Bucknell University Athletics
Women's Rowing Journal - Anna Johnson
10/12/2007 8:00:00 AM | Women's Rowing
Oct. 12, 2007
As soon as I sit in a boat I transform into a different person. No longer am I the girl who has to study for that upcoming bio test, or that person who is trying to plan what they will do after dinner; on the water I mean business. Rowing is a sport where the mental aspect equals the physical. In high school I rowed in eights so I was just a part that added to the whole in making a fast boat. I pushed for my teammates, I pushed for my eight, I pushed for Exeter. This fall, I am no longer rowing in high school, no longer in eights, but I am a collegiate rower at Bucknell rowing in singles. Rowing in singles is not an easy task. The boats are extremely hard to set up and at any moment the wrong movement could cause you to go swimming. This is the generic problem most people face when switching to a single. However my experience in singles has been quite different.
Before arriving at Bucknell I had rowed in a single quite a bit. I never raced in singles but I was able to paddle around for fun occasionally. I wasn't afraid of tipping because I was used to sailing and capsizing on purpose, I knew that tipping wouldn't kill me, and I knew I could easily get back in the boat. For the first week at Bucknell I didn't want to tip because I didn't want to show weakness. If I tipped I was going to be the freshman that couldn't row and I didn't want to be that girl. I was cautious at the catch, but was able to push hard to make up for it. Shortly thereafter I came to realize that if I was going to be able to row well I had to stop worrying about tipping. During the second week of rowing as I was doing a drill at the catch, a wave rolled through my boat. I completely flipped over and my body dangled upside down under the boat. A sense of ease came over my body as I laughed underwater and remained suspended. It was great to cool off on that 90-degree day. I released my feet and putting my hands on the gunwales, I flipped my boat over and climbed aboard. Flipping was a major hurdle that I had to go over in order for me to focus on the "now" and not the "if".
Rowing in a single has proven to be more of a mental challenge than rowing in eights. Every day in practice I am constantly trying to become a better rower by improving my stroke. I take the drills seriously because I know that they will help me in the long run. I have to be my own coxswain because there is no other option in the single. The idea of "quiet confidence" plays a large role in my single rowing. If I am down by three lengths I won't give up because I am confident that I will make up the lost time. This idea played a large role in my eights rowing, but has been strengthened and tested in singles. In practice I push myself to see what I can do. Even though I don't have anyone in my boat to push for I still push for my teammates in practice. I want them to know that I will lay it on the line for them.
- Anna Johnson '11
