What makes a winner on one day but a loser the next? What makes a consistent winner over time? And what truly defines a champion? It's something that you can't help but think when you see sporting moments performed by great athletes. I'm very intrigued by the concept of excellence and what different approaches athletes take to achieve that...The most recent athletes that come to mind for me are Tiger Woods, Annika Sorenstam, Roger Federer, Michael Jordan, Diana Taurasi, Zinedine Zidane, and either Tom Brady this year or Peyton Mannign last year. How can we translate their approaches to a sport as complex and team-oriented as rowing? Part of what makes rowing so much fun is that you have to mix personalities, ambitions, and work ethics into something cohesive and exciting...I'm not sure you could have just one type of athlete in a shell and have it go fast.
However, I definitely urge you to keep an open mind about HOW you approach your personal fitness, your teammates, and then how you interact with your teammates in a rowing setting. Are you reacting instantaneously out of habits you learned in high school or are your actions born of clarity of purpose and thoughtfulness...can you recognize those special moments when your aggression can flow? You might not know right now...but I think it's an incredibly fun path to travel as we get to mess around in boats with our friends.
19 days until the launch of the spring season
