Saoirse Walsh

I would love to be recruited because rowing has really helped me break out of my shell and make lifelong friendships. Also, in college it will be more of a competitive and committed environment which helps me as a coxswain because I know that the whole team will be giving their 110%. Also, rowing is such a unique sport and through the years, I’ve come to love it.

My role as a coxswain is all about leadership. I lead the boat everyday in drills, pieces, and workouts, so I’ll share times where I feel it’s important to step down and let either the rowers or the coach lead. First, after pieces, before we spin or tap it up, I think it’s really important to ask the rowers what they could’ve worked on and then what I could’ve worked on. Also, when rowers need to work on tech, I know that the coach’s input is better than mine. Outside of practice, I am a leader with my sisters. They are both 12 years old and super crazy. I’m often babysitting them which definitely requires patience and leadership skills.

Balancing school, rowing, and a job is difficult but I’ve foumd that being present-minded helps keep me focused and less stressed. When I’m at school, I’m thinking about school. At rowing, I’m concentrating on rowing. And at work, I focus on what I’m doing rather than stressing about a math quiz the next week or the lineups of the day. Staying in the moment helps me get things done and not waste energy stressing about things that aren’t relevant in that moment.

Summer of 2018 and 2019 I volunteered over 400 hours total at Camp James, a summer camp for kids. I had been a camper at Camp James the two years prior and I was excited to help make camp a fun and safe place to be. Volunteering at Camp James taught me how to multitask, be a leader, and most importantly, be kind to everyone because at the end of the day, everyone’s human.