Radcliffe Class of 2013: Fast Friends

When Mary Maginnis and Shelley Pearson first met as members of the 2008 U.S. Junior National Rowing Team, the two rowers instantly hit it off, establishing a friendship that would last well over the summer. As highly-recruited athletes, the pair decided to reunite once again—this time, as collegiate teammates on the Radcliffe heavyweight rowing team.

“When we met at junior nationals, Mary and I became best friends,” Pearson says.

“To enter the school year with a sense of trust already established was pretty awesome,” Maginnis adds.

Now both sophomores, Maginnis and Pearson are part of a class expected to contribute much to the Black and White this season. Together with fellow classmates Scout Moran, Celia Kohl, Jess Mealia, Marisa D’Orsogna, Andrea Rickey, Charlotte Lane, Laura Savarese, and Shauna Stewart, they will strive to return the Radcliffe heavyweight program back to prominence after the squad failed to qualify for NCAAs last season.

And while members of the highly-recruited class gained valuable experience competing on the varsity eight and second varsity boats last season, their youth and adjustment to collegiate rowing often contributed to the growing pains.

“It was a big rebuilding year,” Maginnis says. “We lost a lot of great rowers. As tough as our season was, though, it was necessary, because it really changed our mentality and attitudes.”

“We definitely tried to live up to Radcliffe standards,” Pearson says. “Our class showed what we had to offer. As the years come along, we’ll definitely get better.”

One year later, it appears that time is now.

With Pearson and Kohl finishing first in the women’s open pair event at the Head of the Housatonic regatta two weeks ago, the sophomore class has turned talent and potential into results.

This weekend, at the Head of the Charles Regatta, Pearson and Kohl will compete in Radcliffe’s priority boat—the four—while other members of the sophomore class will contribute in the three varsity eight boats.

“Sometimes, not having a season the way you want it to go adds a lot of motivation to go out and really be on top of your game every day,” Rickey says. “We’re supportive of each other, and we’re committed to the workout and the team.”

In addition to working on improving technique and getting faster, members of the sophomore class realize that intangibles like team chemistry are crucial to a team’s success. Though many of the rowers developed friendships at developmental camps and junior nationals, the class has continued to be proactive in bonding with each other.

“These are the girls I’m going to be spending four years with, so I want to get to know them really well,” Maginnis says. “It’s important to spend time together outside the boathouse.”

“You’re spending three hours a day, six days a week in this little 60-foot by 3-foot boat on the water, so you have to be together,” Rickey adds. “You have to know each and every person on a personal, intimate level. You have to know what motivates them to make this boat move.”

And through the common bond of rowing, this diverse group of girls has come together not only as teammates, but also as best friends.

“Shelley and I are rooming together, Jess and Scout room together, and Andrea basically lives in our room,” Maginnis says with a laugh. “We’ll get together for breakfast and dinner, and we’ll celebrate a girl’s birthday together. We have a lot of fun with each other.”

But that doesn’t mean the group avoids competition. With only a limited number of seats in the top boats and plenty of talented rowers, the sophomores understand they must battle each other for the chance to row.

“When we’re on the water, everyone is competitive against each other, but it’s because we all want the team to go faster,” Pearson says. “We don’t let that affect us when we’re off the water. You just have to separate the two.”

“We practice the way we want to race,” Rickey says. “When we’re on the water, we have to be competitors, and we have to take it seriously, as if the boat next to us is Princeton or Stanford.”

With such strong camaraderie, a competitive edge, and a desire to win, the sophomore rowers of the Radcliffe heavyweights are undoubtedly ready to make a collective impact on the team.

“As the coxswain, I get to sit back and see on the water what everyone brings to the table,” Rickey says. “Each individual of our class has something incredible to offer. We’re definitely a well-rounded class that really embodies what Radcliffe crew is known for and aspires to be. Our class will work hard to make a great contribution to the team, but we’ll also have fun and enjoy each other’s company.”

—Staff writer Kevin T. Chen can be reached at ktchen@fas.harvard.edu.