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| | | (SPECIAL/www.northfulton.com)
It was the first year girls from the Atlanta Junior Rowing Association raced in the US Youth Rowing National Regatta in Cincinnati. They placed fifteenth in their event, which took place during June 13-15. (click for larger version) | |
June 30, 2008
www.northfulton.com
JOHNS CREEK -- Dipping into the talent at Northview High School, an astonishing six students qualified to participate in the U.S. Rowing Youth National Regatta during June.
The regatta, which took place June 13-15 in Cincinnati, is known as a premier high school rowing event in the country. This year 129 clubs from 25 different states competed in the event. Rowers train for years to have a shot at entering the event, and in this case, six Atlanta Junior Rowing Association team members had escalated chances of participating due to joint involvement with the Northview High School crew club. The crew club had 21 rowers compete with the association this past season.
Northview students and rowing association members Jillian Mickle, Victoria Hartmann, Madi Shields, Sarah Darling, Katlin Johnson and Matt Cecil have each been rowing between two and three years. They train out on the water and on land through running, weight training and rowing machines six days a week with the rowing association at a boathouse in Roswell.
All six are considered top athletes within the association by their coaches – who are certified to train students through USRowing – through row form, on-land running times and scores on the rowing machine. The analysis determines which students make the top boat within the association. During May, the association's best boats went down to Tampa to qualify for the national regatta at the Southeast Regional Championships.
"There were 39 teams from seven states at the regional championships," said incoming Atlanta Junior Rowing Association President George Shields, whose daughter Madi made the team going to nationals. "Boats had to finish in the top three in their event in order to qualify to attend the national regatta."
The hard work on the part of Atlanta-area rowers paid off. The team medaled in five events.
The level of effort students put into the rowing is important to their futures, according to incoming Atlanta Junior Rowing Association President George Shields.
"This regatta is attended by many college coaches, who use [the national] regatta to help identify rowers they wish to recruit to row at the college level," he said.
"It was really exciting," said Madi Shields, who is being recruited to row for several different colleges. "I have never seen so many boats together."
The girls boat placed 15th and the boys boat placed 17th at the national regatta.
"We hadn't rowed against any of them throughout the season so we weren't sure what we were up against," said Madi. "This was our first year competing [at the national event] so it was really good for us to even qualify. We hope to do even better next year."
In addition to the large amount of Northview student rowers, local students from Roswell, Milton, Centennial and St. Francis high schools also were a part of the two teams.
Shields is quick to praise their efforts and the continued acknowledgment they have received from Fulton County Schools.
"Our club, is [especially] grateful to Principal [Peter Zervakos] at Northview for recognizing and supporting rowing as a varsity sport," he said.
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