From Doubt to Determination: Amanda’s Rowing Journey

In high school, Amanda tried just about every sport. Volleyball? No thanks—too much spandex. Basketball? She was tall, so it made sense. Soccer? She played from freshman to junior year. Marching band even made the list. She was decent at all of them but never truly great.

Meanwhile, her friends were into rowing. She didn’t understand the appeal—plus, the whole spandex thing again. But as her interest in basketball faded, she found herself looking for something different. In the winter of her senior year, she decided to give rowing a shot.

Discovering a Competitive Edge

At first, rowing wasn’t about the water—it was about the erg. She started training on the rowing machine, and something clicked. For the first time, she wasn’t just competing against others—she was competing against herself, both physically and mentally.

Then came the real test: a 2K. Her first attempt was around eight minutes—not bad, but she knew she could do better. Over that weekend, she pushed herself at Gold’s Gym, shaving 20 seconds off her time. By Monday, she had a 7:40 and something to prove. When she showed her coach the result, they saw potential. Suddenly, Amanda—who had never even touched an oar—was thrown into a varsity boat.

She had been given an opportunity, and she wasn’t about to waste it.

A New Path Forward

As college application season rolled around, Amanda started to wonder—could rowing be her way forward? Paying for college would mean taking out student loans, but maybe, just maybe, rowing could help.

She researched schools with rowing programs, found the names of recruiters, and sent an email: Here’s who I am. Here’s my erg time. It’s a long shot, but I’d love to talk.

The University of Virginia responded. She and her mom made the trip to meet with the recruiter and the Novice Women’s Coach, Veronika Platzer. Amanda told her story, took a shot, and UVA took a chance on her. They saw something in her—grit. She was offered a partial scholarship (25%) and headed back home with her decision made. By spring, she was already competing at junior nationals. 

Though her high school coach doubted she had what it took to compete at UVA, Amanda didn’t set her own limitations. She had reached out, taken the leap—and now she was here.

Proving Herself

Freshman year was a whirlwind of transitions. The expectations were higher, the competition fiercer—it was a world of adjustments, and Amanda faced the question: Could she rise to the challenge? With support from her coach and a drive to succeed, Amanda found herself constantly proving her worth, testing her limits against some of the most competitive athletes she had ever faced.

By sophomore year, she made varsity.

Her breakthrough came when the assistant coach saw the athlete she could be. He pushed her every step of the way, and Amanda met every challenge. Then, in the NCAA championships, she won gold in the four—by ten seconds. Her scholarship jumped from 25% to 50%.

Junior year, Amanda was seat racing for the varsity eight and stroking the second varsity boat, where she led with determination and skill. Her hard work paid off at the end of the year—she earned a full-ride scholarship going into senior year.

Hard work. Perseverance. Leadership. Amanda had proved herself not just physically but mentally.

By senior year, she became co-captain of the team and competed in one of the best races of her life. In the varsity eight, her boat finished 2nd at NCAA’s with a heart-racing finish, "losing" to the other team by just a bow ball.

Lessons Beyond the Boat

If she had never taken that first chance on rowing, Amanda’s life would have been completely different. She had no idea, growing up in Virginia—a place not exactly known for rowing—that she’d end up in a sport recognized worldwide.

But she had taken that leap.

She learned that nothing is handed to you. Success doesn’t come from sitting back and waiting—it comes from chasing down every opportunity, no matter how unlikely it seems.

Reaching for More

Amanda became an All-American and All-ACC and was invited to try out for the U23 National Team in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. She trained at sculling camps, pushing herself at an international level.

At 5’9”, she was considered short for elite rowing, but that didn’t stop her. During a grueling 6K test, she placed second, and the head coach saw potential for her in the eight. But she made a choice—she stayed in the quad. It was the loyal decision, sticking with the teammates she had trained with.

The eight won silver. The quad didn’t. But Amanda had no regrets.

The Next Chapter

She could have continued rowing professionally, but after years of pushing her limits, her body needed rest. The injuries had added up. The love for the sport was still there, but she wasn’t ready to commit to a career in it.

What she had built—through college, through summers of training—was a deep sense of camaraderie. Rowing had shaped her into the person and leader she was meant to be.

Now, as a leader at Bainbridge Island Rowing, Amanda sees hundreds of juniors stepping into the sport for the first time. Her mission is clear: Anything is possible.

She hears kids say it all the time—I’m not good enough. I’m not fast enough. They put limits on themselves before they even try.

Her goal is to help them break those barriers. To push past the loud voices of doubt—whether from friends, coaches, or their own heads—and to take that shot.

Because she knows firsthand: You don’t know what’s possible until you try.