Student-Athlete Spotlights

I know that, for me, winning is not about who won the race because I know that my team and I won on the days we decided to show up when it was cold, dark, and raining, and we were there together. We won on the days we wanted to sleep in but we decided to wake up and show up anyway, being there in the early morning when we could have been sleeping. We won on the Fridays when all of our friends were hanging out after school, and we had to go to practice—well, not had to, but got to go to practice. And I know that we won the moment we joined the Row New York community.

After being part of Row New York, I found a new sense of community. I now know a community is not only people who are there for your highs and your lows, but an extended family. I’ve gained so much friendship and I’ve developed so much trust and bonds within Row New York, my second family, that I can never imagine it being separate.

I’m not making a million dollars for hitting a bat or shooting a ball through a hoop, but I gained something way better than that. I gained a family that’s worth way more than a million dollars to me.

Jan grew up determined to become a famous athlete. At the age of five it was the MLB… until he found out he was allergic to the field (sneezing as the baseballs flew by). At nine he decided to head indoors and become an NBA star…and then realized his height wasn’t going to cut it. Then, at the age of fourteen, Jan came across Row New York. Deciding this could be his last chance to become a famous athlete he took a chance and tried out. He’s been a Row New Yorker since then.

Jan didn’t end up with a million dollar contract as a rower, but as he’ll share with you below, he found something much more valuable.

“All these people with different abilities were working together to move the boat, and for me, that was so amazing. If you ask me what is inclusion, for me, that’s inclusion. People with different abilities working for the same goal.”

Several years ago Katherine’s day to day life was a stream of doctor’s appointments and physical therapy sessions. She wanted something more and set out on finding a sport to transform her life. Many ball sports later Katherine came across a rowing demonstration. After witnessing how a rowing machine could be adapted to different physical abilities she knew she had to give it a try.

Inspired by what she saw at Row New York, Katherine continued to push herself to new limits, eventually joining the competitive adaptive team and placing at regattas. In her process, Katherine not only fell in love with a sport, but also found freedom in the strength she gained as a rower.

There have been many moments in my own life that I have felt that I was in open water, but instead of giving up and letting fear overtake me, I push myself and I persevere.

In the spring of 2011 Anny found herself sitting in stroke seat moments away from competing at the Saratoga State Championships. She had spent countless hours training for this moment. Her team sat ready at the starting line, nerves and doubt filling the cold air. A tough race was in store for the team but an even more powerful lesson was waiting at the finish line.

“I remember those 3-5 minutes of staring at open water and doubting myself. I remember thinking I wasn’t going to win this race because somehow, you know, was it my stroke, or because we didn’t have what the other teams had, or their 2k score was better than mine. Those 3 minutes of open water really taught me a lot…There have been many moments in my own life that I have felt that I was in open water, but instead of giving up and letting fear overtake me, I push myself and I persevere.”

“I used to be known as the girl who swims, but now I’m known as the girl who rows.”

For eight years Mia lived for swimming. She knew she would go far––competing in college or even the Olympics. At school, Mia was known as the girl who swam, and this reputation was well earned. At the height of her swimming career over the summer months, she was practicing 7 days a week, 3 times a day.

It was during these most intense trainings that the pain in Mia’s shoulder started growing. She would come to find out that if she didn’t stop swimming the inevitable result would be surgery. As the smell of chlorine started to fade from her skin, Mia wasn’t sure what was next for her. Until she met Row New York.

“I am not the kind of guy who quits; I like to work hard. I will still stay in shape and work out, and keep rowing.”

Nick started with Row New York as a freshman on our novice team four years ago. He wasn’t the fastest or the strongest athlete, nor was he necessarily the best student. In his own words, he was overweight, small and unsure of himself.

Today, Nick is close to 6 feet tall and a lean healthy weight. He loves the strenuous workouts, the competition and the team camaraderie that rowing provides. While the physical transformation is striking, his coaches perceive an emotional maturation that is even more noteworthy. His mental discipline and overall demeanor are what stand out the most; he has more confidence in himself and seems to be more comfortable in his own skin. This increase in confidence has had a positive impact on the team as well, as Nick has taken on a leadership role.

Rowing is not an easy sport. There were times when the last thing Nick wanted to do was get up before 6 a.m. on a Saturday morning to make practice. Or to get out on the water on a cold windy day, as blisters developed on his hands. But as he can attest, it is those very hardships and testing of one’s mettle that makes an individual grow in character.

As Nick prepares to graduate, there is much that he will miss about Row New York: his teammates, his coaches, the competition, and yes, even the early morning workouts.

The effectiveness of Row New York’s youth program is quantifiable, but our statistics do not capture one of our program’s most important outcomes: the sense of family and friendship.

Gabby Francis and Nazirqah Macky met during tryouts for Row New York’s middle
school program. Six years later, despite going to different schools, they developed a close relationship, referring to each other as sisters and as friends who can count on each other for support on good days and bad. There is an ease between them—a feeling of love and, as Nazirqah succinctly put it, a sense of family. They both joined Row New York for the chance to race, visit colleges, and receive academic support. They attribute their scholastic success not only to these activities, but to the bonds of friendship forged through tough practices, cold weather workouts, and travel to races. This past fall, Gabby started her freshman year at Washington College and Nazirqah at Virginia State University. Both were excited about leaving home for the first time.

There was also a sense of mournfulness in recognizing that this next phase of their lives will involve less time together, leaving behind a program that made them feel supported and built up their confidence. Both were resolute in their determination to stay in touch. And as their voices got a bit quiet at the thought of not having each other in close proximity, Nazirqah quietly but firmly said, “It’ll be fine, we will still be there for each other ”.

To hear Nile speak of his years at Row New York is at turns heartwarming, intense, and humorous. To Nile, teammates and coaches are family and the Peter Jay Sharp boathouse is a second home. Nile describes his years of rowing as a lifestyle choice—the sport is hard and time intensive, and it requires tremendous discipline. Years of coming together with eight teammates to function as one hard-working machine instilled in him tenacity, consistency, and confidence which he honed through rowing, play a big role in how he now approaches his goals.

When Nile joined Row New York as a middle schooler, he didn’t know how to swim. Despite failing his swim test twice and being forced to wear a life vest for his first two years in the program—quite a sight, as he stands over six feet tall—Nile was dedicated to rowing and determined to pass the test. And on his third try, he finally did.

All of Nile’s hard work and determination—not to mention his swim lessons—paid off. After an arduous and time-intensive application process, Nile was admitted to the Naval Academy. Impressive, and fitting.

“Once upon time I was a rower. But now I’m going to tell you that I am not a rower anymore. I am a cox.”

Dooly started out rowing as bow seat – he sat happily in the back of the boat, far from the cries of his coxswain up front. As Dooly saw it, his coxswain did her thing while he did his: “I didn’t really care what she (the coxswain) was doing to be honest. All I cared about was going in the water, and I sit bow and row. I wanted to get fitter, have my six packs too”. However, this was about to abruptly change for Dooly when he was thrown into being the team’s new coxswain.

“Rowing is a sport where teamwork is absolutely crucial. Without the drive and commitment of each person in the boat, no progression will be made.”

Aleeyah had finally achieved what she had worked so hard for over her many years at Row New York: a seat in the Varsity 8. The season was her’s – until the day after practice when she, along with her teammates, gave their coxswain constructive criticism. “We weren’t building her up, we were building her down.” Consequently, their coxswain walked off the team. Her boat was down a coxswain and out for the season. Aleeyah’s story is one of redemption and learning to cherish each member of the team to keep the boat going forward.