Junior Vivian Nguyen joined the crew team when she was a freshman. She was prompted to join because she noticed the great atmosphere the team had. Her brother was also on the team so she wanted to follow in his footsteps.
Nguyen feels accomplished and proud to be a varsity rower because it is a competitive sport with many skilled rowers on the team. She was given the opportunity to row at the state tournament during both her freshman and sophomore years.
She believes that it was the events that offered her the chance to be on varsity. In the beginning, Nguyen mentioned that she didn’t want to be a rower but rather a coxswain. However, she became a rower because the coaches saw potential in her. Nguyen explains that the team is welcoming and supportive of each other during the races which has helped her to become a better rower.
Nguyen also attests to the support provided by coaches Sarah Jones and Shauna Campbell who help to push everyone and meet their goals. This season Nguyen aims to have a faster time in her 2 kilometer erg score. Another goal of her’s is to be one of the top five girls varsity four boats at states. The boat she was in during her freshman year was the Girls Novice 4 boat where they were named state champions.
When describing the demands of the sport, Nguyen stated, “The drylands are challenging and [you] have to prepare yourself mentally and physically.” She advises underclassmen and those interested in crew to not be “afraid to challenge yourself or push yourself when you’re in pain.” She added the importance of “listen[ing] to the coaches and hav[ing] fun.” Nguyen looks forward to the rest of the season and plans to continue her rowing career next year as well.
