1. What inspired you to go to your first rowing practice; was there anything memorable about it?
Honestly, my best friends tricked me and I'm so glad they did. In my last year of high school I was trying to build up my fitness to help step up my game and hopefully get a basketball scholarship to the states. My friends said I should come to their winter training practices in the morning. I fell in love with the work ethic instantly. Rowing is quite different than basketball. What drew me in right away was that every practice was about how far I could push myself. So I kept that mentality, trying to push myself farther and farther until 5 years later I had somehow pushed myself into an Olympic medal.
2. Was there a practice, race or other event when you fell in love with the sport, or when you knew you might not be too bad at rowing? When you thought you could make the national team?
It really was love at first try for me. Never before had I felt so strongly about doing something as I did while rowing. I HAD to row. I couldn't not. The feeling you get in a pair when you're perfectly matched to the person in front of you is exhilarating and addictive. You and your partner become one force propelling the hull through the water. It's absolute magic. Though I've mostly competed internationally in the 8+(an event which had its own special powerful appeal), my pair rows and races stay the closest to my heart for this reason. It's a beautiful undertaking to try to go as fast as possible with just one other person. They have their side... I have mine... and with the trust that we'll both be there for each other we reach out and drive the boat. Just talking about it kind of makes me wish I were rowing a pair right now!
3. Best/Anything you've done in the sport no one knows about?
There's a rowing drill my pair partner Susanne Grainger and I made up and mastered called "the tap drill". On the recovery--after you've rocked over--you take your inside hand off the oar and tap the gunwale, the oarlock, your inside shoulder then square up and take the catch. We started doing it to teach us to have a loose grip with our inside hands on the recovery but it helped us find good ratio as well! See if you can do it too!
4. Any/Most important advice for young rowers?
No matter what position you're in on the race course, race with the intensity like you're a length behind and the confidence like you're a length in front. Be ferociously graceful and you'll always go fast.
Also, just because someone has said that you have talent doesn't mean you can stop working hard. If anything it means you should be working harder! Never stop pushing yourself. Never stop asking questions. No matter what you've achieved there is always more to learn
Date Of Birth: June 5, 1989
Coach: John Keogh
Height: 178 cm
Weight: 75 kg
Hometown: Thorold, On
Current Club: St. Catharines Rowing Club
Favourite professional sports team: Toronto Raptors
Biggest Fan: My Dad
Message to someone considering rowing: Why not? You'll get out of it what you put in.
Favourite inspirational quote: "Potential means you haven't done anything yet" Al Morrow
Year first rowed: 2007
First Rowed at: Denis Morris Secondary School
First Coach: Ron (Swede) Burak and Kathy Boyse
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