1. What inspired you to go to your first rowing practice; was there anything memorable about it?
I was inspired by the idea of meeting new people a the University and getting a good organized workout in. I had also discovered rowing coaches especially looked for tall, athletic enough women, so it seemed like it could be a good fit. My first rowing practices at UW are a bit of a blur for me now but I do still recall certain, rather specific things from my first days as a newbie rower. Things such as feeling very awkward in the short spandex, the rowing lingo being very unfamiliar... "Port, starboard, oarlock, feather, catch, weigh enough!"?…."?weigh what?"?. Also, I can recall how challenging it was in the beginning to hold an erg split at a certain stroke rate. I remember very clearly I was in the second row of ergs one practice and I could see the monitor of a girl who had rowed in high school in the front row. I was so impressed with how she was able to hold the same steady state split that entire workout, I even went up to her afterwards and told her how impressed I was.
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?
My sophomore year at UW, after my first fall on Varsity, I was making serious improvements on my erg scores and my rowing in small boats. I was now surrounded by experienced, older girls and given a much more intense training plan relative to my novice year. It seemed like all of sudden my learning curve was very steep and after our November 10k erg test, I realized I needed to raise my goals/expectations for myself as a rower. However it wasn't until after I made my first U-23 team in 2010, that I seriously thought about moving to Princeton after I graduated college and pursuing the idea of making the senior team.
3. Best race/practice, worst race/practice?
Starting with the worst race to date... Pac-10s 2011. The championships were held in Lake Natoma, like they are every year, but this year there was also thunder and lightning…andd it was happening while the women's varsity eights were warming up. What's the fastest way to get all the boats back to safety? To race them down the course…obviously. Well that is all good and fine except for the wind. We were 500m into the race and the entire field just got blasted with a WALL of wind. It was absolutely terrible and our boat did not handle it well. The race became survival rowing at race rate. I think I actually took an air stroke from six seat and I remember thinking at one point during the atrocity that this had to be a cruel joke on the officials part. Well turns out it wasn't a joke and it wasn't called off. Fortunately, my team made it through to NCAAs and I didn't have to finish my collegiate rowing career on such a sour note.
My "best"? race to date is still the women's pair final at NSR 2014. Kalmoe and I were a fairly new combination, as were most pairings, but we also came into the event with very little to no pressure or expectations on us. Although leading up to the racing, we had showed flickers of promise as a pair, it wasn't on a consistent basis, so in a sense we were sort of underdogs. We solidified our race rhythm just a bit more each preliminary race and built up confidence in each other. It was amazing. We had started to figure out how to execute...move on the field when we wanted to move, which as many rowers know, this isn't always the case. We went onto win the final, earning the opportunity to race together internationally that summer and so began the adventures of Kerry & Kalmoe.
4. Best/Anything you've done in the sport no one knows about?
My first ever rowing strokes were in a tub pair with my mom, Karyn, out in the very exposed Mission Bay the summer before college. I stroked, she bowed and we had a learn-to-row coach alongside. A lot was going on and yeah it was pretty awful. Glad only the three of us and some pleasure boats had to see that. And yes, it was a one time only thing.
5. Any/Most important advice for young rowers?
Stay in the moment the best you can. It is very easy to zone out during rowing and even easier during an erg workout, but try to stay present and have body awareness. This is key to making changes to your rowing and holding them. Having that ability makes you more coachable and ultimately, the better off you'll be.
DATE OF BIRTH: 4/3/89
HEIGHT: 6'0”
WEIGHT: 180
BEGAN ROWING: 2007, University of Washington
HOMETOWN: San Diego, Calif. Current Residence: Princeton, N.J.
HIGH SCHOOL: Torrey Pines High School
UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION: University of Washington, Biology, 2011
TRAINING LOCATION: Princeton, N.J.
CURRENT COACH: Tom Terhaar
CLUB AFFILIATIONS: USRowing Training Center – Princeton
National Teams: SENIOR: 2013-2015, UNDER 23: 2010-2011
International Results: Won gold in the eight at the 2015 World Rowing Championships...Won silver in the pair at the 2015 World Rowing Cup 2…Won silver in the pair at the 2014 World Rowing Championships...Won gold in the eight and silver in the pair at the 2014 World Rowing Cup II…Won gold in the eight at the 2013 World Rowing Championships...Won gold and set a world record (5:54.16) in the final in the eight at the 2013 World Rowing Cup 3...Finished fifth in the four at the 2011 World Rowing Under 23 Championships...Won gold in the eight at the 2010 World Rowing Under 23 Championships.
National Results: Finished fourth in the pair at the 2016 National Selection Regatta 1...Finished second in the pair at the 2015 National Selection Regatta 1...Won the pair at the 2014 National Selection Regatta 1.
Personal: Kerry enjoys basketball, making/editing home videos and finding new music…She started rowing to try something new and as a way to stay fit…Kerry lists her parents as the most influential people in her sporting career.
Comments | Log in to comment |
There are no Comments yet
|
row2k's Olympics coverage is brought to you by:
row2k's Olympics coverage is brought to you by: