• To see the entire USRowing events calendar, click here.
• To read more about National Team selection procedures, click here.
• To donate to the Potomac River Sports Foundation (PRSF), the organization that helps support the National Team goals of our Open Scullers, click here.
• Follow tweets of our Open Scullers’ results and progress on USRowing or Potomac Star Twitter accounts!

Matt Madigan: Leading to London

Those big smiles say it all (... along with the medals).

To donate to help our PBC U.S. National Team members, as well as our National Team hopefuls, get even closer to realizing their dreams, please click HERE.

* * *

Dear Friends, Family, Potomac Boat Club, Potomac Boat Club Supporters, Potomac River Sports Foundation and Supporters:

During the course of the past year, since Margot Shumway and Sarah Trowbridge began their journey in the Women’s Double Sculls, I have stated that, “It takes a village.”  This Village enabled Sarah and Margot to win the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta this weekend, earning them a spot on the 2012 Olympic Team. There are a lot of people to whom we cannot say enough Thank Yous. I must start by thanking my wife, Katie, who enables me everyday to “Live the Dream,” while she executes and grows her career in education and takes care of our three wonderful boys.

The PBC team has made the difference in our season, a season that has been full of hard work and overcoming challenges, and a season that began with the PBC Open Sculling Program.  I would like to thank Reilly Dampeer, who strengthens the tradition of strong coaches of the Open Scullers, creating the structure of the program, fundraising with the Rising Stars Dinner, and helping Margot, Trow, and all athletes through her coaching knowledge and perspective.  I would like to thank Jim O’Conner for his continual support of both me in the launch, and the girls in the boat, along with the entire PBC Open Scullers Squad for competitive and moral encouragement.  Sean Gorman gets a special shout out for being the “rabbit” as long as his body could hold out, and through his support at GeoIQ, our employer and where Margot and Trow have both been previously employed.

I would like to thank The Potomac River Sports Foundation, with the leadership of Paul Knight and Eric Meyers, who have provided financial support of our training and qualification process not only now but for years going back.  Also, The PBC Board and the leadership of Bob Price and Ed Ryan, who continue to support the structure of the program, the boathouse, our fine fleet and infrastructure.

To the supporters who have financially contributed to our efforts for the squad travels to West Coast Trials/Training, and International efforts and have continued to write the checks that have come in long after the Rising Stars Dinner, we give a special thank you.  And to the club as a whole, whose daily encouragement and support on the good mornings and tough mornings makes a difference to all of us.

Thank you!

Margot Shumway (b) and Sarah Trowbridge (s) celebrate the qualification for the 2012 Olympic Games in the women's double sculls Final A at the 2012 Final Olympic Qualification Regatta in Lucerne, Switzerland.

So, the story…

We are all PBC athletes and coaches.  Margot started rowing at the club in 2005, and was in and out of the National Team Camp.  Sarah began in 2005, making her first team in 2007.  Reilly joined in 2007, transitioned to coaching in 2008, and took over the program in the summer of 2010.  And I started in 2001.  Each of us developed as athletes and/or coaches at PBC.

After Margot’s win at the Pan Am games in 2011, the discussion went back and forth between the single and the double for months.  When Sarah (Trow) came back from Princeton in January 2012, we knew we could have a dynamic and winning combination.  After some bumps in the road, injuries, and sickness, we got back, but on a still slightly unsteady track, and it was not enough to win the Non-Qualified Olympic Trials at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista in early April.

Trow and Margot’s W2x placed third in their final, which only let one boat to head to the Final Qualification in Switzerland.  For about one hour and 45 min, we all thought that our season was over, until someone from the USRowing staff asked if Margot and Trow were around.  I said no and asked why, to which they replied that they may want to come back because the first two boats were declining.  Incredulous, I clarified a few times just to make sure, and then called the girls, who also could not believe it.

It turns out, the athletes who beat them were Olympians and US team members, a couple of whom won silver in the Women’s Quad the year before at World’s and wanted the opportunity to compete in the already qualified Quad that continues to have a real shot at a medal.  This left the non-qualified double to us.  The girls accepted, and shocked and dazed we headed off to discuss the next step over beer and bacon cheeseburgers.

