University of Minnesota Athletics
Photo by: Brad Rempel
In the Launch with Alyssa O'Donnell
11/11/2019 3:51:00 PM | Rowing
Alyssa O'Donnell is in her first season with the Gophers as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. O'Donnell is ready to make an impact and bring Minnesota rowing back into the national spotlight. Gopher Sports sat down with her to learn more about who she is outside of being a coach.
Gopher Sports: Why did you decide to come coach at Minnesota?
Alyssa O'Donnell: I came here because of the opportunity to make an impact. It could be really fun to go to the fastest school in the country and remain the fastest school in the country, but it is way more fun to go to a school and help make them better. Being able to coach in the Big Ten is also an amazing opportunity.
GS: What has it been like coaching at the school your older sister rowed at?
AD: I am really proud of her. I am her younger sister and she is a NCAA Champion and she never lets me forget it, which she shouldn't. I am reminded of it every day. I walk out of my office and there is a picture of her with a NCAA Championship trophy. It is also motivation. Our goal is to bring that back here and get back to those heights. It's a constant reminder. I am also very proud of her. It's cool to be in the same office she was once in as a student-athlete.
GS: What was your sister's reaction to you taking the job at Minnesota?
AD: She knew a little bit of what was going on because we are close, but she is also a rower so she knows what is going on within the rowing scene. She knew I was looking for new, more challenging opportunity. When she learned that I accepted the position, she was over the moon and very excited for me.
GS: What made you decide to go into coaching?
AD: I went into coaching right after I finished rowing collegiately. I started coaching because one, I didn't know what my life would be like without it. I am so grateful for it. I started rowing so young that when I finished college, I felt like I wasn't done. I am so grateful for being recruited and having an incredible relationship with my college coach John Gartin. I owe him so much. I wanted to give the same opportunity to young women. I wanted to help them take their high school success into college and help them grow more than they ever thought they could because that is what I did.
GS: What do you like to do in your free time?
AD: I joined a rec kickball league, so that has been fun. I am not very good yet. I am a big football fan, "go Eagles". I like to go out and check out new restaurants and different parts of the city. I had no idea how cool Minneapolis is. Getting out and adventuring has been fun. I've got a cat and she's cool. I like to cook, bake and do all those fun things people like to do.
GS: What's it like living in Vikings Territory as an Eagles fan?
AD: I went to the Vikings-Eagles game at U.S. Bank Stadium. That was interesting, we lost. When the Packers and the Eagles played each other and the Eagles won, I wore my Eagles hat to campus and I was booed twice. Being an Eagles fan is cool, ride or die.
GS: How has being a student-athlete in this sport impacted the way you coach?
AD: Every athlete is different. You are going to challenge every athlete differently, people have different personalities, but ultimately I believe in being really positive in everything I do in life as a person and a coach. I think that is what is most receptive to athletes, being positive, looking and the glass half full and being honest, which isn't always positive, but is important. I realized that as an athlete, sometimes you have to receive brutal news, sometimes you don't make it. Now, being the coach that has to deliver that news, sometimes is really hard. I would be doing a disservice if I wasn't being honest with them, but that can also come from a place that is positive. They are humans, I am human and I don't want to hurt their feelings. But ultimately being honest with them and recognizing that I get to see them bounce back and continue moving forward as an athlete. Seeing their sportsmanship is incredible.
GS: What are you most excited for this season?
AD: I am really excited to see our progress. The process is so important. For the women, to see everyday how much they've grown will be a very telling process. I am excited for them to see how important that is. I hope we have a stellar year in the spring when we race and have an awesome showing when we are at Big Tens. Time will tell and the process will be exciting to see.
GS: What has it been like working with Victoria West after being her coach while she was in college?
AD: I saw a lot of attributes in Victoria [West] that I saw in myself. She was always very positive and happy to be there and ready to go for it. She was a breath of fresh air on the team. I think every team needs that athlete that has the silly giggle, which she absolutely has. She was refreshing to work with everyday and was an athlete that would go hard and work hard everyday. Now, working aside with her, I am really proud of her. To have this be your first division one collegiate coaching job is incredible. The fact that I get to see her thrive everyday and see how she is improving is amazing.
GS: What is it about rowing that you love?
AD: Ultimately, what I miss the most is that sense of competing and fighting with your team. You can't replace that feeling with anything. What's amazing about this job is that the athletes fill that void. I miss competing and rowing, but being on the water with them, coaching them and seeing them do it fills that void.
Quick Hits:
What is your strangest talent? My strange talent is not very exciting. I can remember people's names very well, like forever. If I meet a group of 10 people, I will remember their names after they tell me the first time. I also know a lot of school's mascots and team colors.
One thing you could not live without? Coffee.
Qdoba or Chipotle? Chipotle has such a following and guac is extra, so I am going to say Qdoba. I am all about the queso.
Best pizza topping? Pepperoni. If I am feeling boujee, I'll get buffalo chicken
Favorite movie? Slumdog Millionaire.
