Women's Rowing Journal - Christine Drasba
3/23/2007 8:00:00 AM | Women's Rowing
March 23, 2007
As I look around me at the Elberton boathouse, the Bucknell trailer, and Lake Russell, I can't avoid the little grin that sneaks into the corners of my mouth. Although the aim of this trip is to focus on training our bodies and minds for the upcoming racing season, I can't help but reflect on my first mid-March excursion to Georgia four years ago. Having no idea what to expect out of the training trip or spring racing, I was all nerves and excitement, desperately hoping not to make too many mistakes. I am amazed to realize exactly how far Bucknell Rowing as a program, and I, as a rower, have come since then.
This year, we arrived in Elberton and hit the ground running, jumping into 3-a-day practices and taking full advantage of the strokes that we hadn't been able to take at home on the frozen Susquehanna. In this familiar setting, the usual preseason excitement quickly sweeps through the team. However, this year, my excitement is accompanied by a strong sense of urgency. This is my final time around. Bucknell Rowing is destined for big things- we are young, deep, driven, and gaining momentum. Our program is on the brink of something incredible- it seems that each season we are able to achieve what we dared not even dream of the year before. I want to see how far we can go THIS year.
In the seven weeks that are about to unfold, this team will be presented with more opportunities than any Bucknell crew has ever had before. We will be racing against an entirely new tier of opponents, and will have a chance to show some of the top crews in the nation what Bucknell Rowing is all about. Now is the time to put in the work. The triumphs of last year's team, while hard-fought and well deserved, cannot yield way to complacency. We must always remember the fire that brought us to where we are today, and work with the hungry resolve of an underdog. We cannot afford to let a practice, a drill, or a stroke go by that does not improve our technique and our speed. We owe it to ourselves, as well as our formidable opponents, to challenge our expectations and row up. In order to compete and succeed at this new level, we must be willing to train smart, trust each other, and take some pretty big risks. This year, in every boat, in every race, we are going to redefine our speed and leave our mark on Bucknell Rowing history.
Elberton is the perfect location to prepare for the next seven weeks; we can sharpen our focus, bond with our teammates, and take a deep breath before we head back to campus and are flung into full throttle race mode. Before the racing starts, we have a chance to fully appreciate all of the opportunities for greatness that lay ahead of us. Now is the time to put in the work- to ensure that we make the most of each opportunity and to prepare for a season that will leave us grinning for years to come.
- Christine Drasba '06 G'08