The exact date of the creation of the Lowell High School Crew Team is unknown. However, the 1906 yearbook lists the varsity boys’ names and their seats in the boat.
The coxswain, 3-seat, and bow seat of the 1906 LHS Crew team.
In 1997, the team was reestablished by Bill McGowan. He remained as Head Coach until 2003. During this time, the team relied on equipment from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, as well as two used shells purchased for the team by the LHS Athletic Department. In 2002, crew parents pooled their money to buy raffle tickets, and won the team a brand-new Resolute eight, bringing the team’s equipment to 3 eights, 3 sets of oars, and 3 cox boxes.
In 2003, coaches Jen and Kendra Bauer took over the program and built the crew to over 100 athletes. In that time, the team has won four silver medals at the USRowing Northeast/Mid-Atlantic District Championships, claimed ten State Champion titles, won over 30 medals at the State Championships, and collected numerous medals at regattas all over New England. Additionally, through a massive fundraising campaign, the team’s equipment has expanded to include 5 coaching launches, a boat trailer, 10 eights, 2 fours, a pair/double, 12 sets of oars, 11 cox boxes and 7 ergs.
In 2004, the team held the first Lowell Invitational, which attracted 8 teams. It now boasts 1500 athletes from 5 states. The team also hosts the annual Novice Challenge and the spring Massachusetts Public School State Championships.
In 2006, Amber Zapatka ’06 was the first LHS athlete to compete at the USRowing Youth National Championships, placing 9th overall in the youth single. The team made a return trip in 2007 with the boys’ lightweight eight, which placed 16th. In 2009, the girls’ and boys’ lightweight fours both made the trip to nationals, placing 14th and 5th respectively.
LHS Crew competed in the Head of the Charles Regatta for the first time in 2006. In 2008, the boys’ varsity four (Cameron Crockett, Josiah Todd, Harry Finch, Ian Finn and Mike McKeon) had a phenomenal showing, placing 14th out of 71 boats in their race, 10th among crews from the United States and 3rd among public high schools. The boys pulled an 18:09 for the 3-mile course, less than one minute behind first place finisher St. Catherine’s Rowing Club of Canada.
In 2010, LHS hosted the first-ever USRowing Northeast District Championships, which brought 40 teams from 8 states and Canada to compete on the Merrimack River. Another first was the team’s installation of a fully buoyed 2000m course on the Merrimack. In the same season, LHS hosted the first Merrimack Valley Conference Championships, taking the title over teams from Andover, Westford and Chelmsford.