It is so rare at this level that you get a second opportunity of this magnitude, we knew we had been handed a lifeline  As a group,we committed to taking advantage of this long shot and working towards improving times and getting more race ready and fit.  Between now and Switzerland, we would let no other challenges get in the way of our goal.

I have never seen athletes with such motivation and single-mindedness to succeed. The determination, commitment, attitude and a focus on increasing speed overruled fatigue and any complaints.  Times got better with PR’s in San Diego, DC and once in Lucerne, during race prep.  After four weeks of hard three-a-day workouts between Potomac, Occoquan and back out to the Training Center in Chula Vista, we headed over to Lucerne ten days ago.

Leading into the heats, there were nerves, probably more mine than Margot’s or Trow’s, but the confidence that we all had in the progress and training was evident in loose pre-race meetings and discussions.  In their first race, the heat, the girls executed their plan.  They blasted the first 1000m to a five-second lead and raced smart the rest of the way down the course, increasing speed only when the three boats, Spain, Finland and Denmark, all sprinted.  In the other heat, the Dutch and the Greeks were three seconds and one second faster than us respectively, and we knew we had our work cut-out to come out in the top two in the six boat final.

PBC Athletes Margot Shumway and Sarah Trowbridge share a moment with Coach Matt Madigan following their win in Lucerne, qualifying them for the 2012 Olympics in London.

In the 48 hours before the final we kept up our same routine we had established and the looseness was still there.  In the pre-race talk the day before, Margot even mentioned that if we won, we would be the first US Rowers named to the Olympic Team.   Margot and Trow arrived on race day with the same determination we had seen in the four-week lead up.  There were no doubts when they launched that they were ready and focused to execute.  They did.  They rowed an extremely solid race that never wavered.  They gained a lead in the first 500, extended in 2^nd 500, continued through the third and increased speed when the Netherlands, Spain and Italy  pushed.  All leading to the Margot Roar and Trow in disbelief of what had just happened.  It is a great and satisfying feeling to see your crew on the awards dock being announced as the Olympic Qualifiers for London.

Additionally, yesterday, U.S. team spirit kicked in again right after our race in the double, when the light men’s four, coached by Bryan Volpenhein, Sarah’s boyfriend, came down in an awesome race, ripping the lead from two other boats to qualify.  Finally, the men’s eight, led by Mike Teti, and having to qualify for the first time in history, came down the course to ensure that a men’s eight will represent the U.S., as one has in every modern Olympics where rowing has been competed.  A great dinner overlooking Lucerne with all of the qualifying boats, coaches and sponsored by Gary Rogers, and attended by several National Rowing Foundation members, created a celebratory evening.

Although this is a great day in a long season, it is just one day, and the goal is still to carry the fire forward to London.  As we sit on the plane headed home, we are contemplative and in planning mode for the next steps needed to be successful.  We will continue this journey with a nothing to lose attitude and the determination and commitment that it will take.  No doubt it will continue to take the support of our Potomac Village to lead us to the Olympic Village.

Other stars of our Potomac Team include Reilly’s boat of Willy and Whelpley, who did extremely well at the Non-Qualified regatta having one of the best races we have seen from a Potomac Boat.  PBC’er Sam Stitt and partner Warren Anderson were aggressively pressed the whole way down the course and held-off Willy and Whelpley’s efforts.  There was contemplation that Sam and Warren would stay in the priority and qualified Quad, which would open the Double to Reilly, but they decided to race in Lucerne and are racing sometime during this flight. Long-time PBC coach Cam Kiosoglous is leading their efforts and we wish them the best of luck.

PBC impresses the field in Chula Vista

Morgan Wimberley and Hilary Cumbest sit ready. Note the Zen-like focus on Morgan's face when boyfriend Michael Malone is kept at a safe 3000 mile distance.

