We asked our alumni to answer three questions about their experience with TYRA. Rowing in college might not be for everyone, however, for some student-athletes, it’s the perfect ticket to continue a life-long passion for the sport and get a great education. We have had many student athletes graduate the program and attend universities and colleges such as MIT, Boston University, Yale, Gonzaga, The University of Tulsa, The University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City University, The University of Central Oklahoma, University of Virginia, Southern Methodist University, The University of Kansas and Washington University to name a few.
Please describe any college opportunities that have occurred because of your time rowing with TYRA.
After joining TYRA, I was recruited to a collegiate team within the first year of my rowing career. TYRA rows on the same river as the University of Tulsa’s Women’s crew, and I was recruited as a coxswain for the team. Rowing is one of those sports where it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been at it, if you work hard enough, you will achieve what you work for. Without TYRA, I would not be coxing for Tulsa or have even had the opportunity to be an athlete at the collegiate level.
What advice do you have for someone who is thinking about trying the sport of rowing for the first time?
For anyone considering rowing, or maybe not even at all, I absolutely recommend trying it. A number of rowers I have met came into the sport after trying many others before. Rowing will be unlike any other sport you’ve ever been apart of mentally, physically, and emotionally. It truly will change your life in the most unexpected ways.
What is the most important thing you learned while you were involved with TYRA?
The two most important things I learned while at TYRA was commitment and time-management. Not only did I learn how to commit to trying a new sport with TYRA, I learned how to commit to both myself and to my teammates. When you get in the boat, you learn that quitting isn’t an option. I didn’t stop, because I wanted to push myself and because I knew I was pulling for the girl behind me, too. I had teammates counting on me, and I them. Time-management was the second biggest thing I learned while at TYRA. I learned how to manage life, school, and sports; this has contributed greatly to my success as a college athlete.
TYRA is offering summer camps in the month of June for beginners to the sport. For more information on the upcoming camps, please click on the graphic below.
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