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Martin Tipton: Rapid Rower

Theo Tellides '19, News Editor
Martin Tipton ’17, captain of Boys Varsity Crew, has been rowing since ninth grade. 
Tipton has watched the crew program grow from a small building team to a competitive force over the past few years.

Tipton earned his spot in the Boys One boat by working hard during every practice. Fellow rower Ben Washburne ’19 commented, “Martin has always put in the extra effort in the past three years that I’ve known him.”

Recognized for his diligence and leadership qualities, Tipton became team captain as a senior. Sandy Blanchard, assistant Varsity Crew coach, remarked, “Martin is a guy who typifies the ‘still waters run deep’ syndrome. By that, I mean he is not the flashy type, but is a quiet guy. Yet he exudes passions that are sincere, focused, and fundamental to the interests of the team. These passions drive his actions, and make him a great example for others to follow. These are the qualities that made him the choice for team captain.”

Tipton enjoys being a captain even when it requires extra work: “It has been fun. It has gotten me a lot closer to [head coach] Nate [Case] and given me an excuse to bond with the new rowers.” Tipton admitted that he has learned a lot from past captains: “I was always subconsciously watching the captains and seeing what works and what doesn’t work.”

Even if crew may seem to be primarily a physical sport, Tipton asserted, “More than anything it’s a mental game. There are a lot of limitations in your mind, and you can only win if you’re willing to break these limitations.” Tipton said that breaking these limits is often rewarding, “Part of the victory is that you thought you reached your limit, but then somehow you find a way to surpass it.”

Boat One coxswain, David Tsnobiladze ’17, admired Tipton’s efforts. He said, “so they row and I cox and he is 2 seat and he does some rowing too and he takes strokes and tries to match them with the rest of the boat but isn’t always successful but he’s stubborn and persists...what a great athlete.”

Rowers and coaches have been impressed by Tipton’s willingness to help others. Tipton left a lasting impression on novice Connor Pignatello ’19. “Early on in the season Martin noticed some novices and I were doing the exercises incorrectly and he took the time to show us how to do them right,” he said. “He really cares about everyone on the team.”

Next year Tipton will attend Yale University, where he will swap shells for sailboats when he joins the sailing team. 
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