Matthew Abar '17 Recruiting Profile

Hello!   I'm a Senior in the class of 2017 at Grosse Pointe South High School in Grosse Pointe, Michigan.   I'm a 6'2", 182lb. heavyweight rower.  I am competitive in both athletics and academics.  I am a High Honors student and Scholar Athlete with a 3.7 GPA.  I started rowing one year ago November with the Detroit Boat Club Crew and broke a 6:50 2k time within 10 weeks (6:49).  Now, I'm at 6:19.2 and aggressively training.  I am an all around athlete, but rowing is my sport.   I am a sculler and sweep rower.   I love the sport.  I love being on the water.   While I started rowing mid-Sophomore year, I am on an accelerated path and am very committed to it.  I have several goals with the sport and will be a lifelong rower.

I have played several team sports, namely: football (5 yrs), cross-country & track (1yr each), lacrosse (4 yrs), soccer (8yrs), and tennis (2yrs).  Until rowing, high school football was my main sport at the Division 1 level.  I was a starter every season, playing Tight End, Defensive End, Guard, and Special teams and was promoted to Varsity after my Sophomore JV season.  I set a goal to improve my speed and endurance by cross training in Track, and earned a Varsity letter as a result, my Freshman year.  I was urged to try rowing, and became hooked. My football, track and weight & strength experience have provided a great foundation as a rower.  With great coaching and dedication, I have moved at an expedited pace toward rowing at the collegiate level.  It’s all coming together: intensive training, great coaching, speed, strength, endurance, and immense dedication.   I have high, yet achievable expectations.  I was born to row, have a competitive spirit, and am very committed to it.

Outside the boathouse, I am a High Honors student.   I have been on the Honor Roll every quarter since the beginning of my freshman year, mostly High Honor Roll, however, I earned 4.0 Honor Roll for 4 of 12 quarters.  My core classes are largely Honors and AP classes.   I absolutely love English, but also like Science and Math.  I love writing in my free time, and write short stories, almost daily in the summer.  As well, I enjoy chess, and won 2^nd place at the State of Michigan tournament at one point.  I try to be as involved as possible in my community.  I am actively involved in Young Life (National Christian organization), my school’s Interact club (a community service club), Book club, and Weightlifting club.

I want to continue to balance my academics and rowing as I advance to the collegiate level; earn a premier education and a top degree, while rowing at the pinnacle of college competition. I want to be part of a team with progressive goals, fierce competitive spirit and camaraderie. I’ve always been big on school spirit and have been attracted to an environment of energy, ethics, strong competition and high academics. Mentors, teachers, coaches and administrators have described me as being grounded with strength of character, integrity, heart and smarts. They say that I will chart my own path to success. I say that I care and have strong resolve and drive. I am a committed student, a committed teammate and a committed rower.