The women’s rowing program is looking for driven, dedicated young women to from all athletic backgrounds who seek an opportunity to try a new sport, get in shape, and ultimately try out for the varsity women’s rowing team. No prior rowing experience needed! We can give the right athlete what they need to know to be part of a competitive Division 1 program.
Rowing is among the few collegiate sports to offer walk-on opportunities with no prior experience needed. Student-athletes who join the program have opportunities to eventually earn athletic-based scholarships. More than half of the United States’ women’s rowing team at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games started their careers as college walk-ons!
Interested or want to learn more?
CLICK HERE to fill out our walk-on questionnaire or contact Assistant Coach Ilyana Achziger at iva1@stmarys-ca.edu
What is Novice Rowing?
- Novice simply means that you have not rowed before and you are new to the sport.
- This term is widely used in rowing to organize teams, classify races, and develop training strategies.
- If you choose to join the Saint Mary's College Women’s Rowing team as a novice, you are a varsity athlete and you represent the college much like any other Gael would.
Why Tryout for Novice Rowing?
Rowing is one of the few sports that you can learn in college and have an opportunity to compete at the highest level.
This is a great opportunity for competitive, team-minded athletes to attend a top athletic and academic college. No experience necessary! In the novice (first) year at Saint Mary's College new rowers gain the skill, culture and fitness to be successful competing at the NCAA Division 1 level.
Learn a new sport
- Get in the best shape of your life
- Build lifelong friendships
- Be part of a fun, supportive and hardworking team
- Receive academic credit
- Join the SMC student-athlete community
- Train at the Division 1 level
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT NOVICE ROWING
1. Do I need previous rowing experience to join the team?
NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY!
A novice rower is an athlete in their first year of collegiate rowing. At Saint Mary's College, our experienced coaching staff will design a program that will teach our novice everything they need to know to compete with, and against, other elite athletes. 90% of our novice team has no previous rowing experience. After novice year, athletes transition to the varsity squad where you compete with the best Division 1 rowers and can even earn an athletic scholarship.
2. What type of athletes are we looking for?
Someone with a combination of the following:
- Determination– the willingness to show up to practice every day and give the team your full effort no matter what
- Ability to learn, adapt, and progress athletically and mentally
- Athletic Background (swimming, running, soccer....bring it on!)
- Team player (rowing is the ULTIMATE team sport!)
- Height (5’8” or taller or determined enough to make up the difference)
- Competitiveness and a strong desire to win
- Willing to represent Saint Mary's College and be proud to call yourself a Gael
3. As a Saint Mary's College student-athlete you will:
- Learn how to row!
- Get in shape with our strength and conditioning staff
- Compete against other novice teams this Fall
- Have access to high quality coaches, Under Armour apparel and athletic training and academic support staff
- Be a part of a fun, supportive, hard working team
- Learn how to endure, push yourself, accomplish your goals, and be your best self
4. What about my class schedule?
We understand that you didn’t come to Saint Mary's College this Fall planning on being a member of Gael athletics. For this reason we work around your current class schedule. As a varsity athlete, you will have priority registration for the spring semester and beyond which makes it easy to accommodate both classes and rowing. When making your Fall class schedule in your novice year, do your best to keep 2-5pm open.
Throughout the year we gradually build on the time demands of being a varsity athlete to give you the opportunity to adjust. Last year our women's rowing student-athletes earned a team GPA of 3.28 and we've had 37 scholar athletes and 6 All-WCC Academic Team Honorees in just the past three years! As a varsity athlete you will have access to our academic support staff throughout the year and will earn .25 credit per year while participating on the women's rowing team.
5. What is practice like?
During the Fall semester, we practice 5-6 days a week. Strength and conditioning practices are held in the brand new Sports Performance Center and water practices are held at the SMC Boathouse on beautiful Briones Reservoir in Orinda (just a short drive from campus - transportation is provided). Fall practices start the second week of class.
We start with basic technique on the erg (indoor rowing machine) and fitness training with our amazing strength and conditioning staff. From there we progress to rowing on the water while expanding your cardio base and core strength. We use our winter season to get fit – consisting of running, erging and strength training. When you return for Jan Term, we get out on the water and row. Each day we build on the day before (physically, mentally and technically) to be as prepared and as fit as possible when we race at the West Coast Conference Championships in May.
6. What are the next steps?
Check our social media (@SMC_rowing) to learn more about when and how to get started or contact the novice coach, Ilyana Achziger at iva1@stmarys-ca.edu.
This is your opportunity to try a new sport and see if it is something that you are interested in pursuing and it is an opportunity to see if you have what it takes to be a Division 1 rower.
7. What can I do now to help me prepare?
The best thing that you can do to prepare for your first year as a rower is to be active. There are many sports and physical activities that can grow your fitness level.
Make sure you are admitted to Saint Mary's College. If you still need to apply, you can do so
HERE.
If you have time over the summer you can register with the
NCAA Eligibility Center. Getting this done in advance can save some time later in the year, but you don’t have to do it before you try the sport. Over the first two weeks of the Fall semester, we will assist you in checking off all NCAA eligibility requirements.
BECOME A DIVISION 1 STUDENT-ATHLETE WITH NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE!
#GaelsRise
