Despite the rigorous physical requirements and strict time commitments, sophomore Sarah Burnham discovered her passion for rowing in the fall of her freshman year.

“This is the first sport I’ve ever played. I remember filling out these ‘get-to-know-you’ worksheets asking about our hobbies and struggling to come up with anything besides watching TV. I know it sounds cheesy, but I basically felt incomplete because I didn’t play a sport. So, when the rowing club recruited at school and I got the best time for a 120-meter piece, I jumped right on it,” Burnham said.

Burnham rows for the St. Louis Rowing Club, the only non-collegiate rowing team in Missouri. She rows with about 30 other girls on the varsity team and practices two hours per day for six days each week.

“Rowing is a really hard sport; it’s very physically demanding since it’s a racing sport. There’s been times when I would push myself so far that I’d feel numb and dizzy. I’d barely be able to stand up, and I would often go home with a headache. I get nervous about practice if we’re going to have a hard workout because I know how excruciating and taxing it can be. It’s hard to stay motivated because it’s so easy to forget what you’re rowing for,” Burnham said.

Another obstacle that Burnham faces is the technique when she’s in the boat.

“I struggled with the technique in the fall. I learned that a good stroke is more than just getting a blade in the water; it’s knowing what to do with your body to produce the most powerful stroke,” Burnham said. “That requires doing certain things with your hands and body, like keeping your shoulders back at the catch, keeping your posture straight and pivoting your outside hand for a clean finish. Timing is also crucial. You have to get your blade in the water at the split second that everyone else does, or else the set will be thrown off, and you’ll go slower.”

In spite of the struggles, Burnham continues to work hard in order to be successful.

“I can’t really say I like the action of rowing itself — it’s physically challenging and literally painful sometimes, yet I’ve become addicted to it. I eat better; I’m more fit and healthy; I’ve developed really great friendships; and I work much harder now because of rowing. In the times I want to quit, I just remind myself that there is so much more good coming out of this than anything an off-day can produce,” Burnham said.

Burnham hopes to earn a rowing scholarship for college.

“I definitely plan to row in college, and I also plan to row pretty much for the rest of my life as long as my body and schedule can handle it,” Burnham said.