Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Women's Rowing Journal - Kathleen Janosco
4/9/2008 8:00:00 AM | Women's Rowing
April 9, 2008
Spirit. What is it? Dictionary.com defines it as a divine, inspiring, or animating being or influence. Coach Kish defines it as the "clear stuff" that comes off of the top of a flame. Trying to find a solidified definition led me to discover that spirit can only be defined on an individual basis. The definition of spirit encompasses one's experiences, hardships, and the people that have changed our lives. My definition of spirit lies deep within each member of the Bucknell Women's Rowing Team. Every member of the team, pushing each other to redefine her limits on and off the water. Although intangible, our spirit shines through every practice, every race, and within every rower.
The novice eight defines our spirit as a bonfire. With our racing tanks topped with bright orange, before each race we huddle in a circle and create a bonfire of energy and excitement and reflect on what "tools we have in our toolbox" that we can use to be victorious. Every stroke, every endurance lift, and every fast rower in our boat kindles our bonfire and makes it glow a little brighter each day. Unfortunately, last week, the stroke of our novice eight fell injured and lineups changed for the first time since racing season began. When Coach Dan moved me to stroke and added a new rower to four seat, it made us wonder if the glow of the bonfire we had worked so hard to create up to this point would fade. Me stroking? I hadn't stroked a boat since the fall of my senior year, and coming from a primarily sculling program, sweeping is somewhat new to me. With the help from our injured stroke cheering us on from shore, we were victorious in both of our races this past weekend against Georgetown, George Washington and Dayton, proving that our bonfire is still radiating.
To me, this is spirit. We stepped out of our comfort zone and into a new lineup and gave those other teams a run for their money. Modeling what Coach Kish once said, "If you don't do today, then you're a day behind what you could have done," we didn't let these dramatic changes get to us. If anything, it pushed us into realms we never thought possible. As we continue to extend that long push through the water and kindle the bonfire with every stroke, the best is only yet to come.
- Kathleen Janosco '11
