University of Minnesota Athletics
Catching Up with Seniors: Alyssa Chu-Tom
2/9/2016 12:00:00 AM | Rowing
As Minnesota rowing turns the page to the spring season, the seniors can reflect on the past three and a half years while preparing for their final season of competition. GopherSports.com caught up with senior Alyssa Chu-Tomwho discussed her career as a Gopher rower and more.
GS: How have you grown as a rower since your freshman year?
AC: I've grown a lot since my freshman year of rowing. Coming into the team as a freshman year recruit was quite intimidating for me. I was not very confident in my abilities as a coxswain and would sometimes doubt myself. Over the past three years on the team I've learned to be open to criticism to help me become better as a coxswain, but also having enough confidence in myself that I know what I am doing.
GS: What are your goals for your last spring season?
AC: I really want to make sure this last spring is my best season yet, especially since this will be my last chance to row competitively at a collegiate level. It would be amazing if I could get one last chance to medal at Big Tens as a team or as a boat.
GS: What are your plans post graduation?
AC: I am planning on moving back home to Boston after I graduate and to pursue a career in the corporate retail industry.
GS: What made you come to Minnesota?
AC: I originally never pictured myself moving to the Midwest coming from the East Coast. Once I knew that I was going to row in college I decided to reach out to Minnesota, since my extended family is from Minnesota. Once I went on an official visit I knew that it was the school I was meant to go to. Minnesota was completely different than every other school I had looked at on the East Coast and it had everything I was looking for in a college.
GS: What is your biggest accomplishment while on the team?
AC: I'd say my biggest accomplishment on the team was when I won third at Big Tens my sophomore year. It was extremely unexpected because that year we had a terrible winter and could only row on the water for a couple weeks prior to Big Tens.
GS: What are your favorite things to do outside rowing?
AC: I really enjoy cooking, spending time with friends and family, and traveling.
GS: What is your funniest memory while on the team?
GS:How are you preparing for the spring season?
AC: I've been thinking of more creative ways to make calls and have also been working out to stay fit.
GS: What's something most people don't know about you?
AC: I do a pretty good impression of Janice from the show Friends.
GS: What advice would you give novice rowers who are just learning the sport?
AC: I would advise novice rowers to be patient with rowing and to keep working hard towards learning as much as you can from it, both from a technical and personal standpoint. Although it seems like rowing is not that difficult, it is a very challenging sport to learn. It teaches you to be mentally tough and be disciplined. If you work hard enough there will definitely be rewards from it at the end. Rowing has completely changed my life from high school until now and I am so glad I decided to do it. I would have been a totally different person if I decided not to do it and I'm so grateful for the opportunities it has opened for me.
Players Mentioned
