<p>Basically, I am a junior with a VERY bad erg score, but I like rowing anyways. I'm 5'4" and 50kg, and my last 2k was...around an 8:30. Still, I could not imagine living without rowing anymore, and my days are pretty much filled with rowing. I row have an established coach and rowed in a boat with in the A-final junior nationals. I also have an UW GPA of something like a 3.7, take the most challenging course load, and have had an ACT of around 32-34 (without studying, a few years ago).</p>
<p>Would it be advisable to talk to college coaches if I can bring my erg score to something like an 8:10-8:15? (Past data from the team indicates that I should be able to get an 8:10 in the worse case scenario) I know that I am not eligible for any sort of help from coaches really, but is there any benefit to contacting them? If I'm just visiting a school for other reasons, should I try to talk to the coach while I'm there? I am thinking about schools that I would otherwise be a candidate for, but I was wondering if talking to coaches would give me any kind of edge over people with similar qualifications as I do, or just awkward situations.</p>
<p>Thank you in advance for taking the time to read this! I feel like such a novice in everything ;)</p>
<p>I would say no… I have friends that have rowed competitively since middle school with state titles and they dont even think they are good enough for college. One is 5’9 and the other is 5’11 but i mean you can always try!</p>
<p>Pogies at 5’4’’ and 50 kg (110 lbs. or thereabouts?), you’re a lightweight and a small one at that. I mention your size because 5’4" is about as small as you can be to row competitively on a lightweight college team… and that’s with a great erg score. As a lightweight, your 2k should be nearer 7:45 and under to be recruited. This year, the recruit class has many girls with superlative academics and erg scores in the 7:30’s (even under). Every year is different, but it’s becoming more competitive. </p>
<p>I know some kids with ergs btw. 7:50 up to 8:00 who did get meets with lightweight coaches, but that was it; they weren’t actively pursued. And the openweight coaches? They really aren’t very interested in the shortest rowers (I speak from the perspective of a parent whose daughter is also 5’4". A lot of ow coaches met with her, but truly interested? No. Their slots are generally reserved for the taller girls). </p>
<p>This is not to say that you shouldn’t contact coaches and see if they respond. It can’t hurt. It’s also not to say that you don’t have options. One of them is to work on your erg: you might be able to make a lot of progress by the fall of your senior year (not too late to be recruited). You can also set your sights on being a cox. Would that interest you? Lastly, you can walk on to a team once you’re in college. DD’s college currently has 2 8’s of lightweight walk ons, most of them freshmen. That’s the beauty of crew: college coaches are always looking for willing or potential rowers: they have boats to fill! And not a few freshman walk ons have become rowing powerhouses as upperclassmen.</p>
<p>@buddytheelf I do have state titles, regional titles, and national results, but a worry has been that people are just dragging me along. The only reason that I have gotten these results is because I have seat raced out girls that would normally be beyond my scope (people 6’ and people pulling 7:20 2k’s). However, it seems like these people might improve with coaching, while I just feel like I don’t have the power to be a good rower.</p>
<p>@elileo That’s kind of what I’m expecting, although walking on does sound neat! I am definitely not looking to be recruited, but more wondering whether talking to a coach legitimizes the claim that you do in fact spend your time rowing to the admissions office?</p>
<p>And I actually do have some coxing experience, though never in a race. I don’t really know whether I would like that, as I’ve always thought that I was a bit too heavy.</p>
<p>@GoldFather Yup, sounds like the same boat
Club teams do sound like they could potentially be a lot of fun, and I’ll have to check them out, thanks!</p>
<hr>
<p>Thanks again for all the responses, everyone! I’ve always wondered about “being recruited” because some lightweights that I know, who have been pulling 8:10’s somehow end up “recruited” in division one schools (although not fast schools). Perhaps they were admitted to the schools, then actually walked on to the varsity team before the year started?</p>
<p>Pogies, you don’t need a college coach to legitimize/verify your claim of being a dedicated high school rower who has spent many hours on her sport. Unless there’s a red flag, admissions accepts applicants’ accounts of extracurriculars (titles, results, hours). And, they all know how much time a sport like crew involves. At the same time, unless you are being recruited by a coach, that coach doesn’t talk to admissions about you. So it comes down to self-reporting. If you can get the ear of a coach, all to the good. But talking to a coach doesn’t give you a boost with admissions unless he/she recruits you in some fashion (tip, slot, likely letter, etc.)</p>
<p>But to the original (and larger) question you asked: goplay is right, there is a program for everyone regardless of size (and to some extent, erg), I stand corrected. Cast your net to include colleges where you would like to study and row (there are many… I was reminded of this as I watched the live webcast of the collegiate fours (many teams!) at the Head of the Charles today: <a href=“http://hocr.org/the-2012-regatta/2012-live-webcast[/url]”>http://hocr.org/the-2012-regatta/2012-live-webcast</a>) and then continue to do your best in terms of GPA, ACT or SAT, and 2k time in the next months… I hope I wasn’t too discouraging in my orignal post.</p>
<p>The races continue through tomorrow and they’re very fun to watch!</p>
<p>^^actually that’s what I was thinking while I was reading this thread. With your actual rowing experience, you may be very competitive/recruitable for a strong team as a cox (possibly mens v?).</p>
<p>5’4", 115 pounds might be borderline for a female boat, yes I was thinking, if anything, more likely for a men’s boat. </p>
<p>And …</p>
<p>Though I have tremendous respect and admiration for coxswains (I could never do that well), for someone who really enjoys rowing, being a cox is really not an equal substitute.</p>
<p>“Though I have tremendous respect and admiration for coxswains (I could never do that well), for someone who really enjoys rowing, being a cox is really not an equal substitute”</p>
<p>My son could have written that, GolfFather. He was a great Coxswain and would have been a decent rower but no coach would let him row even with his decent ergs. He loves to row but hated being cox and quit.</p>
<p>As for the OP talking to coaches, go right on ahead. You never know. My second son was surprised that a lot of coaches at some of the smaller schools were interested in what he considered sub paar athletic skills and he just mentioned them in passing. I actually talked to one of the coaches who called her and he told me that what he sees is undeveloped talent there. Had my son been in a top private US program with those numbers, it would have been considered his best. That he was just a seasonal compettior with his high school, that was pretty danged good with a lot of room to improve. There are some coaches out there looking for potential as well as what the record shows.</p>
<p>I like this question because, I see it in the eyes of every parent sitting with their kid at AAU basketball and volleyball every weekend,more than half of those kids aren’t going to ever even get a look by a college coach or even a good look from a competitor coach in high school. Yeah I’d throw fencer in that group too!</p>
… she loves rowing but does not have the kind of erg scores that make coaches drool.</p>