Defying the odds, Minnesota youth rowers head to nationals

Honed on Bryant Lake in Eden Prairie, the Twin Cities Youth Rowing Club’s women’s crew clinched a national championship bid.

The Twin Cities Youth Rowing Club (TCYRC) and its U19 Women’s 4+ boat have clinched a coveted spot in the USRowing Youth National Championships. The tournament is June 10-15 in Sarasota, Florida.

The USRowing Youth National Championships ranks as high school women’s rowing’s second most prestigious event. Thirty-nine teams competed across the Midwest region. Yet, only four crews, from Minnesota to St. Louis to Pittsburgh, secured national spots. Selection committees chose just 31 teams from regions across the country, most from the Southwest, Atlantic, and Southeastern divisions.

The region’s colder climate drives the disparity in competitive rowing. TCYRC only gets six months of water time. Nevertheless, teams from other regions row year-round. Still, despite these disparities, TCYRC proudly notes that 100% of graduating seniors have signed college letters of intent or are walking on to college programs.

Unprecedented talent shining bright

This year’s crew, a mix of a sophomore, two juniors, and two seniors, includes Division I-bound stars. Katherine Bixby and Tessa Johnson will row at the University of Minnesota and the University of Rhode Island, respectively, next year.

Indeed, it’s unprecedented for a volunteer, parent-run organization from Minnesota to produce such accomplished rowers. Accordingly, TCYRC will compete against teams from Newport Beach, California, to Stony Brook, New York.

The magic behind this crew’s success lies in their training. “Winter training indoors is a meat grinder,” head coach Justin Richardson said. “There’s no sun. They’re training 12.5 to 20 hours a week. They’re practicing technique.”

Richardson teaches the athletes to maximize every stroke. “We can’t overpower them, yet we can out row them,” he said.

During practice, you’ll often hear Richardson urging the crew to glide lightly through the water. Meanwhile, he scrutinizes every stroke for “puddling” and ensures each one propels the boat a full boat length.

At Saturday’s practice, Richardson had the crew of the John “JD” Davis working on their starts out of the block. The coxswain shouts, “Three-quarters, half, half,” as the boat picks up speed. It knifes through the water.

“Death by a thousand paper cuts,” Richardson says quietly. “We are consistently closing. We make our move at the last second – blindside crews who didn’t see us coming.”

Erg’s don’t float: Rowing as one

The appeal of women’s rowing is often steeped in the Ivy League tradition and pop culture. Films like “The Boys in the Boat,” “The Novice,” and picturesque backdrops in “Good Will Hunting” create an image of exclusivity tied to social class. However, women’s rowing is frequently used to help schools meet Title IX requirements and balance out men’s football rosters. If your child wants to row in college, they can.

This crew proudly calls rowing the ultimate team sport, even though they’ve collectively excelled in other varsity athletics. When asked what it takes to succeed in rowing, Sadie Nistler, a star crew member and the boat’s engine, said, “How much is it worth to you?” Nistler fought her way back from a devastating knee injury. During her recovery, she beat out athletes from across the Twin Cities to earn a spot on the top team.

“In November, I tried and worked so hard to get back after my knee surgery,” Nistler said. “I learned what delayed gratification means. You put in the work now so it will pay off later.”

The warmth reflected off the lake as the sun shone through the crystal clear water. “I want to see more kids get involved in rowing,” Richardson said as the U19 Women’s 4+ boat docked. “Thinking that you’re not good enough? Thinking you’re not athletic enough? Don’t worry, we’ll get you there.”

The U19 women’s 4+ boat – coxswain Katherine Bixby, a senior at Wayzata; bow Kaitlyn Anderson, a sophomore at Southwest Christian Academy; Sadie Nistler, a junior at Eden Prairie; Phoebe Chin, a junior at Edina; and stroke Tessa Johnson, a senior at Hopkins – leaves for Florida on Tuesday.