This past weekend our Queens rowers, families, and coaches celebrated the end of the spring racing season with a big cookout and some early farewells to our seniors. It was really fun but bittersweet. One highlight was that the seniors all said a few words. Here’s what Bianca Pickering shared. Blisters, bird poop, inspiration: it’s got it all! Go Bianca, and go Row New York!
My high school rowing career with Row New York is coming to a close but my membership will never cease. Row New York has made me into the person that stands before you all and the athlete that that has flourished within these 3 years. And that is something that can never expire.
First off, I would like to thank Amanda and all of the Row New York staff for making this team possible. I would like to thank all of my coaches for believing in me no matter what.
My first day back, I was in the launch with Nico and he told me that I can be the best. He told me that this injury was nothing, I have the potential to be the fastest. I held that with me all year. I would like to thank Mike for never taking it easy on me. For always supporting me, you were not just my coach but my friend. I would like to thank Eva for being the easiest person to talk to and always being a delight on the team even on the darkest days. I also thank Darise for my academic achievements. She is always a call away.
As I look at all of my teammates sitting here today, I can’t help but think about what it takes to be a rower. We are not a part of a normal sport, we don’t play games, we are athletes. We go through pain every single day and many times we anticipate it to validate that we really put in the work. The sweat, the blisters, the back acne, the bird poop is all worth it when we are out there on the water and we are no longer individuals, we become one. It’s that moment in a race when you feel everyone in your boat moving with you, you walk that boat and you know it wasn’t just you. It was the unity of your boat.
There is no strength without unity. In the boat our erg scores are meaningless without being in unison. So I never want this team to forget we need each other to be the top crew. It’s an us thing not a me. It takes a lot to be a part of this team. You have to have guts, dedication, and spirit.
There are three main characteristics that are within us all that I would like to highlight.
The first is we are all stubborn. From the coaching staff to every athlete here. We don’t stop pushing forward. Giving up is not an option for us all. It could be white capping and raining but if we are told to line up and race, we bring it no matter what. That’s our stubbornness, we do extraordinary things in the face of a storm because a storm can’t stop Row New Yorkers.
Second, we are all optimistic. Even if a teammate makes a pessimistic remark, they get in that boat and come back to practice day in and day out. They have internal hope that the team or themselves will get past their adversities. So with that I believe we all are optimistic and express it differently.
And lastly, we are dreamers. As I read on a poster, if you can dream, well then the chances are that one day, when your time comes, you’ll take it with both hands. I have seen that in the eyes of all of you at one point or another. For many it’s the dream to break 8, the dream to medal, the dream to be in the top boat. It is a dream and dreams are tangible because you make it into reality.
We come from all sides of New York and we unite on the water. How many people can say that?
I am honored to be a part of this team. Every day this year, I didn’t go hard just cause it’s my last year, I went hard because all of you go hard too. I came back with ridiculous drive because this team inspired me to. I had to catch up, I had to equate to the greatness that is growing on this team. We hold each other to high expectations. We see what we are capable of as a team and individually. We inspire one another and when I come back I want to continually see that. It is the team that made me strive, you made me strive to be the best athlete I could be.
Thank you.
