Tag: 2024

Mohawk Fall Classic 2024

September 2024

The Mohawk Fall Classic Regatta is another staple of the fall rowing season, organized by our neighboring club, Burnt Hills Rowing Club.

In the fall, Burnt Hills teams up with the Shenendehowa High School crew, competing under the name Erie Canal. The combined strength of both teams gives them a competitive edge, and I must mention that their superior boathouse, equipment, and larger coaching staff give them additional advantages.

In terms of location, this regatta is one of the best. It takes place at Jumpin’ Jacks Drive-In at Freedom Park in Scotia, right along the scenic Mohawk River. Since the drive-in is closed for the season, the entire parking lot becomes a staging area for trailers and teams, offering plenty of space to set up.

This year’s event was held on September 29th, featuring 27 clubs and 213 entries. I competed in two races.

The day began early once again, with a 5 a.m. wake-up and arriving at the venue by 6 a.m. It was another warm, sunny fall day—perfect conditions for rowing.

Results:

  • Boys’ Junior 8+ – 3rd
  • Boys’ Junior 4x – 1st

A slice of home – juicy details of joints

September 2024

This year, I’m taking a Civil Engineering & Architecture class—a dual enrollment course offered by my high school. I’ve been eager to dive into these topics, inspired by both my mom and grandfather, who are Civil Engineers.

Above is my cross-sectional mockup of a one-story house, showcasing the various joints and materials from foundation to roof. It’s been the perfect hands-on way to understand the materials and connections that keep structures stable and secure.

Head of the Hudson 2024

September 2024

The fall season always starts with the Head of the Hudson, organized by the Albany Rowing Club, where we race on the Hudson River. According to the event site, this year’s competition featured 36 clubs and 221 boats.

The day began with a crisp 55 degrees, warming up to a pleasant 70 by afternoon. It was a sunny autumn day—ideal for rowing.

We were picked up from high school at 6:45 a.m., and after arriving at the venue, we quickly rigged our boats. We spent the morning cheering on our teammates and waiting for our turns on the water.

I competed in both a quad and an eight, winning medals in both races.

Results:

  • Men’s Junior 8+ – 3rd
  • Men’s Junior 4x – 3rd

Driving a manual car :)

Having Turkish parents and traveling frequently means I need to learn how to drive a manual car.

The difference between manual and automatic transmissions is like night and day. The real challenge with manual cars is getting them moving—balancing the clutch, shifting into gear, and then accelerating.

I recently came across an image that made me laugh, because it perfectly captured the experience of another driver navigating the same learning curve as me. I sometimes feel bad for the people behind me and wish I could drive like the car was an automatic, but I’m slowly getting better.

How to make stuffed grape leaves – Dolma

Summers mean Turkish cuisine. My grandmother is the master chef in our family. Everything she cooks is delicious. Dolma or Stuffed Grape Leaves is one of her specialties. We – me and my cousins – wanted her to teach us how to make it.

According to her it is as easy as 1-2-3. Although it is more like 1-2-3-4-5, with a few extra steps in between.

First, you prepare the filling – meat, rice, spices and salt.

Then, you start rolling the dolma: you flatten the leaf on a plate, trim the tough parts and the stem, place the filling in the middle, fold the sides in, and roll. To make sure it’s the right shape you also have to hold the dolma inside your palm and squeeze gently before placing in the pan. Rinse and repeat these steps.

When you are done, place a plate on top of the Dolmas inside the pan to apply pressure, put the lid on, and slow cook.

While I’ve become quite the expert at rolling dolma, I’m still clueless about the exact ingredients and measurements. My grandmother eyeballs everything, so her instructions were like: “A little of this. A pinch of that. Pour some. Cook till its done.”

In the end she just said, “it’s fine, come to Turkey whenever you want some.”

2024 Hammer Award

Every year, the Hammer Award goes to the teammate who’s smashed through all the challenges – whether it’s mastering new positions in the sculling team or making the most improvement throughout the year.

The coaches all agree on who deserves the award, and the winners are announced at the end of the year.

I was awarded the 2024 Boys Varsity Team Hammer. It may look like a plain old hammer, and it is, but to us it’s a symbol of hard work and dedication. It’s those early morning practices at 6 am, those late-night sessions that don’t end until 6:30 pm. It’s all the calluses and blisters on my hands. It’s for cutting my 2K time down by 35 seconds to 7:10.

Che Sara, SRAA…

Whatever will be…

May 2024

Scholastic Rowing Association of America (SRAA) has been the principal source of rules and procedures governing high school rowing. They also run the Scholastic Championship Regatta which is widely acknowledged within the rowing community as a national championship event.

This year, our team has been invited to compete in four different categories based on our results in the NY Championship. I will be participating in the Junior 8+ category.

What does the Junior 8+ category mean? I am glad you asked.

It means that the boat has 8 rowers plus one coxsain all under age 17 (who will not turn 17 within the current year) or a junior in high school. Our boat has three juniors including myself and the rest are sophomores.