Most memorable crew experience?
My most memorable experience at Crew was intrasquad race! My group wore plague masks for every race and we made it pretty far in the progression.

Most embarrassing crew experience?
My most embarrassing moment was constantly falling off of the c-block and missing the block with my feet when I jumped up.

Favorite regatta?
My favorite regatta would have to be youth nationals of 2019. My first and last nationals.

What will you miss the most?
What I will miss the most about crew is the amazing people and coaches who made being on a huge team feel like a tight family.

What Crew taught you?
Crew taught me that when you train its to better yourself which in turn betters your teammates. Crew also taught me that even if there is nothing to train for in the near future you never know what your far future holds so do it for your future self.

Most memorable crew experience?
Racing the Lightweight Double at Nationals 2019 with Elise. I’ll never forget racing down Benderson in silence (no coxswains) and hearing Coach Kirby cheering us on. Every part of training and racing with just one other person was so different than my other Nationals experiences, and it made it so much more personal and rewarding

Most embarrassing crew experience?
Coach Caitlynn firing me from rigger duty on the trailer in front of everyone after a set of straight 4 riggers arrived at Benderson instead of the correct ones.

Favorite regatta?
Sculling States 2018, in the Lightweight Quad. We put everything we had into walking through Miami in the final meters of the race to win by less than a seat. That gold medal means more to me than any other.

What will you miss the most?
Being part of a team. Through this community, I have found my best friends and closest advisors, trained with teammates that motivate me to better myself, and had lots and lots of laughs.

What Crew taught you?
Take advantage of the opportunities you’re given. Always have a goal set to be striving toward. And if it starts getting tough and you’re feeling burned out, the most important thing you can do is just keep showing up.

Most memorable crew experience?
Head of the Charles 2018 after we finished expecting maybe 10th place after the race, and getting off the dock into the boathouse to hear we got third was a big surprise and overall good feeling.

Most embarrassing crew experience?
Putting my single in the water and trying to grab my oars not noticing it was floating away, I had to jump in the water and get it.

Favorite regatta?
Nationals 2018, It was a hard-fought race that was a bonding experience and had set a hardworking tone for the next year.

What will you miss the most?
I will miss rowing and going to practice with all the boys one last time.

What Crew taught you?
Crew has taught me to be able to work through difficult or tough situations whether its on or off the water. They showed me a lot about responsibility, and they have opened doors I didn’t think I will be able to go through and help me figure out where I’m going and what I’m doing in my life.

Most memorable crew experience?
My most memorable moment was coming back senior year and being placed in the 3v based on single trials because the previous year I got bottom 8 every time.

Most embarrassing crew experience?
I dropped a 45-pound bar across my foot breaking my big toe, and unable to race or practice for a little over a month.

Favorite regatta?
Sweep States 2019

What will you miss the most?
I will miss all my best friends and teammates.

What Crew taught you?
Crew has taught me time management, commitment, and it has taught me anything is possible with hard work and perseverance.

Most memorable crew experience?
My most memorable crew experience would be placing 2nd at Nationals in the lightweight 8+. We accomplished a lot as a boat that season and knowing all the hard work payed off was a feeling I’ll never forget.

Most embarrassing crew experience?
My most embarrassing crew experience was getting pulled over for speeding on my way to a Benderson practice and Coach Casey witnessed it.

Favorite regatta?
My favorite regatta would be Youth Regionals 2019. We were working really hard to beat Belen Crew because they had been in the top 3 spots at Nationals in the past 2 years so beating them would give us a good indicator of where we stood on the national scale. That weekend we beat them by more than we thought we could, and it was great motivation to keep working hard.

What will you miss the most?
I will miss all my friends and Coaches the most.

What Crew taught you?
Crew has taught me that you need to put in the work for the desired outcome, keep pushing yourself until you reach your goals and never settle for anything less.

Women's Coach|Assisstant 

• 1st year coaching Sarasota Crew
• Email:  cassi@sarasotaCrew.org

Most memorable crew experience?
There are so many memorable times I had with Sarasota Crew but Regionals 2018 is my favorite memory. This regatta was so important to our boat because it was our chance to qualify the Varsity 8 for nationals after 2 years of not qualifying. Right off the start we were behind, but as we crossed the halfway mark our boat began build speed. We caught up to the other boats and were even with 500 meters to go. Crossing the finish line we could not believe what we had just done, we had won the race by a few tenths of a second. The emotion and happiness of that day was an amazing moment that I will always remember.

