Neelam Govindaraj '24 Recruiting Profile

My high school rowing career has been filled with ups and downs, and I feel that the most pivotal point in my rowing career to this point was at the 2022 Head of the Charles Regatta when my boat underperformed. Although this was a tough pill to swallow, I was able to learn and grow as both a person and an athlete from this race result. I learned how to pick up my teammates who were down and guide them in the right direction. I learned that things may not always go your way, but that you have to fail first in order to succeed. That winter I trained as hard as possible and used the pure anger and frustration from that race result n the fall as fuel to return in the spring and perform well enough to make the top boat at my program.

The leadership skills that I possess are what I hope would make me a great fit for your program. As captain of the varsity team, I have learned how to pick up those who are down and redirect them into a positive mindset; I know how to develop personal relationships with every person on the team, not just those in my boat; and lastly, I am someone who leads by example and have been able to instill a strong work ethic in my teammates. My work ethic and leadership skills have given me the confidence to know that I will be able to make a positive impact on your program, and if I am fortunate enough to be offered a position on your team, I hope that it will be the best decision that you have ever made.