The Falcon   |   Volume 81, Issue 26

Published 6/02/10   |   Log In

A leader on the water

Photo credit: KAYLA ABROTT /The Falcon.

Savage to row all four years

By DAVID TRISTANO, Sports Editor

Published: May 6, 2009

In rowing, leadership requires hard work, discipline and respect from your teammates. For senior rower Rachel Savage, leadership isn't just about one person.

"I have a different idea on what leadership is," Savage said. "I've realized every single person on the team has the potential to be a leader, and everyone does it in their own way."

Rowing isn't a typical sport. Rowers must attend 5 a.m. practices, two-a-day workouts and train all year. Savage must be in bed by 9:30 p.m. Sunday through Friday in order to get enough rest for her early morning routines.

"I guess it's the constant repetition," Savage said about the physical challenges, "just keeping going and staying upbeat. We train all year. The very first practice in the 2k (1.24 miles) is tough. It's not long enough for it to be endurance but not short enough to be a sprint. You have to be pushing yourself to be good."

Along with the brutal workouts year round, Savage also has to battle something entirely different: type 1 diabetes.

An average person's blood sugar is around 120 milligrams per deciliter, but by the end of a 7-minute race the adrenaline rush could cause Savage's blood sugar to rise to 300 mg/dl.

Yet, Savage has never missed a race due to diabetes. Her coxswain helps her by bringing extra glucose in the boat as a precaution.

When Savage arrived at SPU her freshman year, she decided to join the crew team. And, like a lot of the other crewmembers, she struggled with a decision to quit crew altogether. The early morning practices and not having the "typical college experience" made her think about calling it quits, Savage said.

Her mom gave her a different perspective on how to think about college life by telling her that being on crew would be a positive way to define her college career.

Savage later made friends and learned a few life lessons, such as discipline and leadership, which helps keep her motivated, she said.

"This year, (crew) has completely changed who I am -- the self-confidence and leadership. Crew is a metaphor for every single thing in life," Savage said.

During Savage's novice year, 40 to 50 women showed up at the beginning of the crew season. By the end of the year, only nine were left. Head coach Keith Jefferson has said before that it takes a special kind of person to do this sport.

Every year Savage recollects her reasons for staying with crew. She said crew is tough every year, even with experience, and she still has to work to be motivated.

"I've questioned that a lot," Savage said. "I've always had this feeling that I know this will be good for me. But it's the people and friendships that have made me stay here."

Savage said one of her greatest motivations to persisting in crew is seeing her teammates succeed.

"I love my teammates. Every single one of them has so much integrity and drive," Savage said. "They really motivate me in different ways. Seeing the way they push themselves and the different qualities in people is what I find admirable."

Like many of her teammates, Savage did not participate in any team sports in high school. She pole-vaulted and for a few summers did trapeze tricks at Trapeze High outside her hometown of Encinitas, Calif.

In her final season, Savage has earned the team captain honors. She races in the SPU women's eight and varsity four boats. The varsity four has finished in first place in three out of the four regattas it has competed in this season.

"It's all about how well you deal with the conditions," Savage said of her regattas. "But in a race you can tell what the external factors are and control them by which team can power through it."

After all her dedication to crew, Savage has a changed perspective on what it means to be leader.

"I used to think leaders had to be good speakers and good at telling people what to do," Savage said. "There are people who are amazing at motivational speaking. There are people who are quiet in their own way. Everyone is contributing."

© 2008-2010 The Falcon        Contact        Advertise        SPU.edu