2021, John Laundon, the founder and head coach of Valley crew, retired, at which time Malinovsky saw it as an opportune moment to make the move to Valley Regional and take the Rams’ squad with her to fuse the two teams together.

Malinovsky went on to note that the sport’s governing body, the CT Public Schools Rowing Association (CPSRA), requires all students in a boat to be from the same school. She detailed that while the Warriors may appear to be a co-op squad in principle with their Rams’ representatives, certain by-laws prevent them from functioning as a competitive co-op unit.

“[The same school rule] was necessary because, in the past, there were some groups in other parts of the state that created super teams,” said Malinovsky. “As a result, we currently have a combined team, meaning that we can practice together, but when it comes to racing, we cannot mix rowers in the boats. Unfortunately, Old Saybrook has not rebounded since the days of the pandemic and have not had enough rowers [5 this year] to field their own boats. Old Saybrook rowers, therefore, can only participate in about half of our races and regattas at this point.”

The Warriors currently have four assistant coaches. Renny Schoonmaker was a Yale rower in his day and has been coaching the team for the past five years, currently serving as the team’s equipment expert and mainly coaches the boys’ varsity team.

Brandon Green is new to the team and was a rower for Lyme-Old Lyme when he was in high school. He also coaches the boys’ club. Lauren MacAloon is a part-time volunteer for the team. She was a rower and coxswain for Middletown High School and helps coach the coxes, as well as the girls’ team. Ian Sacks is a part-time volunteer who has stepped up to fill in wherever needed.

Taking a more detailed look into the athletes on the squad, the trio of captains are Quentin Baron, Elissa Hill, and Lauren Lee. Baron is a senior this year and joined the team last year as a coxswain. Hill is a senior and four-year veteran of the team. Lee, an Old Saybrook athlete, is additionally a four-season member.

“Quentin has taken off in his role on the team and also rows with the Masters team for Blood Street Sculls in Old Lyme on the weekends and over the summer. He plans to cox at Brown University next year,” said Malinovsky. “Elissa is a dedicated captain and rows with Blood Street in the summer and fall. Lauren has been a jack-of-all-trades, starting out as a rower her freshman year, rowing both sides whenever needed, and finishing her senior year as a coxswain.”

Malinovsky went on to sing the praises and contributions of juniors Nate Barton and Lucas Silva. For Valley’s up-and-coming senior girls for 2024, the Warriors hold seven, three of whom are already in the first girls’ varsity boat.

“Nate is currently a member of our first boys’ boat and will be a strong presence in the boat next year,” said Malinovsky. “Lucas Silva is our other up-and-coming boy and, although he just started rowing this season, he is strong and shows a lot of promise.”

The Warriors’ rowing 2023 roster is comprised of Old Saybrook student-athletes in Lee, Owen Courtright, Adam DeCamp, Nick Dutra, and Sasha Dziebel; plus Valley Regional student-athletes of Baron, Hill, Erin Brennan, Sam Brookhart-Bardelli, Emma Brown, Chloe Clark, Jack LeMark, Emily Mezick, Patrick O’Rourke, Matthew Roscoe, Allison Safran, Matheus Silva, Barton, Maeve Brashears, Mika Carlin, Audrey Counter, Millie Gardner, Kayleigh Mackenzie, Madeline Morissey, Avery Sacks, Lucas Silva, Savannah Hanley, Abby Jones, Jake Marmelstein, Tristan Smith, Sophie Bowers, Lucca Giordano, Aemelia Kostek, and Tristan Spallone.