Most embarrassing crew experience?
Scnovgirls. If you know, you know.

Favorite regatta?
Head of the Charles has always been my favorite regatta because it is a beautiful and fun course to race on. I also love racing teams from all across the country and getting to see friends from different teams.

What will you miss the most?
I will miss the friends that I have made here at crew. Spending every day together and working hard towards a common goal brings us so close together. I have made the most amazing friends at Sarasota Crew and I know I will have those friends for years to come.

What Crew taught you?
Rowing has allowed me to push myself physically, mentally, and emotionally in ways that I never expected. I have been rowing for Sarasota Crew for six years and was a part of the US Junior National Team for three years. Throughout these years, I have been given new challenges, relationships, and lessons that will stick with me for the rest of my life. I have learned to work with a team toward a common goal, be a fierce, respectful competitor, trust my coaches and teammates, and work harder than I ever thought possible.

Most memorable crew experience?
Traveling to Clemson with all my friends and racing.

Most embarrassing crew experience?
Throwing up my first day of practice in 8th grade.

Favorite regatta?
Sweep States 2019

What will you miss the most?
The routine of always going to practice and the fun regattas.

What Crew taught you?
Teamwork, time management, and that hard work pays off in the end.

Most memorable crew experience?
I think my most memorable experience was how easy it was to make the transition to Sarasota Crew and how much support I got from teammates and coaches in settling in and making friends.

Most embarrassing crew experience?
On the first day of practice I had just finished the 21-hour drive from my house in upstate NY to Sarasota and pulled into Nathan Benderson Park at 4 pm just in time for the start of practice, and I remember that day was a rigging day for Head of the Hog and our workout was a course run-through and then 300 unweighted lunges, and over the amount of time it took pretty much everyone else to finish their 300 lunges I completed about 90.

Favorite regatta?
I think out of the few regattas I was a part of my favorite was definitely the intrasquad regatta, This was my favorite regatta because of how much fun it was.

What will you miss the most?
I think I am going to miss just being a part of the team at Sarasota Crew the most, being here has been the best experience with rowing I have had. The mutual support and experience from all the parents and other athletes on the team. I don’t think I have felt much a part of a team before I moved to the Sarasota Crew.

What Crew taught you?
Sarasota Crew taught me that if you’re in the right place the people around you are going to support your personal goals, and to be proud of what you want to accomplish. I don’t think I have ever hade as much support surrounding myself in my past 5 or 6 years of rowing as I have had in the past 4 months that I have been at Sarasota Crew.

Most memorable crew experience?
My most memorable moment was winning Intrasquad 2019 with the Burger Boys

Most embarrassing crew experience?
My most embarrassing moment was my first singles trial.

Favorite Regatta?
Sculling States 2019

What will you miss the most?
I will definitely miss the people who could always make practice and regattas the most enjoyable.

What Crew taught you?
Crew has taught me to stay respectful, to always keep my head down and remain humble, and to have fun in the meantime.

Most memorable crew experience?
My most memorable experience was night racing at Oklahoma. We always put a ton of neon lights on our boats and load up on free energy drinks in preparation for the 250m race.

Most embarrassing crew experience?
My most embarrassing experience would have to be my Sophomore Summer Clinic when I first joined the team. It was my first time in a single, and expectedly I flipped. After a lot of flailing, I finally got back in after a whopping 45 minutes.

Favorite regatta?
States is always awesome. The workup to the race is always super exciting.

What will you miss the most?
I will absolutely miss the camaraderie.

What Crew taught you?
Crew has taught me about being disciplined in my endeavors and to push through the suck because the end result is worth it.

Most memorable crew experience?
My most memorable crew experience was nationals 2018. This race made me believe that I had a future in rowing. Meeting my friends and family on the beach after the race was the best experience that rowing has ever gifted me.

