Dec. 20, 1999

by Gene Brtalik

By definition, a captain is one who showcases both leadership and experience. Most teams have their captain selected through the democratic process of voting. Teammates look for the person who will lead them in the right direction and also one who has showed the ability to lead during previous years. Last spring when it came time for the women’s rowing team to select the captains to lead them into their season one odd choice appeared on a majority of the ballots – Katrina Ten Eyck. What made Ten Eyck the right choice to lead Coach Martin Stone’s blossoming program?

Was it the fact that she had vast experience? Well, not exactly, Ten Eyck only started rowing as a junior in college when she finally had enough time to compete in Notre Dame’s newest varsity sport.

Maybe it had to do with the rowing tradition surrounding her family and that she comes from a long line of great rowers and scullers who were instrumental in putting the sport of rowing on the map? Once again this was not a primary reason behind the selection, because as Stone put it, “I am not sure if her family history is well known amongst the team.”

Maybe while growing up she learned about the sport and was intrigued by it? Ten Eyck is actually from Keystone, S.D., while rowing is still sculling through the Midwest.

Well then it must be that she is the coxswain or leader of her individual boat? Nope, Ten Eyck is just one of eight rowers in Notre Dame’s Open Eight boat.

So then why did the team choose Ten Eyck as its captain?

“I think it was because I reach out to all the girls,” stated Ten Eyck. “I unify all the personalities, and I tend to be neutral on team decisions.”

“The team elected her as captain because they have an all around respect for her,” Stone added.

Now that we know why Ten Eyck was elected captain we need to figure out how she got to that spot. She started rowing at the beginning of her junior year at Notre Dame. Ten Eyck was a natural when she sat in the boat for the first time, she knew what to do and how to do it.

“I think it was my body type and structure that attributed to the fact that I was able to pick it up quick,” said the 6-foot senior.

“She is a natural rower with good size and power,” Stone added.

Contrary to popular belief, rowing teams look for taller rowers who will be able to muscle the boat as opposed to the smaller rowers who will help the boat glide easily on the water. Look at any of the top-ranked teams and you will find the smallest rower is the coxswain, and that is because they are the guiding force and their size and power does not mean much. On Notre Dame’s rowing team, you will find Ten Eyck situated in the top Open Eight boat with her oar held tightly in her hands.

Ten Eyck will be the first to admit that her technique may not be the best, but that is mainly ddue to inexperience. After spending most of the fall of 1998 with the novice or junior varsity team, Ten Eyck powered herself to the top proving that her technique wasn’t as rusty as she thought it was. One reason for the improvement in her technique was the practices Stone ran throughout the year. Stone would put the girls through a rigorous practice each day often sending them home tired and wondering why they choose to participate in this sport.

“The practices helped develop our mental strengths, it made us feel that we could deal with anything,” stated Ten Eyck, “Coach demanded high performance out of us at every practice, and those practices helped toughen us.”

The practices did pay off though as the Lighweight Eight boat was ranked amongst the top 15 last year, and the fact that many of this year’s practices have been technically better than all of last year’s combined in the eyes of Stone.

Ten Eyck, who is one of seven siblings, isn’t the only member of her family to row. Her great grandfather was a highly regarded coach who is cited as helping organize rowing on the collegiate level while he was at Syracuse University. When her great grandfather wasn’t organizing rowing events, he was busy instructing Katrina’s grandfather, Edward, who is viewed as the greatest sculler in history as he went undefeated. Today, there is an award named after him given to the best men’s rowing team in the land.

Although, neither one of her descendants played a big role in her decision to row, one person who does is Jesus. Walk past her room and one will notice the vivid Catholic imagery displayed on her door and bulletin board. Ten Eyck contemplates daily a life serving God as a nun, although she has not made a final decision on that but her personal goals revolve around serving God and the church.

“I row for the glory of God and that everything I do is out of love for God,” Ten Eyck proudly states.

Aside from having her goals, Ten Eyck has team goals as well.

“I want the team to succeed,” Ten Eyck said. “I also want so see the novices enjoy rowing and continue to improve and the varsity to grow stronger.” Above all personal and desired team goals, the entire rowing team selected as their number one goal to represent Notre Dame in everything they do.”

To represent Notre Dame to the fullest maybe the number one goal of all team members, but Ten Eyck also agrees that the team wants to see the sport grow as a whole. Early on, the sport was featured throughout schools on the East Coast, but recently the sport has spread to the Midwest, the South, and some Western schools adopting the sport as their own. The BIG EAST Conference boasts nine school that host varsity teams, while Midwest schools such as Purdue, Minnesota and Iowa all have rowing programs as well,

For now though, the sport is new to Notre Dame and one of its captains may not have a lot of experience or perfect techinque, but they do have someone to reach out to and unify their personalities and continue to lead them to the next level. That person is Katrina Ten Eyck.