OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (December 1, 2008) ¬ Bryna Oleshansky, Bearden High School junior and member of the Women's Atomic Rowing Team (the youth program of the Oak Ridge Rowing Association) has been selected as one of top junior female rowers in the nation.
Oleshansky, along with 24 sweep rowers from across the United States, has been identified and selected for the 'invitation-only' High Performance Camp for the US Junior (U-19) Women's National Team Development Squad. The camp will be held in Austin, Texas at the Texas Rowing Club, December 5-8, 2008.
The High Performance Camp serves as an opportunity for the Junior National Team coaches to work with a select group of athletes early in the year. This elite camp is quickly becoming an integral part of the preparation for the US Rowing Selection Camp held in June. Participating athletes will vie for a position on the 2009 US Junior Selection Team, which will ultimately compete in France at the Junior World Championships in August.
"What impresses us most about Bryna is her ability to take make changes", according to Steve Hargis, Head US Junior National Team Development Coach, "and then take ownership of those changes. Her work ethic is beyond reproach and we look forward to seeing the progress she has made since we last saw her last summer. Our hope is she is on track for a Selection Camp invitation which will put her in a great place to pursue a wide range of international training and racing opportunities."
In 2008, Oleshansky was identified to attend the 2008 US Junior (U-16) Women's National Development Camp. Where she competed and placed third at the 2008 USRowing Club National Championship. Additionally, Oleshansky placed eighth in the field of 200 when she competed in the 2008 C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints World Indoor Rowing Championships held in Boston, Massachusetts.
"I am fortunate to have had a great opportunity to work with some talented athletes over the years. Bryna is one of those athletes that all coaches hope to get to work with someday." Atomic Head Coach Allen Eubanks, "Bryna always sets aggressive goals for herself and has achieved them through hard work and a great work ethic. Being identified to compete and train at the national level is no small achievement in itself. However, I would have to say that her greatest attributes are the ability to have fun, very coach-able, a team player, a strong team leader and is focused on making the any crew that she is part of better."
Oleshansky's aspiration to make the US Junior Selection Team to aid the US squad to repeat the historic triple victory that US women's sweep rowing program achieved last year. The U.S. junior women's eight made history at the 2008 FISA World Rowing Junior Championships held in Austria, winning the first U.S. gold medal in the junior women's eight event in the history of the championships. The U.S. U-23 Women's Eight won gold in Germany, at the 2008 FISA World Rowing U-23 Championships. As well as for the first time since 1984 and the second time in Olympic rowing history, the U.S. Senior Women's Eight won the gold medal at the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing, China.
Emily Dayley, a 2006 graduate of Oak Ridge High School, was the last athlete from the Oak Ridge based rowing junior program to be chosen to attend the US Junior Selection Team. Afterward, Dayley received a full scholarship to row for The University of Texas. Oleshansky has received early recruiting attention from UCLA, University of Washington, UVA, and programs in the Boston area but as a junior has not been able take official visits thus far.