Most embarrassing crew experience?
My most embarrassing crew moment happened the summer leading into my sophomore year. I flipped right off the dock, in front of a u23 men’s eight that was training for Canadian Henley.

Favorite regatta?
My favorite regatta was Head of the Charles in 2018. We got 3rd but it was a great experience for my boat mates and I. We performed very well and did better than we expected and had a ton of fun together in Boston.

What will you miss the most?
I will miss the community around crew the most. Everyone cares for each other and wants you to succeed. I always feel at home at practice, there is always someone I can talk to or ask for help.

What Crew taught you?
Crew taught me many things. But the most important thing crew has taught me is how to be confident in myself. Before crew, I struggled with self-confidence, but after my six-year journey I have never felt better about myself.

Most memorable crew experience?
Qualifying the Varsity 4+ for nationals in 2018.

Most embarrassing crew experience?
Slipping and falling on the dock at the new site, the second day there, in front of everyone.

Favorite regatta?
Regionals 2019

What will you miss the most?
The level of teamwork and my friends.

What Crew taught you?
How to be a responsible person.

Most memorable crew experience?
Winning the Women's Lwt 8+ at Southeast Regionals in 2019. We had gotten 3rd the year before, and as we got to the sprint, it started pouring. We won by about a boat length of open water and it was probably the best race I've had.

Most embarrassing crew experience?
I stepped on a wooden sling at a regatta and broke it and came crying to Kirby because I thought I was going to be kicked off the team.

Favorite regatta?
Southeast Regionals 2019, such a fun time with the girls team and great racing.

What will you miss the most?
The comradery. I've made friendship's that'll last my whole life and I'm going to miss everyone on this team so much.

What Crew taught you?
To savor every moment. I learned this year that things can end without any warning, and I wish I had savored every moment I could with this team, because now its over and there's so many thing I wish I could have done. It seems like the past 7 years went by in the blink of an eye, now I almost don't want it to end.

Most memorable crew experience?
Winning Nationals in 2018.

Most embarrassing crew experience?
The time when I fell off the trailer and Kirby caught me.

Favorite regatta?
Nationals is my favorite regatta because you get to race against people from all over the country and show off all of your hard work.

What will you miss the most?
The coaches and friends I have made over the last two and a half years.

What Crew taught you?
Crew has taught me how to be a teammate and how to achieve my goals.

Most memorable crew experience?
My most memorable crew experience was learning, at the Head of the Charles, that we had medaled. It was amazing to have moved up so many places from the year before.

Most embarrassing crew experience?
My most embarrassing crew experience was at practice when a fish jumped out of the water and smacked me in the head. Coach Kirby sent me home because she thought I might have a minor concussion.

Favorite regatta?
Head of the Charles 2019

What will you miss the most?
Sometimes the workouts are grueling and we hate them and sometimes we don’t get along. But at the end of the day, we care about each other and I will miss that camaraderie. I hope to have the same thing in my college career.

What Crew taught you?
Crew has taught me that putting in the extra time and the extra work to be prepared will pay off in the long run.

Most memorable crew experience?
Getting stuck in a Buffalo Wild Wings for several hours straight when my states boat went to get lunch together

Most embarrassing crew experience?
Doing surprisingly poorly in the one-mile runs.

Favorite regatta?
Head of the Charles Regatta

What will you miss the most?
The positive team dynamic that promoted mutual self-improvement

What Crew taught you?
The importance of a daily diligence in success

Most memorable crew experience?
My most memorable crew experience was placing third at youth nationals in the lightweight 8+ in 2019. I’ve never met a group of such hard-working people and I really saw what it meant to come together as a team.

Most embarrassing crew experience?
The 4v race at a plant regatta my freshman year got delayed by an hour and I had to go to the bathroom before we had even launched. While waiting someone made me laugh which lead to me peeing myself. I will never forget looking back and seeing Lily Houser's face.

Favorite regatta?
Youth nationals 2018 in California was my favorite regatta because it was where I found my people. It was an amazing experience and I will never forget the barbecue mac n cheese we ate.

What will you miss the most?
I will miss seeing my friends every day and making memories with them. Crew has given me my best friends and memories I will always cherish.

