A s a joke, senior Ava Werner filled out a form she received in the mail encouraging her to go out for rowing at Kansas State University. However, once she was accepted into the program, she took the opportunity to try something new.
Werner has never rowed competitively before, but she has a talent for picking up sports that are new to her.
“I tried tennis for the first time, and powerlifting, I’ve only done it once,” Werner said. “So I was like, ‘I feel like I could try [rowing] for the first time.”
This past year she got into powerlifting and competed in state competitions where she placed third at state in 4A.
“I started going to my trainer,” Werner said, “He was asking me if I was going to do it, and at first I was like, ‘No’ but I knew he was going to force me to anyway, so I was like, ‘I might just try it.”
Like powerlifting, to prepare for rowing, Werner works with her trainer to build endurance and strength. Using a rowing machine, Werner practices the motions she would do as one of the eight rowers in a boat. K-State reached out to Werner based on qualities that the coach believed would qualify her to be a rower.
“They said they look at stats of sports from schools all around Kansas, and they look at your height and what sports you play,” Werner said.”I think they look at if you’re not playing a college sport. They look to see if you fit the build, and then they send you something in the mail.”
With her major undecided, Werner said progressing towards rowing makes her feel like she has a goal to work toward.
“I’m nervous, but none of the recruits have experience either,” Werner said. “I feel like it would be fun, and it’s a D1 opportunity.”