PBC Open Scullers compete for slots on the Olympic Team at Trials

By: Michael Malone (with a little help from Morgan Constantine Wimberley)

Starting in December, several members of the OS team temporarily relocated to Long Beach, California, to prepare for the US Olympic selection regattas.  Joined by head coach Reilly Dampeer in early February, the team wanted to avoid weather associated issues of the Potomac that might interrupt their training effort.  Without the threat of flooding, ice, a deep freeze, and let’s be honest, their awesome boyfriends or girlfriends to distract them, the focus could be on one thing: rowing fast.

As the name implies, the first selection regatta was the National Selection Regatta I, held around mid-March. This event was the first step in selection of the Men’s 1x, among other events, for London. Two PBC rowers competed. In the red corner, the young upstart, 2011 Head of the Potomac M1x Champion, and aggressive blinker, Willy “Willy” Cowles.  In the blue corner, PBC Open Sculler emeritus, veteran 7-time National Team member, 1-time Olympian, and World Cup gold medalist, rowing for the U.S. Training Center, Samuel “Sam” Thornton Stitt.

Willy Cowles and Stephen Whelpley proved to be among the best of the best at trials.

Both Willy and Sam advanced out of the time trial – Willy comfortably in 6th, Sam just barely making it into the top 18 by 12 hundredths of a second.  Sam managed to find some speed during the regatta, and both advanced to the A-Final.  In that race, Sam finished third and Willy finished sixth after catching debris on his skeg.  The winner of the M1x race was the unaffiliated Ken Jurkowski, who qualified for the event in London at the 2011 World Championships.  Second place went to U.S. Training Center’s Warren Anderson.

The main goal of the OS team’s temporary relocation to California, though, was to compete for the Men’s and Women’s 2x bids at the second selection event, the informatively named Non-Qualified Olympic Trials and Paralympic Trials, held at the beginning of April.  Five boats wearing Potomac Boat Club colors raced, and the club’s results were very strong.

The highlight of the regatta was the Men’s 2x race. In the A-Final, Willy and Sam faced off once more: Sam rowing with Warren Anderson for the U.S. Training Center, and PBC’s Willy Cowles rowing with Penn AC’s Stephen Whelpley in a composite entry.  It was the battle of the S&Ws.  In what was the most exciting race of the day, both S&Ws jumped out ahead of the competition. While Sam and Warren were clearly favored to win the race, the other S&W matched them for over 1000 meters, even appearing to trade the lead a few times.

With open water separating the S&Ws from the third and fourth place boats, Sam and Warren made an impressive move in the third 500, pulling away from a fading S&W. While Steve and Willy finished second (6:22) to S&W (6:17), these were some seriously fast times. The result means that PBC’s Sam Stitt will (almost certainly) be on the 2012 USA Olympic Team. And while Steve and Willy did not earn the right to row the 2x, they embarrassed the other US Training Center boats, none of which even made the A-Final, and established themselves as two of the top elite scullers in the US.

The Women’s 2x had the best outcome for a PBC boat. Our top boat consisted of 5-time National Team member, Pan American Games W1x Champion, and occasional princess, Margot “!” Shumway; and 4-time National Team member, 5-time medalist in international competition, and succulent enthusiast, Sarah “nickname redacted” Trowbridge.  This boat demonstrated that you can train in DC (without having to leave your boyfriend for three months) and be fast, but found that the lack of competitive head-to-head pieces in practice worked against them.  While they advanced to the A-Final, Margot and Sarah were outmatched by the two US Training Center boats that finished first and second. However, those two boats declined the opportunity to compete in the W2x, which means Margot and Sarah have a second chance to make the team. With new found motivation, this dynamic duo will go to Lucerne, Switzerland to compete in the Regatta of Death, or the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta by those who dare not speak its official name. If they finish in the top two spots in Lucerne (May 20-23), WHICH THEY WILL DO, the Olympic slot will belong to them.

