University of Minnesota Athletics
Novice Rowers Get First Chance at Competition
10/9/2015 12:00:00 AM | Rowing
The Gopher novice rowers took to the water for the first time competitively last Saturday on a beautiful sun-splashed day at the Head of the Mississippi Regatta, with many of them having no prior rowing experience.
Sarah Heemstra competed in her first race ever this past weekend. She had never picked up an oar before becoming a member of the novice rowing team. Heemstra was being recruited by other schools for water polo before she decided to come to Minnesota and try rowing instead.
"I fell in love with Minnesota so I looked into rowing," said Heemstra. "While I was at Welcome Week I got a flyer that said 'Hey you're tall you should try it.' I did and made it through tryouts."
Learning an entirely new sport at a Division I level is a challenge like no other. Heemstra is trying to tackle this test by drawing from her experience playing other sports.
"It's incredibly difficult but at the same time it has come really naturally," she said. "I don't know if it's from the sports I've played in the past or my athletic background."
Many novice rowers did not come to Minnesota anticipating the opportunity to compete in a Division I sport. "I did not come to college expecting to be able to participate in any type of sport, especially a Division I sport," freshman Erica Gunther said. "So the whole experience in that regard has been kind of amazing."
Though the rowers have seen plenty of progress over the past weeks of practice, they still see room for improvement.
"Overall there is a lot to improve on because it's new to me - it's fun to see the times go down," newcomer Aliza Beverage said. Beverage heard about the rowing program through a family friend who is a member of the Minneapolis Rowing Club.
Several rowers heard about the sport from coach Claudia Herpertz during the University's Welcome Week for freshmen. The novice coach said the team handed out about 800 flyers during Welcome Week to try and recruit women who want to be Division I athletes.
Herpertz has seen vast improvements in all the novice rowers from tryouts up until their first race. "The biggest thing that has been really nice to watch is the team getting together," she said.
The coach is also looking for experienced rowers, like Abby Rieser, to take on a leadership role. "I try to help them out as best I can," Rieser said. "Still we are one big team and we are doing this together." Rieser decided that she wanted to continue rowing after her time as a member of the St. Paul Rowing Club.
The task of learning a new sport and improving on the skills necessary to be successful is not an easy one. But the Gopher novice rowers are ready to overcome the hardships of this challenge and continue to get better.
by Danny Kobren, Athletic Communications Student Assistant
Players Mentioned
