Rhythm Of Resilience

Rhythm of Resilience

Written by: Rose Imbesi and Jeff Kallin

Orange: The Experience Magazine | V17 , Issue 3

HOW HAS YOUR DEVELOPMENT AS A ROWER EVOLVED SINCE ARRIVING AT CLEMSON?

RI: My development as a rower since arriving at Clemson has been huge both physically and mentally. I am a completely different athlete today than I was when I first got here as a freshman. Mentally, I had to learn how to make sacrifices and handle pressure. Rowing at a D1 level is extremely demanding, it led me to learn how to prioritize the more important things. I also had to learn how to deal with pressure and nerves. You are put in situations that are very stressful every day. I learned how to perform well under pressure and not let the stress and nerves control me. The mental changes go hand in hand with the physical ones. I believe that to change physically the most important aspect of it is the mental buy-in to the change. Due to that, my physical development has been huge. The fitness and speed I have gained while being here have surpassed what I thought I could ever do. Especially in the past two years, I changed my rowing stroke completely and dropped so much time on the erg. I have evolved enormously and I am much stronger physically and mentally from my time rowing at Clemson.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE ON A DAILY BASIS FOR THIS TEAM TO COMPETE AT A HIGH LEVEL?

RI: It takes full commitment from the whole team every single day for us to compete at the high level we want to be at. The ACC is extremely competitive, especially with recent expansion, so we have to show up and give 100 percent at every practice. It requires complete buy-in from every person on the team. Everyone is getting faster, so the standard keeps rising, and we have to match that with consistency, effort, and accountability.

IN WHAT WAYS HAVE CLEMSON’S FACILITIES, COACHING, AND SUPPORT STAFF IMPACTED YOUR PERFORMANCE AND DEVELOPMENT?

RI: Clemson has given me every resource possible to succeed. The facilities are constantly improving, from the new Watt Family Performance and Wellness Center to the Athlete Recovery Center and the upgrades at the boathouse. Having access to those resources has made a huge difference in my training, recovery and fueling. They make the day to day of being an athlete much easier. The support staff also plays a huge role. Our athletic trainers work so hard to keep us healthy and able to row. On top of that, academic support, nutrition, and student-athlete development have helped me grow not just as an athlete but as a leader and a person. I truly believe that Clemson has the best possible support for all athletes. The Clemson Rowing coaches are absolutely incredible. They know how to be effective coaches and they truly believe in us. I have grown and improved so much with them and they turned me into the rower I always wanted to be. They put so much time and effort into developing me and I cannot express how grateful I am for all of them.

WHAT HAS BEING A STUDENT-ATHLETE AT CLEMSON MEANT TO YOU?

RI: The opportunity to be a student-athlete at Clemson has meant everything to me both personally and academically. Personally, it is so special to me, and I know it will be for the rest of my life. When I say I am an athlete at Clemson, I feel so proud of myself. Everyone is impressed by a Clemson athlete, and no matter where you go, the paw is respected. Academically, it holds you to a higher standard. You have to be disciplined and manage your time well, which has pushed me to grow in ways I would not have otherwise.

HOW DO YOU MANAGE THE DEMANDS OF ROWING WHILE PURSUING YOUR ACADEMIC GOALS?

RI: How I manage the demands of rowing while pursuing my academic goals comes down to being very intentional with my time. It took a lot of time to learn, but the most important thing for me is treating school and rowing like a job. Like a 9 to 5, or sometimes in our case with rowing, 5 to 5. I have learned to treat the day like a full workday. When I have free time, my first priority is to get schoolwork or studying done during the day. It is not always easy, especially after practice when all you want to do is relax, but staying disciplined during the day allows me to recover at night and get enough sleep to perform the next day.

WHAT EXPERIENCES OUTSIDE OF COMPETITION HAVE BEEN MOST MEANINGFUL TO YOU?

RI: SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee) has been extremely meaningful for me. It is a committee made up of a few athletes from each sport and is basically the governing body of athletes. We are a voice for athletes to administration. I was nominated to be a representative of my team my sophomore year and ran for an executive board position my junior year. I became Vice President of Internal Affairs and held that position my junior and senior year. With this position, I create engagement activities for student-athletes. It has been so valuable to bring athletes with very different schedules and sports together so we all understand that we are one Clemson Athletics. It has been rewarding to see the buy-in and appreciation from all of the athletes. Through SAAC, I have honed my leadership skills, learned how to connect people and run meetings and events, and improved my communication and public speaking skills.

WHEN YOU REFLECT ON YOUR TIME AT CLEMSON, WHAT DO YOU HOPE PEOPLE REMEMBER ABOUT YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE PROGRAM?

RI: Reflecting on my time at Clemson, what I hope people remember about my contribution to the program is how far you can go when you give everything you have. At the beginning of my rowing career here I was stuck at the bottom, unconfident in my rowing ability. I had to completely buy-in and change everything about who I was as a rower to get to where I am today. I want people to remember to never count themselves out for any boat or any seat. Also I want them to know that any win for themselves is a win for the whole team. Anyone improving and getting faster makes the whole team better and brings everyone else up with them. Most importantly, I also hope people remember how much I enjoyed being with my teammates every day and that they are the reason that this was such an amazing experience.