What Crew taught you?
Crew has taught me how to be patient. Nothing is given to you and sometimes life can be really unfair but in time everything will turn out how it’s supposed to.

Most memorable crew experience?
My most memorable crew experience was my first practice this January. I was excited to start at crew and everyone was super welcoming and nice.

Most embarrassing crew experience?
My first single trial at crew when I completely messed up the course.

Favorite regatta?
Regionals 2019

What will you miss the most?
I will miss all the people I’ve met who have made all of the travel and difficult workouts infinitely worth it. Knowing that you and your teammates are working hard together has been an unforgettable experience.

What Crew taught you?
Crew has taught me to have a strong work ethic, even when it’s not easy. I know this will benefit me throughout college rowing and far in the future.

Most memorable crew experience?
My most memorable crew experience was racing in the Lightweight 4+ my junior year at Southeast Regionals.

Most embarrassing crew experience?
My most embarrassing crew experience happened during freshman year practice when preparing for West Districts we flipped our four in the middle of the channel in front of so many varsity boats.

Favorite regatta?
My favorite regatta was 2019 Sweep States, winning the 3V8+.

What will you miss the most?
What I will miss most about Sarasota Crew was being surrounded by so many hard-working people, who were also my best friends.

What Crew taught you?
Crew has taught me that the work you put into the sport will always yield your individual results and placement.

Most memorable crew experience?
Winning the freshman 8+ at states 2017

Most embarrassing crew experience?
Fat Malakai at Club Nats 2016. If you know, you know.

Favorite regatta?
Youth Nats 2019

What will you miss the most?
Rigging boats at regattas and making jokes with my friends

What Crew taught you?
Anything is possible through hard work, and even if you don’t think people notice your work, they do.

Most memorable crew experience?
My most memorable experience was when we got third in the lightweight 8 at Nationals 2019. The pure happiness after that race was unforgettable and it showed me that with hard work and determination you can achieve your goals.

Most embarrassing crew experience?
Right before a race sophomore year, I was fixing my shoes and I accidentally pulled them all the way off the tracks. I thought I broke them and couldn’t figure out how to get them back on and they had to delay the entire race for me.

Favorite regatta?
Nationals 2018 was my favorite regatta. Getting to spend a week in California with my best friends, getting dinner together, and watching horror movies with them in between practices was one of my best memories. It was also my first time at nationals and it was a great experience getting to race at such a big regatta.

What will you miss the most?
I will miss rowing with my friends, making shirts together before regattas, and ice bathing after our races.

What Crew taught you?
Crew has taught me a lot over the years. It has taught me the importance of time management and not to take time for granted when you’re working towards your goals. It has also taught me how to be competitive and push myself to work for things I never thought were possible.

Most memorable crew experience?
My most memorable experience was definitely medaling at 2019 Head Of The Charles

Most embarrassing crew experience?
My most embarrassing experience was 2019 Sculling States when I caught such a bad crab in the Junior 4x that my oar broke in half.

Favorite regatta?
Head Of The Charles

What will you miss the most?
I'm going to miss my lovely drive to practice every day and both training and racing with my friends.

What Crew taught you?
Crew taught me that I am capable of much more than I think I am and to never let my mind hold me back.

Most memorable crew experience?
The most memorable experience I have is winning the light 8 at regionals, being the first Sarasota boat to do so in 5 years, it taught us that the varsity eight doesn't have to be the only boat capable of medaling at a national level

Most embarrassing crew experience?
Cutting my knee open in the sixth grade on the dock and making the entire team wet dock for a month.

Favorite regatta?
HOCR 2018, getting third after not expecting to even make top 5 was one of my happiest moments as a rower.

What will you miss the most?
I'll miss the atmosphere the most, being able to go somewhere with your friends that will push each one of you to your limits together is irreplaceable.

What Crew taught you?
Crew taught me what good character is,

Most memorable crew experience?
My most memorable crew experience was in 2018, winning the Regional Championship after placing fourth in time trials. It was the first time we qualified the Women’s Varsity 8 for Nationals since 2015. We had lost States two weeks before and worked extremely hard to qualify the boat and beat the team that had won States.

