Concord Crew might not be as large or exclusive as clubs from around the country that sent teams to the U.S. Rowing Youth National Championships this weekend, but that didn’t stop two Concord rowers from walking away with a first-place finish.

Head coach Steve Garside was biking alongside the water, 100 feet away from his rowers, including his son, as they raced down the course. The screams and cheers from the shore intensified as the finish line loomed nearer. It was going to happen.

On Sunday morning, Concord Crew rowers Travis Garside and Seth Lowne won gold in the Men’s Youth Varsity double in Sarasota, Florida. 

“I just watched the whole thing transpire,” said Steve Garside. “It almost became a blur. It was surreal.”

For a relatively small and inclusive club, the win proves that work ethic can overcome resources. 

“You don’t need a high-end training program and all this high-end stuff,” said Travis Garside. “You can just row hard.”

Three years ago, Concord Crew was in a similar position. Jacob Garside and Luke Lowne, the older brothers of Sunday’s champions, fought their way to a bronze medal for the same event in 2021. 

“We were close, but not quite there,” said Steve Garside.

Last year, they fell short again, but the experience only motivated them. They spent the year working out in the gym and on the river. That preparation made Travis Garside cautiously optimistic going into this weekend’s competition.

“Maybe a minute into the race, I thought that we had a chance,” he said. “I was like, ‘Here we go.’” 

It was a neck-and-neck battle for the next six minutes. It wasn’t until the final moments that the Concord rowers started to feel confident. 

“In the last 10 seconds, I was like, ‘We’re actually going to do this,’” Travis Garside said. 

Propelled forward by years of preparation and the legacy of their brothers before them, they did.

Steve Garside has now had two sons make it to the national stage. For him, the pride from the win runs deeper.

“It’s pretty amazing,” he said. “I’m a pretty lucky dad and lucky coach. I’m also grateful just to have the opportunity to be their coach, and to get to spend these years with them. Not everybody can say that. I’ll cherish that forever.”

The win also lays the groundwork for the organization to continue to flourish.

“I’d like to see the club grow and have more kids,” he said. “We’re willing to take them there, as long as they’re willing to do the work required to get there.”

Sofie Buckminster can be reached at sbuckminster@cmonitor.com.