Timothy O’Keefe '25 Recruiting Profile

One of my goals is to become a college athlete in a strong academic school.  For high school, I applied and was accepted to the most rigorous catholic high school in Long Island, NY.  To continue this path, ideally my hope is to align with a school who is known for their excellence in education and strong rowing program.  

I have been a member of the Chaminade Varsity Rowing Team since the Spring of 2022.  I began my rowing career as a freshman rower in the Fall of 2021 and moving into my sophomore year, through discussions with my coach, we decided I would be a better asset for the team if I would transition to coxswain.   I have always been coachable throughout my sports career; from soccer, to ice hockey and now rowing.  My relationships with coaches have repeatedly been favorable and this decision to transition to coxswain truly changed my rowing trajectory.  Through the first half of my sophomore season, I quickly climbed the lower JV boats and by the Spring season, I was the coxswain of the second Varsity boat.  I credit the many hours of preparation which allowed me to develop new skills and this was paramount to this ascension.  From learning to steer efficiently, studying how best to motivate my teammates and mastering techniques on the open water I was able to position myself with the more experienced coxswains.  This provided me an opportunity to coxswain a competitive boat in the Stotesbury Cup, NYS Championships and the SSRA Nationals in Oakridge, TN in the Spring of 2023. 

Rowing is not just a sport, but a family for me.  I have made lifetime bonds with my teammates and coaches because we have endured success, defeat and have pushed each other to reach for our potential.  The lessons and skills taught by our coaches have instilled me with skills I will implement throughout my adult life.  These are the reasons I am so committed to this sport and hope to continue throughout my college career.