The key word this season for the Radcliffe heavy and lightweight crew teams is "depth."

Everyone from coaches to rowers, heavies to lights, novices to varsity, is excited about the breadth of commitment and strength that has been evident on all squads during the fall and winter training seasons.

"This year we don't have a boat full of superstars, like the Serena Eddys or Alison Townleys [Radcliffe grads and national team rowers]," Radcliffe Coach Liz O'Leary said. "But we have depth and a lot of people who are really competitive, which makes it a stronger squad, although the individuals aren't there."

Attesting to that depth is the Black and White's third-place finish in the Head of the Charles Regatta this fall, the placing of four Radcliffe rowers among the top six collegiate rowers in the Crash-B Sprints (an erg competition in the winter), and the novice crews' first and third-place finishes in the Foot of the Charles Regatta in November--the first Harvard victory in the Foot in eight years.

The Truth Hurts

"Some coaches say you're only as good as your junior varsity eight, because if it's strong it will push your varsity eight and make it go that much faster," O'Leary said. "Hopefully both [Novice Coach] Holly [Hatton] and I have that potential this year."

"Depth is a big factor this season," varsity rower Mary McCagg agreed. "Last year, coming out of winter training, it was almost clear who would be in the first boat, but everybody's been working equally hard this year. It's going to be tough."

The Radcliffe heavyweight crew has been a consistently strong team since its inception 19 years ago. The heavies have lost only one regular-season race in the last three years and have either won or placed in the top three in both Sprints and nationals in the last few seasons.

This year, Radcliffe is looking to recapture the Eastern Sprints Championship that it lost in a close race to Brown last May, in addition to topping Yale, which was the only squad to beat the heavies in the 1988 season.

"It will be a winning season--our goal is to go to Sprints undefeated," O'Leary said. "My first year coaching here we went undefeated and in the second, we only lost once, so we hope to continue that tradition."

Radcliffe graduated four seniors from last year's first boat, but returning are Olympian Juliet Thompson, seniors Betsy McCagg and Mary McCagg, and juniors Jillian Buriak and Joanna Bench.

The Black and White went through a slightly different and more intense weight and long-range training program this winter.

"It's not so much the workouts though," O'Leary said, "but rather the people's attitudes towards them. There are a lot of good athletes on the novice and varsity squads doing the work we've set up for them, but it all boils down to how fast we can make the boats go."

Right now Radcliffe is back on the Charles doing long fitness pieces and will soon taper down to racing-season pieces.

"We've already done the training," said Thompson, who is this year's heavyweight crew captain. "We just have to fine tune the machine."