1. What inspired you to go to your first rowing practice; was there anything memorable about it?
I was inspired to go to my first rowing practice because I wanted to give something new a try. I was approached by the rowing coach at St. Lawrence as I was walking through the coaches offices to go talk with the basketball coach. He asked me if I had ever rowed and I replied, "what's rowing"? He convinced me to come to practice and give it a shot.
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?
I don't think there is one specific time I fell in love with the sport, it is an on going thing for me. When you have a great practice or a race where everyone in the boat clicks those are times I fall in love with what I am doing and can't imagine not doing it.
3. Best race/practice, worst race/practice?
One of my most memorable races was my freshman year at St. Lawrence. It was one of our first races of the "spring" and we were out on the St. Lawrence river and it was freezing. Literally. I remember looking at my rigger and watching the icicles build up on the back stay, and feeling the shirt I was wearing become stiff because the water from the back splash was freezing on my shirt. Trouble undoing your oar lock? Please, try having trouble feathering your blade because there is too much ice frozen on the shaft.
One of my more memorable positive experiences was racing in the 8+ at Henley last year. The atmosphere is amazing; people line the entire course, boats are moored everywhere, there are people swimming and sitting on the booms, its like a circus. Plus we set the course record, that was nice too!
4. Best/Anything you've done in the sport no one knows about?
My favorite color is pink. I LOVE all things pink. Its not unusual to see me at practice wearing multiple articles of pink clothing in multiple shades, and of course, my pink sunglasses. When I race I have to wear pink socks, a pink sports bra, a pink hair tie, and my pink sunglasses. If all of those things are accounted for, I'm good to go. At practice one day Tom declared I couldn't use the pink handled Croker oars anymore because the grip was too small, I was borderline devastated but managed to work through it.
5. Any/Most important advice for young rowers?
My advice for young rowers and young athletes in general, is never allow someone to tell you that it can't be done. If you want to do it, go after it with everything you have. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, if you want it and are willing to put the work in, it can be done. Dream bigger.
Birthplace: Naples, N.Y.
Hometown: Naples, N.Y.
Current Residence: Princeton, N.J.
Club Affiliation: USRowing Training Center - Princeton
Began Rowing: St. Lawrence University, 2001
Date of Birth: 2/5/83
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 175
High School: Canandaigua Academy, Canandaigua, N.Y.
Undergraduate Education: Ithaca College, B.S. Psychology, 2005
Current Coaches: Tom Terhaar
Years on National Team: Three – 2010-12, Senior
International Results: Won gold and set a world record (5:54.17) in the heat in the eight at the 2012 Samsung World Rowing Cup II...Won gold in the eight at the 2011 World Rowing Championships...Finished fourth in the pair at the 2011 Rowing World Cup stop in Lucerne...Won the Remenham Challenge Cup and set the course record at the 2011 Henley Royal Regatta...Took silver in the pair at the 2011 Rowing World Cup stop in Munich...Won gold in the eight at the 2010 World Rowing Championships...Won gold in the eight and silver in the pair at the 2010 Rowing World Cup stop in Lucerne.
National Results: Finished fourth in the pair at the 2012 National Selection Regatta #1...Won the pair at the 2011 National Selection Regatta #2...Won the pair at the 2010 National Selection Regatta #3…Finished third in the pair at the 2010 National Selection Regatta #2…Finished fourth in the pair at the 2010 National Selection Regatta #1.
Personal: Meghan enjoys baking, reading, shopping, and listening to music…She was a 2005 First-Team DIII All-American…Meghan lists her parents as the most influential people in her rowing career for their unconditional support in everything she does…After her rowing career, Meghan plans on attending nursing school to become a nurse practitioner.
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