Once A Buckeye

Two weekends ago I traveled back to Columbus Ohio for the 30th Anniversary celebration of the Ohio State Women’s rowing Team. I did not anticipate what a profound experience it would be. I am still processing. All I felt. The old friends I saw. My family. Starboards. And ports. The Scioto river. The boathouse. The stadium. My home. A love so deep I didn’t realize.

To say I was lucky to row at Ohio State would be such an understatement. But I’ll say it anyway. It brings tears to my eyes to think about. A chance encounter at the French Field House with Kristen Mermagen. A scary conversation with my mom over Christmas break. A knowing without knowing that this sport would change my life.

During one of the speeches at the brunch on Sunday someone said “we choose this sport,” but I feel this sport chooses us. It becomes a family. Your life. All consuming. Madness. And brilliance. Pain and passion. Synchronicity. Devotion. Blistering. Raw. Unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced except perhaps the birth of my children or the death of my mom.

I saw my teammates from 2001-2002. Met the orignal rowers from 1995 when the program started. Saw my coaches. Smelled the locker room. Walked on the campus I spent the ages of 17 to 23 on.

Everything is Ohio State. Every door handle. Every sign. The people. The feeling. This place was my home. Was. Is. Part of me. Always.

I rowed in an eight with my teammates and it was as if it was yesterday we were training for Big Tens. Just yesterday I turned around to my bow partner Amanda and said “I need to pee” before the start of the race. Just yesterday winning the first title in team history. Just yesterday pulling together. For each other. For ourselves.

It’s funny. Most of my rowing career was spent with two oars instead of one. I sculled from 2003-2012. I only rowed sweep at Ohio state for a year and a half. But it was the beginning. It was the first time in my athletic experience I felt my intensity was matched by my teammates. It shaped me. It made me hunger. It made me rage. I wanted more.

Singing Carmen Ohio with a hundred other women who trained and competed for this program was so powerful. Time and change will surely show how firm thy friendship O-HI-O.

There is nothing like being an Ohio State Buckeye. There is nothing like rowing an eight for Ohio State women’s rowing. These women. They helped shape me into who I am. They loved me. They held me up. They pulled for me. And I pulled for them.

How could I forget? It’s been too long. We still pull for each other. We are bonded. We are Buckeyes.

I can’t even explain how much that weekend meant to me. And this rambling ode is the best I can do because I’m still overwhelmed by the experience of coming home.

Always a Buckeye!