Kaz Yamada '26 Recruiting Profile

I have been exposed to rowing through St. Andrew's and started training for the sport when I joined the team in March of 2023. While my strength is still developing, I have been able to contribute in the three seat of the SAS 1V to strong finishes at both WMIRA (1500, 4:29, 3rd in A Final) and the Stotesbury Regatta Cup (1500m, 4:26, 5th in A Final). In addition to racing at St. Andrew's, I also competed with Ready Set Row at US Rowing Rowfest Summer Nationals (2000m) in the U17 4+ (1st in Time Trials), U19 4+ (5th), and U23 8+. 

My performance on the erg is also developing, as I am only rowing on the water for 6 weeks of the year. However, despite running cross-country in the fall and swimming in the winter, I have been able to drop large amounts of time for only training in the spring. My goal is to go under 6:30 this year, and I have been training to do so. I have also been pleased to win seat races in the spring season against heavyweight recruits that pull 2-3 splits faster than me on the erg. I have demonstrated that I am effective on starboard and sculling. 

At St. Andrew's School, a highly selective boarding school that offers no AP/IB classes or credits, I have maintained a consistently strong academic performance with an unweighted GPA of 4.0. My academic passions include physics and history, and while I have not decided on a likely major, related areas of interest include international relations and political science. In collegiate rowing, my ultimate goal is to be a large contributor to a fast varsity crew both through my focus and intensity on the water, my work ethic, and my passion for rowing.