Aaron Van Dyk '22 Recruiting Profile

My ultimate goal is to study agriculture and row at the highest level and compete on an international platform.  I am a goal driven, competitive individual.  I thrive on setting and achieving my goals.  I have a high work ethic,  I live by the principle:   "Nothing worth having comes easy and on any given day HARD WORK will overcome natural talent when natural talent doesn't work hard.  Rowing has taught me focus, discipline and given me an intimate knowledge of pain and just how much of it the human body can overcome.  I thrive on being pushed to my limits and exceeding them.   I draw inspiration from my u9 rugby coach, Mr Clark and my current rowing coach, Mr Chandler.  Mr Clark first instilled in me the ethos that nothing worth having comes easy.  Mr Chandler survived a motor vehicle collision where a truck hit him off his bicycle breaking his pelvis at the age of 15.  He was told he would never walk again and he went on to row for South Africa.  He has shown me that with grit and determination nothing is impossible. 

Our coxed 4 won silver at the South African Schools Championship in March 2020 and gold at the Eastern Cape Rowing Association Regatta (ECRA) in February 2020.  I have also represented our 1st VIII at Boat Race in December 2019 as one of 4 u15 oarsman in the crew.   We went on to win gold in the pair at VLC sprints regatta in January 2022, ECRA regatta in February 2022. 

When I am not training, I enjoy playing rugby.  I have represented my school at A level.  I have played at provincial level for Craven Week u18 and in u12 and u13.  I was vice captain for my schools 1st VX, whilst in Junior school I was captain for both my school and provincial rugby teams.  I was selected as Head Prefect in primary school.  I was also selected as a Prefect for my High School.   I am a proud Selbornian and all the traditions that our school upholds. 

I enjoy being outdoors and often spend time with friends on the farm to relax and unwind.   I enjoy spending time in the kitchen and trying out some of my Mom's recipes.  As a family we often spend weekends socializing around the braai (BBQ). 

Rowing is unlike any other sport and its impossible to explain the sense of community / team spirit to outsiders.  In rowing like no other sport the crew members are required to think as one, act as one and to be one.  Each oarsman has their role to play and has to be willing to give their all.   For me if you don't get that, you don't get ROWING.