On Friday, Nov. 11, 2011, Central Bucks East senior Stephanie Sager signed a letter of intent to row at the University of Massachusetts.
Stephanie Sager – University of Massachusetts (Rowing)
Major: Communications (Sports Broadcasting)
Final list of colleges: Massachusetts, Delaware, University of North Carolina, Duquesne, Lehigh, Marist
Reasons for choosing UMass: “I did a bunch of college trips – I went to a lot of different schools, and I figured out what I wanted in a school and what I didn’t. UMass was actually the last school I went to visit. At that point, I was kind of losing hope that I would find a school that fit, not only with the rowing team but also academically. When I went to UMass, I absolutely loved the team, I loved the coaches, and I loved the school. It was just the perfect fit.”
How did you get your start in rowing? “I have been rowing since the summer after my freshman year in high school. I got involved in rowing through my dad’s business partner. His daughter rowed as well, and he always said that I should row and that it would be a great fit for me, so I decided to take it up and see what happened, and it turned out pretty well.”
Where do you row? “I row for a really small club in Lambertville, New Jersey, called Swan Creek Rowing Club. Most teams have a big boathouse and a lot of boats and a lot of team members. There are about 40 boys and girls on our team, and we don’t have a boathouse or a dock. We take our boats off planks of wood every day and then walk into the water, even when it’s 30 degrees outside and freezing. I love my team, I love everything about it, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
What was your practice and racing schedule? “I practice Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings, and we have off-day practices that we design on our own. I go to the gym and work out there too.
“We have races in the summer and the fall. There are two different types of rowing. In the summer and spring, it’s sprint racing, which is everybody lines up at the start and the first one to the end wins. In the fall, they have head racing where you race against the clock basically. You don’t know who won until you’re off the water and maybe even an hour later because they compare times.”
When did you start thinking about rowing at the collegiate level? “Probably towards the end of my sophomore year and the beginning of my junior year when I went on my first college visit to Bucknell and I realized the opportunities that rowing would have for me in the future, not only to get me in better schools and keep me in shape, but it also gave me the opportunity to meet new people and learn a skill that not too many people have.”
About Stephanie:
Favorite food: Macaroni and cheese
Favorite movie: Sweet Home Alabama
Favorite music: “I listen to a lot of different music – on my iPod, it’s everything from country music to alternative music to the random metals that my brothers download and end up on my iPod.”
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