Most embarrassing crew experience?
At Clemson in front of the grandstands, I fell over my pair into the water while trying to put my oar in. Olivia Deniro and Coach Kirby were on the dock with me watching the whole thing happen. I popped my head out of the water to see Coach Kirby now sitting on the dock laughing at me.

Favorite regatta?
Head of the Charles

What will you miss the most?
I will miss the community of Sarasota Crew the most. It is a place that rewards hard work and drive while also making the sport fun. I am surrounded by some of the most competitive yet supportive people I know. We push each other and everyone wants to see one another succeed. Also, I will miss being able to watch a Sarasota sunrise every Saturday morning practice

What Crew taught you?
Crew has taught me almost everything I know about hard work and determination. You only get out of it however much hard work and time you put in. If you aren’t happy with where you are the only solution is to work harder.

Most memorable crew experience?
Not being able to even think during my first 2k at Crew because nearly all of the guys were yelling at me to go faster.

Most embarrassing crew experience?
Flipping in the cut because I trusted Christian Yu to tighten my oarlock.

Favorite regatta?
Intrasquad #JokBotsONTOP

What will you miss the most?
All the great, new friends that I had made this year.

What Crew taught you?
“Hell hath no fury greater than a woman’s scorn” - Coach Casey Galvanek

Most memorable crew experience?
Getting silver at youth nationals in 2019

Most embarrassing crew experience?
OKC 2018- losing night-sprints because I didn’t steer straight

Favorite regatta?
Head of the Charles

What will you miss the most?
The friendships that I have built during my time on crew.

What Crew taught you?
The friendships that I have built during my time on crew

Most memorable crew experience?
Winning the Freshman Quad at Southeast Regionals

Most embarrassing crew experience?
Getting caught by Coach Caitlynn skateboarding with Victor in 8th grade

Favorite regatta?
Junior Year Sculling States

What will you miss the most?
My friends.

What Crew taught you?
What hard work really is.

Most memorable crew experience?
My most memorable crew experience was winning the V8 at regionals in 2018, which qualified us to race the 8 at nationals. This was extremely surprising because we did lose states, but after three weeks of hard work we were able to pull it off..

Most embarrassing crew experience?
My most embarrassing crew experience happened during 8th grade, when I was carrying a single and I hit the dock on the way up. The single fell off my shoulder and I watched the stern of the boat shatter in front of me. After that I got really scared and started crying when I had to tell Casey about what happened.

Favorite regatta?
My favorite regatta would be Head of the Charles 2019, when we placed 4th in the varsity eight, which is the best we have ever done.

What will you miss the most?
I will miss seeing some of my best friends every day, and all the fun times I’ve had with them at practice. The people at Sarasota Crew have become a second family to me, and for that I am very grateful.

What Crew taught you?
Crew has taught me to never give up and work very well with my teammates. It has taught me that in order to be successful, hard work is necessary. It has also taught me perseverance, especially during the two and a half hour straight rows.

Most memorable crew experience?
2018 HOCR…Rowing back to Harvard Boathouse after a solid race not knowing our results.   Hearing massive cheers erupt from on top of the Eliott Bridge as we passed under.  Glancing up to realize the cheers were for us.  Upon learning of the final results at the boathouse [3rd of 85], the emotions were intense!

Most embarrassing crew experience?
My 2nd week at Sarasota Crew I crashed Evan Dwinell’s Fluid Design Single into the rocks at NBP creating massive damage.   And, it was less than a minute after Casey had warned me to stay away from the rocks.

Favorite regatta?
2018 HOCR, 2018 US Rowing SE Regional, 2018 Southern Erg Sprints and 2019 US Rowing Club National Championships

What will you miss the most?
Teammates.  Coaches.  Parents.  Being a part of a Youth Rowing Program that delivered unprecedented results, yet provided the greatest fun of my entire life.

What Crew taught you?

-2nd Chances are Rare. Hold Yourself Accountable.
-Trust the Process. Follow the Plan.
-Relentlessly Advocate for Yourself.
-Set your Standards High and do Whatever it Takes to Realize Your Goals.
-Don’t be afraid to “Ask Where You Stand” with College Coaches.
-Being a Part of this Team, Permanently Altered the Trajectory of my life!