From Tryouts to the Team: the trials, tales and tribulations of an amateur rower

by Isabel Pasionaria Young-Figueroa, Row New York Middle School Student-Athlete

I remember it like it was yesterday.  September 23, 2014 was the date of tryouts for Row New York’s middle school team. At the tryout, I was uncomfortable and I didn’t want to compete. They we were in a huge gym with tons of people and while I did my best, I wondered if I would make the team.  However, a few days later, I got a call telling me I had made it onto the team. I felt at first happy that they had accepted me, but then I began to grow afraid of the challenges I would be facing and wondering if I could overcome my fear of competition.

The first practice was really fun. We had to race each other.  I was on a team and we were losing. I felt bad and began to feel upset. However, one of the older girls, Grace, on my team congratulated us and we paraded around even though we had lost. She lifted my spirits and I felt like it wasn’t too awful to lose. Over the next several practices I learned that the people at Row New York were also really nice and understanding. There wasn’t the same competitive air of everyone against each other. Since we were all a part of the same team, we had one goal. We did not want to beat each other; we wanted to fight for each other.

So even when I raced on the ergs (indoor rowing machines), which isn’t easy, I felt the adrenaline and excitement and would push for my team with all my strength. I felt that my team would still support me even if I lost. On the big races in the water, I felt our team spirit – knowing that when we took out the boats we would do our best and whether we won or lost, it would always be so much fun (I still don’t like to lose, though!).  When we rowed in the boats I learned that for a boat to win a race, everyone had to be connected and work together. No matter how strong or fast you are, unless you work as a team you cannot win a race by yourself. Row New York showed me what a real team is, and for that I am very grateful.

The different sports I have participated in have really made me rethink sports all together. They taught me really important lessons. The first one is fight for what you believe in. That is one most people say, but I truly believe this. Through my days of trial and error, I would get discouraged very easily. I wasn’t really fighting for the gold, but for the finish. I didn’t mind getting third or fourth place if that meant that the race was over. However, with Row NY I had something to fight for, something that left a burning passion in my heart to win and win for our team. I wanted the gold and I would fight for it, even if that left me gasping for air.

The next lesson I learned was even when you fall down, get up and keep on going. For my part in “falling down”, I would give up the race and go from a sprint to a light run. I would always go home and feel a little upset because I had lost, but I would shove that feeling down. Instead, I should have embraced it and said to myself, “yes, I lost, but instead of feeling down, I should learn from this.” Now when I put that feeling into play, it helps me a lot and even if our team is losing we still give it our all.

I am a sports girl, built for the strong fight, and I work with my team and push myself to ever-higher levels. I have come to realize that in a race and life, in the end you are competing against yourself, to push yourself harder, to become stronger – and that in rowing you become stronger by supporting and pushing one another.  In an eight or a four (racing shell), you only win by being the best team on the water.

I want to thank Row NY for helping me discover myself, for helping me to grow and to be proud that I am a strong person, for showing me that sports are an art that involves every part of your body and mind.  I still want to be more than just an athlete, but I am no longer afraid to compete. I can excel in sports, especially rowing, and be strong and happy.