Women's Rowing Journal - Whittney Henry
6/7/2007 8:00:00 AM | Women's Rowing
June 7, 2007
What do you say when you win a national championship? Honestly, there are no words. You really don't need them because the smile says it all. It is that genuine smile that stretches from ear to ear as you try and catch your breath that shows the world what you are feeling. It is that smile that forms on the inside in the last couple strokes when you know that no matter what anyone tries to do, they won't catch you. Being speechless is what makes it great and it is that smile that I will always remember.
You would think after seven years of competitive racing that I wouldn't be nervous before a race. Well I tell you what, those butterflies were certainly flying. I remember thinking to myself, "As soon as the race starts, it will be ok." I guess part of the reason it was so nerve-racking was because there were no expectations. Last year, our boat had been together all of the spring season. We had an idea of how fast we were, what kind of times we could get, and how our boat would respond when racing. This year was a bit different. We came together as 10 girls from separate boats within our program ranging from the frosh eight all the way through to the first varsity eight. We were a unique group and each of us had something different to offer and contribute. As the training progressed, we continued to make improvements and gain speed. However, coming into IRAs, we had no idea how we would compare to the other teams. And because I had no idea what to expect, it made me nervous.
When I think about the race, the first thing my mind goes to is the polling of the crews at the start. "Georgetown...Wisconsin...Bucknell...Radcliffe...Princeton...Stanford..." Hearing Bucknell amongst all of these crews gave me goose bumps. I remember being so excited that I had the opportunity to race against these prestigious crews knowing that I was competitive enough to belong there with them. Hearing the name of my school being called amongst Ivy leagues was something I always dreamt about in high school. I was actually living it.
On June 2, 2007, Bucknell made history, however we were not the only ones to leave our mark. Each and every one of the 12 lightweight rowing programs created an opportunity for others to experience in the future whether they were the first to pave the way or they continued to add to the steps of their predecessors. Adding to this opportunity makes me proud and makes winning even sweeter.
If you hadn't heard of us before, you have now! Go Bison!
- Whittney Henry '09