On May 17, the 80-plus Arlington-Belmont High School crew team members will gather together on the first anniversary of a shocking, completely unforeseen hurdle.
A team-building activity — part reflection, part appreciation — will emphasize the human element of what transpired. As quickly as the program lost 11 boats to theft, they rallied and rebuilt at an even faster clip.
“Settling back in and getting restarted from where we were before, I think it’s come a long way,” said Belmont senior and boys captain Nolan Zimkus. “It gives us a sense of gratitude that we’re able to get out on the water, because this could totally not be the case.”
What a difference a year — or 11 months, really — can make.
Last May 17, AB Crew suffered a wildly unexpected setback after finishing up a competition. An Arlington resident stole the truck and trailer hauling the 11 boats, all of which were ultimately destroyed along with the trailer during an ensuing police chase through Belmont and Cambridge. The driver crashed near the Belmont commuter rail station on Blanchard Road. Police subsequently charged Arlington resident James Brett St. Clair with two counts of larceny of a motor vehicle, two counts of receiving stolen property worth more than $1,200, and leaving the scene of an accident causing injury. He was arraigned in Cambridge District Court. The Middlesex District Attorney’s office did not respond to requests for an update on the case.
The theft occurred two-thirds of the way through the season. A few days later, the team received equipment on loan or purchased market-rate boats from Riverside Boat Club, Community Rowing Inc., Belmont Hill School, and Gentle Giant Moving Company. The team got back on the water a week after the incident.
“When it happened, it was very shocking and kind of devastating,” said Arlington senior Phoebe Klein-Taylor, a girls team captain. “The boats we row in, while they’re objects, we bleed and sweat in them. Seeing them in pieces hit kind of hard.
“The more rippling effect of it, the changing in the culture of the team has been positive, but it’s definitely been a change.”
Before the incident, the organization re-did its website. As a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that relies on donations to function, maintaining a thorough web presence with seamless software is key. With the infrastructure already in place, a post-incident email blast and resulting attention led to more than $100,000 in donations from around the country.
Insurance helped, too, but didn’t cover everything, said Jerome Dubois, an AB Crew board member responsible for fundraising, systems and registration.
“I do think the incident raised the profile and the response from the community has energized our base,” Dubois said. “We’re better in some cases and upgraded in a few places, but a little low from where we want to be. We want to be healthier on the equipment side, but we’re competitive.”
They acquired five replacement boats and fixed existing boats. AB Crew remains in the market for four used boats.
AB Crew includes athletes from grades eight through 12 enrolled in the Arlington and Belmont Public Schools, and students from either town who attend Minuteman Regional High School in Lexington. Historically, it’s a two-thirds Arlington and one-third Belmont split. The three current boys captains, Leo Dubois, Jonah Woods, and Zimkus, all reside in Belmont. Klein-Taylor and classmate Lorelei Donato of Arlington captain the girls team.
The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) does not sponsor crew, so the team competes in regattas sponsored by the Massachusetts Public Schools Rowing Association (MPSRA) and other organizations. They practice year-round, both outdoors on Spy Pond and inside on ergs at 334 Pleasant St. Not being an MIAA sport also means no funding from the school districts.
The theft heightened awareness and interest in the program, too. AB Crew reached its cap on athletes and is working to accommodate a small waitlist. Outside of the students themselves, community members and coaches stepped in. Before the incident, the board had just four members. They’re now full with eight active members.
Prairie Resch, the boys head coach, started because of the incident. Boys assistant coach Xavier Mulligan returned after years off because of it. Head girls coach Lars Babbott-Ward helped steer the organization before, during, and after.
“We remember it’s a privilege to work hard together,” Babbott-Ward said. “The trailer incident reminds us to not take anything — a boat, each other, every stroke — for granted. There is refueled intention around how we care for each other and our equipment.”
