In the summer of 2000, at seventeen, I decided to take a karate class. My first day there, a parent of another kid in the class asked what sports I did and had I ever considered rowing. I got the phone number of the Winnipeg Rowing Club and called right away.
I went down to the club for my first practice on July 18th, 2000. I found out that I knew my coach and some of my high school friends were also there. The new kids all went in an 8+ (Eight with Coxswain, sweep rowing) and what a mess that was. I was awful!!! I kept missing the water, and continued to have the blade handle of the guy behind me in the back, knocking the wind out of me. I was wondering what people kept coming back to such a painful sport for!
Day 2, I did some dock side rowing with another girl in the double (2x, sculling, two blades each). When we took enough strokes in a stable environment, we were ready to push off the dock. Sculling was much more of a natural movement for me. This was something that I could handle. I was becoming a fan. My coach said it looked good for such a new person to the sport.
Day 3, my new partner was missing and I was sent out in a single. I had no idea that the boat was so small!!! I was doing ok for the first 700m until my coach left to check on the other rowers. I turned around to see where the river turned and FLIPPED!!! I did NOT want to ever fall into the Red River. I was shocked and scared to put my feet down. I was leaning on the boat and had my feet up behind me and waited until my coach returned to get me out!
For some reason, even though I flipped, I wanted to come back the next day and do it again. Maybe I could make it to the turn next time. I wasn't in a single again, but I did make it to the corner and beyond.
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