Our Katie Stainken and former Open Sculling teammate Mae Joyce Gay in Long Beach

Also competing in the NQOTPT was Katherine “Katie (the ‘i’ is dotted with a heart)” Stainken, who rowed with former OS member May Joyce “MJ, if you’re reading this get your single out of the aqueduct” Gay. MJ and Katie made it into the A-final, where they finished fourth.  This was uncomfortably close for Margot and Sarah, but impressively close to anyone else.  Major Minnesota Vikings fan and PBC’er Joe Ledvina rowed in the M2x with Union Boat Club member Nick Baker, where they finished 2nd in the C Final, just behind Boat Race winner Deaglan McEachern. Finally, PBC’s own Morgan Wimberley rowed the W2x with Hillary Cumbest, also rowing for PBC and replacing Morgan’s previous partner just before the regatta. They finished a frustrated 6th, and I better not say how many boats were in the event if I expect Morgan to still talk to me.

Finally, I’d like to add that while in Long Beach, OS team members were guests of various host families and rowed out of Long Beach Rowing Association.  The generosity of the LBRA is much appreciated by PBC and should remind us all of how supportive the rowing community truly is.

Rowing with pride and gratitude

Stephen Whelpley (bow) training with Willy Cowles for trials in Chula Vista earlier this month.

It’s so rare that people take the time these days to show their gratitude, much less send a thank you note.  Stephen Whelpley took time out of the insane demands of a U.S. National Team Quad Camp training schedule to write the following note of thanks to the PBC Board.  That’s practically an Olympic feat itself.

Steve thanks the club, but as you read on, you will see all of the thanks appropriately go to Coach Reilly Dampeer.  Reilly’s scullers train hard and row to win, but at the end of the day, just like her, they truly represent the best of our club and the best of our sport … win or lose.

Steve, we are unbelievably proud of all of our athletes, and yes, we are proud of you and Willy.  Some have said your race was the best race they had ever seen.  Ever.

And yes, when you chose to row with Willy, you chose us, too, and like it or not you’re part of the PBC family now.  This means yet another young nubile energetic person will allow us to sit back here in DC, whether at home or in our offices, and live vicariously through you and your relentless pursuit of excellence in the sport we all love.

For that, we thank you.  The best is yet to come.

* * *

Dear PBC Board,

My name is Stephen Whelpley, and I spent the majority of the majority of this rowing year as Willy Cowles doubles partner.  Considering my current situation in quad camp out in Chula Vista, I ask you not to judge the magnitude of my message by the brevity of its delivery.

There are a lot of things that could be said and a back story that could be illustrated.  I will simply say that I have been training full-time for over 7 years now since graduating from college, primarily for Penn AC in Philadelphia.  This very well could be the culmination of my “serious” rowing career.  Rather than accept my original invitation to go to quad camp, I knew pursuing the Men’s Heavyweight double was what I wanted to do for numerous reasons.  After some back and forth emailing, Willy and I came to an agreement to pursue it together.  To some degree, I knew that in choosing Willy, I was also choosing PBC.  And at the time, due to various logistical reasons, it made more sense for me to do that than for Willy to choose Penn AC.  What I did not know at the time, though, was the degree to which this would shape and ultimately help me in my pursuit of my Olympic goal.

The pupil becomes the teacher. It wasn't so long ago US rowing team members (L-R) Julie Nichols, Margaret Matia, Sarah Trowbridge and Reilly Dampeer celebrated a Women's Quadruple Sculls silver medal at the XV Pan Am Games 2007 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo credit MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images)

I first want to thank Potomac Boat Club for its impeccable support of us and our pursuit to represent the U.S. in the Men’s Heavyweight double.  The rowing community is small, and there are countless stories of its “brotherhood.” Nonetheless, for a club to support such an effort that so closely benefited a non-club member as much as its own member was extremely benevolent and generous.  I also admired the way that the club and its athletes (both those with whom I trained with in the sculling group, as well as all those I came across from other groups, as well) carried themselves on a day-to-day basis.  There is a familial quality to everything you do that is quite welcoming and healthy. Considering the amount of resources that are required to compete at an international level in this day and age, it is not an easy thing to stay competitive.  However, I feel that PBC helped make it possible through both actual resources and the intangibles of the institution.

I also wanted to take a moment to give what is certain to be insufficient praise of Coach Reilly Dampeer.  I have rowed for a total of 14 years now.  During that time, I have come into contact with countless coaches and have been coached directly by over a dozen coaches.  Some of them were already considered legends of rowing – Ted Nash, Kris Korzeniowski, McLaren, and so on – and others will be soon.  I think Reilly’s efforts this year would have been up there with any of them.