If you could have dinner with one Person, dead or alive, who would it be? Ellen DeGeneres. Everything she stands for aligns with with what I believe in. She is such an impressive person and does so much for other people, while being a big ball of fun at the same time.
Gopher Sports: Why did you decide to come coach at Minnesota?
Alyssa O'Donnell: I came here because of the opportunity to make an impact. It could be really fun to go to the fastest school in the country and remain the fastest school in the country, but it is way more fun to go to a school and help make them better. Being able to coach in the Big Ten is also an amazing opportunity.
GS: What has it been like coaching at the school your older sister rowed at?
AD: I am really proud of her. I am her younger sister and she is a NCAA Champion and she never lets me forget it, which she shouldn't. I am reminded of it every day. I walk out of my office and there is a picture of her with a NCAA Championship trophy. It is also motivation. Our goal is to bring that back here and get back to those heights. It's a constant reminder. I am also very proud of her. It's cool to be in the same office she was once in as a student-athlete.
GS: What was your sister's reaction to you taking the job at Minnesota?
AD: She knew a little bit of what was going on because we are close, but she is also a rower so she knows what is going on within the rowing scene. She knew I was looking for new, more challenging opportunity. When she learned that I accepted the position, she was over the moon and very excited for me.
GS: What made you decide to go into coaching?
AD: I went into coaching right after I finished rowing collegiately. I started coaching because one, I didn't know what my life would be like without it. I am so grateful for it. I started rowing so young that when I finished college, I felt like I wasn't done. I am so grateful for being recruited and having an incredible relationship with my college coach John Gartin. I owe him so much. I wanted to give the same opportunity to young women. I wanted to help them take their high school success into college and help them grow more than they ever thought they could because that is what I did.
GS: What do you like to do in your free time?
AD: I joined a rec kickball league, so that has been fun. I am not very good yet. I am a big football fan, "go Eagles". I like to go out and check out new restaurants and different parts of the city. I had no idea how cool Minneapolis is. Getting out and adventuring has been fun. I've got a cat and she's cool. I like to cook, bake and do all those fun things people like to do.
GS: What's it like living in Vikings Territory as an Eagles fan?
AD: I went to the Vikings-Eagles game at U.S. Bank Stadium. That was interesting, we lost. When the Packers and the Eagles played each other and the Eagles won, I wore my Eagles hat to campus and I was booed twice. Being an Eagles fan is cool, ride or die.
GS: How has being a student-athlete in this sport impacted the way you coach?
AD: Every athlete is different. You are going to challenge every athlete differently, people have different personalities, but ultimately I believe in being really positive in everything I do in life as a person and a coach. I think that is what is most receptive to athletes, being positive, looking and the glass half full and being honest, which isn't always positive, but is important. I realized that as an athlete, sometimes you have to receive brutal news, sometimes you don't make it. Now, being the coach that has to deliver that news, sometimes is really hard. I would be doing a disservice if I wasn't being honest with them, but that can also come from a place that is positive. They are humans, I am human and I don't want to hurt their feelings. But ultimately being honest with them and recognizing that I get to see them bounce back and continue moving forward as an athlete. Seeing their sportsmanship is incredible.
GS: What are you most excited for this season?
AD: I am really excited to see our progress. The process is so important. For the women, to see everyday how much they've grown will be a very telling process. I am excited for them to see how important that is. I hope we have a stellar year in the spring when we race and have an awesome showing when we are at Big Tens. Time will tell and the process will be exciting to see.
GS: What has it been like working with Victoria West after being her coach while she was in college?
AD: I saw a lot of attributes in Victoria [West] that I saw in myself. She was always very positive and happy to be there and ready to go for it. She was a breath of fresh air on the team. I think every team needs that athlete that has the silly giggle, which she absolutely has. She was refreshing to work with everyday and was an athlete that would go hard and work hard everyday. Now, working aside with her, I am really proud of her. To have this be your first division one collegiate coaching job is incredible. The fact that I get to see her thrive everyday and see how she is improving is amazing.
GS: What is it about rowing that you love?
AD: Ultimately, what I miss the most is that sense of competing and fighting with your team. You can't replace that feeling with anything. What's amazing about this job is that the athletes fill that void. I miss competing and rowing, but being on the water with them, coaching them and seeing them do it fills that void.
Quick Hits:
What is your strangest talent? My strange talent is not very exciting. I can remember people's names very well, like forever. If I meet a group of 10 people, I will remember their names after they tell me the first time. I also know a lot of school's mascots and team colors.
One thing you could not live without? Coffee.
Qdoba or Chipotle? Chipotle has such a following and guac is extra, so I am going to say Qdoba. I am all about the queso.
Best pizza topping? Pepperoni. If I am feeling boujee, I'll get buffalo chicken
Favorite movie? Slumdog Millionaire.
If you could have dinner with one Person, dead or alive, who would it be? Ellen DeGeneres. Everything she stands for aligns with with what I believe in. She is such an impressive person and does so much for other people, while being a big ball of fun at the same time.
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