Marten (August) Michels '23 Recruiting Profile

Without rowing I don’t know where I would be today. Crew motivates me, inspires me, and drives me to improve myself. I enjoy working hard at lowering my erg time, I push myself to make the faster boat, and I strive to be a better teammate. And I find that the drive I get from crew carries into the classroom. Rowing has changed my life. 

I started rowing when I was in eighth grade, back when I was 6’1 and 130lbs. I had just ended my eighth season of soccer, realizing that there must be a better sport for me. Up until then soccer was my life, but I didn’t love it. I played for the New Canaan Futbol Club until I moved to Pittsburgh. Basketball was another sport that I enjoyed, but didn’t love. I found basketball fun, because I was always taller than all the other kids. Both soccer and basketball were fun, but I was not a superstar and I did not find enough enjoyment in the sports to want to play them at the same competitive level as I do with crew. 

I started my rowing career at Three Rivers Rowing Association where I still row today. I started this sport in 8th grade, because I wanted a sport before high school that I would love to do everyday and I thought I just might be good at it. I had the right build and mental strength. I was immediately thrown into a program where I met tons of people from different communities. TRYR is a very competitive program. Although I was a novice, I could tell that every position and every seat was earned through hard work. Practice was everyday 4pm-6:30pm with no exceptions. The first couple months were tricky. I wasn’t performing well on the erg or the water. Then, one day after a decent 19-minute piece, something clicked and I was rowing with more confidence and success. Everyday after school, I was anxious to get in the shell with my friends or grind out pieces on my erg. The highlights of novice year included getting second in the Saratoga Springs Sprints and being the first novice 8+ to make finals in Midwest Regionals for TRYR in the last decade. After Midwest, I was officially varsity and that fall l raced at Head of the Ohio, Hoover Fall Classic, and Head of the Hooch. But in January came the biggest challenge, COVID.

The boathouse closed as soon as the mandate came out and everyone was forced to spend their spring season at home. But with all closures, I didn’t give up and grinded out at home. My coach, DJ Civiletti, gave the varsity team workout plans. I made sure to follow his plans, and everyday after online classes, I erged. Even though I missed the feeling and motivation of everyone erging around me, there was still a fighting spirit for me to get better. The end of my freshman year I erged a 7:10 and was proud of that. I continued pushing throughout the summer. The fall of my sophomore year was still heavily impacted by COVID. We only rowed singles through the fall until October when the boathouse was shut down again. But after grinding out on the erg through the winter, I pulled a 6:50 on my 2k. With the reintroduction of team boats this spring season, I earned my spot on the Varsity 1V 8+. Our boat raced at Marietta and John Bennett Regatta, placing first at both, and most importantly made finals at Midwest, which was the first time that happened in the last decade. Because of my improvement and performance this spring, I was selected for ODP and will row in Jacksonville this summer. Right now, I am 6’4 and 180lbs. 

In addition to my commitment to rowing, I maintain strong grades in accelerated courses at Shady Side Academy with an unweighted 3.7 GPA and I hold a part-time job at Walnut Grill. I have a strong work ethic, and one of my main motivations is to always finish what I have started. In college, I would like to major in finance or engineering.