Coach Reilly Dampeer watches her athletes make it through an erg piece way better than her finger nails.

Despite the outcome, I have absolutely no regrets about this year.  We trained hard.  We executed our race.  We went fast.  If I could do it all over again, I would select Reilly as my coach every time.  Sure, she is a relatively young coach, but she makes up for this tenfold with her dedication, willingness to learn, and intense work ethic.  Aside from her direct coaching of our boat, she successfully managed an entire training group in a foreign location, managed the psyches of many different athletes, and flawlessly prepped both young and older athletes for an extremely important race.  It is easy to see the physical resources we need like boats, video review equipment, ergs, and facilities, and clubs obviously need to maintain those resources as well as they can.  However, the importance of a good coach should never be underestimated as a resource, and I feel that Reilly proved to be an invaluable resource to us.

I really saw myself going to the Olympics this year in the Men’s Heavyweight Double.  I have gone to trials and national selection regattas for plenty of years now, and even when I thought I was good enough, I never could picture outcomes as vividly and confidently as I could this year.  I’m sure you know what a respectable time and race we rowed by now and how competitive our event turned out to be when you look at our final’s times against the World Record.

While I wish we could have brought pride to PBC, my family, myself, Reilly, Willy, and many others with a trip to the Olympic Qualification Regatta in Lucerne and ultimately a formidable club-made boat in the 2012 Olympics, I am still extremely proud of our endeavor and hope that PBC is as well.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Steve

This week! PBC at the NSR II and Non-Qualified Olympic Small Boat Trials

Heat sheets and results (available April 9, 2012, after Athletes Meeting)

Katie Stainken trains for trials this week in California.

The U.S. Non-Qualified Olympic Small Boat Trials take place this week in Chula Vista, California.  A select few of our Open Sculling Program athletes have been preparing for this event in Long Beach since January.  Training has been tough, but every day our athletes have shown dedication and progress towards meeting their goals.

Willy Cowles training to win the Men's Double Sculls.

Competing in trials will be the toughest challenge many of these athletes have faced.  But winning here means overcoming just one more hurdle to representing the United States at the Olympic Games in London.

This week’s winners of the men’s double sculls and women’s double sculls trials earn the chance to race at the Lucerne Qualification Regatta in May.

Open Sculling Program head coach Reilly Dampeer says, “I am confident in the hard work our athletes have put in, which of course started years ago.  We can look forward to aggressive racing this week.”

Go get ‘em, PBC!

Kevin Baum lookin’ sharp in Oxford Blue

PBC's Kevin Baum, third from left, to race for Oxford

Okay, so maybe we’ll let him wear blue instead of red this one time.

PBC’s own Kevin Baum has been chosen to row for Oxford University in The Boat Race on April 7, 2012.  Kevin is one of two Americans who join an international crew from England, Germany, and the Netherlands to battle Cambridge during the 158th running of this historic competition.

Kevin previously rowed for the St. Albans School, Stanford University and has been a member of the PBC Open Sculling Program since 2008.  He is also the son of Senior Member George Baum.

PBC Open Sculling Program Coach Reilly Dampeer says of Kevin, “Kevin is a relentless competitor and exemplary member of the PBC team … and gives us a great reason to cheer for Oxford this year!”

(Causing certain members of PBC to ask, “Did we need another reason?”)

Click here for a story that includes a brief sound byte from Kevin.  For more information about The Boat Race, please visit http://www.theboatrace.org/.

Good luck, Kevin!  Your PBC family will be cheering you on from here!

Social Committee … Do we smell another happy hour?! (Or do we just smell the keg o’ rater?)

Open Sculling 2012 Preview

Katie Stainken at the 2011 National Selection Regatta

After a successful 2011, it looks like our Open Sculling Program is getting some new blood!  Open Sculler Katie Stainken contributes the following post.

