Jenny Casson graduated from Tulsa in 2017 and is currently set to stroke the Canadian LW2x at the Tokyo Olympic Games. Read our interview with Jenny from 2017 here.
1. What inspired you to go to your first rowing practice; was there anything memorable about it?
I was introduced to rowing through my brother. Although I was an avid runner at the time, puberty hit me like a train and the combination of additional weight and increased training soon halted my ability to be a competitive runner. My (soon to be) high school coach Brad Brennan is the one I credit my excitement to row with. He coaxed me into joining the team, despite the off-putting early hours of the morning. As far as I was concerned, it was awful and I hated it. As a novice, the coach that was assigned to our group couldn't have cared less about us, rolling his eyes at the sweatpants we would wear in the boat at practice. That annoyed me and I wanted to prove him wrong for doubting us newbies.
Thus began the first of many instances in which I put all my energy towards proving someone who said I can't, that I can. Healthy or not, I credit this emotional reaction to doubt, as the fuel to my fire. My shocking ability to personally hold on and be motivated by being dismissed or told I can't, or I won't, has served me pretty well thus far. It is a lethal combination when you have an environment you enjoy paired with the opportunity to be a competitor and constantly improve yourself. Thank goodness for those who just say the wrong thing at the right time.
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?
Absolutely not. To this day I am still not convinced I am not "not too bad" at rowing. I love the sport and I love racing. The thrill of the boat surging beside you and reaching your physical limits is what, for me, has developed into a love for the sport. More than that, the bond you create with your teammate is one that has made this Olympic pursuit worthwhile. If it were not for my relationship with Jill, having training partners like Hillary and Caileigh, and my role model Carling Zeeman, I would have quit (more likely been cut, for that matter) many trials ago.
Rowing has brought more into my life than anything else I have been a part of. It is a small little world, this rowing universe, but I love it. I get to develop personal connections with like minded people and line up beside the best in the world. Having been all around the world, each and every course and training centre has yielded different positive experiences. That all being said though, Head of The Charles is where it is AT. Also, I remain convinced that Lucerne is not a real place.
3. Best race/practice, worst race/practice?
Worst Practice: 24k slog fest in a winter hail, wind, and rain storm, mid February, getting splashed in 2 seat of a quad after a 2k erg test that had gone horribly. I am pretty sure everyone who trained this quad remembers that horrible winter.
Best Race: Olympic qualification, world championships 2019. You never know how badly you need to lose until you lose. That 8th place instead of 7th place was the best thing to happen to us. No matter the results in Tokyo, that 8th place finish got me through quarantine and an extra year of training, and I owe it everything. Does it still hurt to think about? Absolutely...but my goodness, the fire it lit.
4. Best/Anything you've done in the sport no one knows about?
I trained with the heavyweight sculling in the winter of 2019 because I gained too much weight to be able to train/fit in the lightweight boats. I do believe there was a point where there were few (myself included) who thought I would see the days of lightweight rowing again. That was fun. Luckily, I had some very talented nutritionists who saved the day! #bulkingseason
5. Any/Most important advice for young rowers?
Yes, love the sport and then work hard. I firmly believe you don't have to aim to be the best, you have to aim to be your best. If you set your standards high enough, you will end up where you are meant to end up. So long as you stay honest to yourself, confident in yourselves, and never stop learning. The more you think you know, the less you know. Learn from the good and the bad you see from your team-mates, competitors and coaches and you will continue to grow as an athlete. It is okay to fail, so long as you learn from it. Never let a failure pass you by without letting it teach you a lesson. Also; the creation of Winter Erg Session playlists is an art, if nothing else, perfect this art.
Hometown: Kingston, ON
Club Affiliation: Kingston Rowing Club
Date of Birth: August 25, 1995
Height: 5'9"
High School: Kingston Collegiate and Vocational Institute
Education: University of Tulsa, 2017
Current Coach: Phil Marshall
National Teams: Six - Under 23, 2016, 2017; Senior 2017, 2018, 2019; Olympic, 2020
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