“Just a few years ago, the team was out there to row, and now it’s very clear that they are out there to win,” rowing coach Samantha Doletzky said.
Northview’s rowing team is compiled of students from each grade, who work hard throughout their seasons to win boat races. During practice these boys and girls push mental and physical boundaries.
“With how physically hard the workouts and races we do, you learn to push yourself to the limit and then even past that,” junior and co-captain of the rowing team Anna Morris said.
Despite the need for individual strength, rowing is largely a team sport.
“There is an aspect of teamwork that is very hard to find in any other sport,” Doletzky said. “The rowers must work together in a level of synchronicity, and they’ve got to have such a trust in their teammates, and their boats.”
Needing to gel well on the water forces the rowing team to be close on land as well.
“I like the people on the team, and since there aren’t that many people we are all one big family,” junior and other co-captain Dzemal Mesinovic said.
The captains work hard to create a positive environment.
“We are with each other two and a half hours a day, you create really great friendships that last all throughout high school,” Morris added.
As a team, the athletes need to be there for each other to encourage and push one another through intense workouts and competitive races.
“In my experience, there is no other sport that requires this much of the athletes, it can be said that rowing is like lifting weights and running at the same time,” Doletzky said.
Growing in numbers, the rowing team continues to build muscles and friendships to work hard for a successful spring season.