To learn more about Potomac Boat Club’s Open Sculling Program and Katie, please visit The Open Sculling Program page at http://www.potomacstar.com/racing-programs/test/.  And check back soon for new teammate bios!

A big PBC WELCOME to our new Open Scullers and coaches!

* * *

Since the last update from the Open Scullers, quite a few exciting changes have taken place. The biggest change is in the roster:  we now have four women and eleven men, who make for a crowded carpet at 6am when we do our daily core routine!

On the men’s side, Open Sculling Program veterans Willy Cowles, Taylor Frank, Sean Gorman, Joe Ledvina, and Michael Malone are joined by Greg Charte, Patrick Lacey, Matt Miller, Carl Thunman, Steve Whelpley, and Nate Kelly. For the women, Stef Kozuscek, Katie Stainken, and Morgan Wimberley are joined by Emily Carney.  Lucky for us though, Coach Reilly has recruited two new coaches to assist with the program and keep us in line: Jim O’Connor and Heather Barney.  Thanks to Jim and Heather for volunteering their time!

Looking back at Fall the Open Scullers participated in the Head of the Potomac, Head of the Occoquan, Head of the Charles, and the Fall Speed Order. All of these races offered great racing experience for the team as we geared up for winter training and the 2012 year.  We capped off the fall with a new challenge … the first annual PBC Triathlon, which consisted of a 10k erg, bridge loop run, and a quick row out to Roosevelt bridge and back.  Next up, we have a run test, 30 minute test, 6k test, and the annual erg marathon on December 31^st. Hopefully the weather will remain mild, or at least above freezing, and we will be able to continue to row through December and into January. With the 4-oar rule in effect and our large team roster, 2x and 4x will have to be the boats of choice.

It’s not all work with the Open Scullers, though!  We’re looking forward to decorating the ballroom and to hosting the PBC Christmas party on December 11, and then to our Rising Stars dinner in January, which was so successful last year thanks to you.  Some members of the team are also California Dreamin’, and will be heading out to train the winter months away in Long Beach, California, after the start of the new year.

As always, thanks so much for your support, PBC!  Stay tuned for more information on what your Open Sculling Program is up to and news of our upcoming events!

PBC’s Shumway finds gold in Mexico

PBC's Margot Shumway at this year's Pan Am Games (Photo courtesy of Margaux Jackson)

Potomac Boat Club’s Margot Shumway won gold today in the Women’s Single event at the XVI Pan American Games 2011.

Margot’s win earned the U.S. one of the two gold and one bronze medals won by our National Team on this second day of finals in Ciudad Guzman.

Click here to read the Rowing News article about Margot’s win and here to read the ESPN article about the win and for more updates from Mexico.

CONGRATULATIONS TO MARGOT AND COACHES MATT MADIGAN AND REILLY DAMPEER!  We’re so proud of you!

Viva la Shumway!

PBC race fans, standby for an exciting fall!

This week, five Olympians have earned the opportunity to represent the United States in rowing at the Pan American Games, October 15-19 in Guzman City, Mexico.  Among them is our very own Margot Shumway, who won her trial in the women’s single sculls event with a time of 7:41.09.  Reilly Dampeer will accompany Margot as U.S. National Team coach, W1x.

Congratulations to Margot and Coach Reilly!  And thanks to our entire Open Sculling Team for representing PBC so well this week.  We’re so proud of all of you!

To read the complete story on USRowing.org, click on 2011 Pan American Games Trials Complete.

To check out all of the great race performances by our Open Scullers at Pan Am Trials, click here and then go to “Complete Results.”

Malyka Ianni: In the head of an Open Sculler

The author (l) with her 2- teammate Maria Bukolich at 2011 USRowing National Championships (Photo courtesy of Maria ... visit her blog at http://www.maria2oylmpics.blogspot.com!)

To learn more about Malyka Ianni, the author of this month’s Open Sculling team contribution to the Potomac Star, please click here.  You’ll find Malyka’s bio, along with bios for each member of the Open Sculling team.

[And, yes, the Open Scullers mentioned below are sweep rowing at the moment.  Welcome back from the dark side.]

***

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times ….”

I will go out on a limb and assume that every rower has thought this at one point or another. Rowing has the unique ability to induce a euphoric sense of indestructibility one minute and create a deep internal hole of pain and frustration the next. That may be a bit melodramatic, but admit it. It’s true. We’ve all been there before.

The Open Sculling team trains more or less year around. We take a short break (maybe 2-3 weeks) in August/September and then jump right back into the training cycle. To say it’s a long season is an understatement. Just getting to June in one piece can be a minor (or major, depending on who you are) achievement!  Recently, a teammate and I discussed the topic of psychological endurance. While improving physiologically and technically are always at the top of the training agenda, mental and emotional stamina are equally as important to one’s success in rowing. More often than not, mental toughness makes the difference between winning and losing.

So, how do you build mental toughness?

I have found that one of the tricks to managing the highs and lows in the sport of rowing is to see the silver lining…to keep your eye on the big picture and maintain perspective. It’s taken me many, many roller coaster rides to the top and the bottom to figure this out.  Even with this insight and experience, it’s easy to get caught up in the moment and lose sight of the big picture.

For a coach, fostering the development of an individual and team’s mental toughness should rank up there with developing technical proficiency and fitness. Since Wimbledon is in full swing at the moment, I’m going to use the sport of tennis as an example. In tennis, matches between opponents can last hours. At the 2010 Wimbledon, the world’s longest tennis match between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut took place. It lasted 11 hours and 5 minutes. Now stop and think about the variety of things you do in a typical day 12-hour day! It wasn’t just physical and technical training that helped these men get through the grueling match, but their mental stamina and ability to focus, as well.

On the Open Sculling team, we often use the phrase “go to the well,” which means to dig deep, find that other level, and use every physical and metal resource you have. Isner and Mahut relied heavily on this same sort of mental ability to push through physical fatigue. Each man went deep into the pain cave so to speak!

So, back to rowing. I was fortunate enough to have been coached by Michelle Guerette a few times while living in Boston. Ten minutes around Michelle, and it’s clear why she has been such a successful rower. Workouts with Michelle, whether pieces or just steady state, never went as prescribed on paper. Eighty minutes of steady state became 100 minutes or more once we were actually out on the water.  A 2 x 2k would turn into 2 x 2k plus 2 x 5 minutes and then some. Just when you thought you were done, there was always something else.  Initially, these changes to the workout drove me insane; however, eventually I realized they were instrumental in developing my mental toughness. Every time I thought I had nothing left to give, no other place to go, I somehow made it happen. I learned that the results of those extra pieces didn’t always matter, but that the extra effort needed to just complete the workout made a world of difference in my racing and ability to push through the pain.

I am writing about this topic to share with Potomac Star readers that mental toughness is part of my training that I wish I had taken more seriously when I first started training.  Recognizing that your coach might have something more than just physical benefits in mind when putting together a workout or just recognizing the importance of training in this area on your own is critical to maximizing athletic performance.  It took me longer than I wish it had, but realizing this myself as made me a better athlete.

But mental toughness can be as simple as finding the silver lining in a difficult situation, too, like losing a seat race or completely bombing an erg test, suffering an injury, or being excluded from a race because the boat is under weight, as happened to me and teammate Maria Bukolich in the 2- at the 2011 USRowing National Championships.  Now, I am able to learn from these situations and see the positive, the silver lining, along with the negative aspects.

At PBC, I am, again, fortunate to train with Coach Reilly and a team that pushes me to push myself to new extremes and limits every day.   Through each new hurdle, I see the silver lining.  After the disappointment of the underweight boat, Maria and I are off to join teammate Stef Kozuszek at the US Training Center in Oklahoma City to compete for a seat in a women’s 4-.  The team chosen will then go on to compete at Senior trials in August with the hopes of representing the US at World Championships in Bled, Slovenia. With months and months of hard training and preparation under our belts, we are facing this test as another new opportunity to get closer to achieving our elite rowing goals and make PBC proud.

[We're already proud of you, Maria and the rest of the Open Sculling team, Malyka!  Now, go do what we know you two can do: claim those seats on that US Training Center 4-! -PStar]

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