Personal Statement
Update as of April 20, 2021: I have committed to cox for the United States Merchant Marine Academy. I have accepted my appointment to USMMA where I will major in engineering and serve my country upon graduation!
I am a 5'6", 118 pound coxswain, who, upon graduation, will have 3 full years of coxing experience to bring to the college level. As a junior at Baylor School, I am currently the coxswain for Baylor's 1V8 and 1V4 boats and Varsity Lightweight 4+. My 1V8 AND 1V4 boats both finished in 4th Place overall in their field at Head of the Hooch and 1st Place overall in their field at the 2019 Secret City Head Race. At the Hooch, Baylor's Men's 1V8 was the top scholastic finisher in the 8s. In my novice (sophomore) year, I coxed a total of 14 races - primarily 8s - but also was given the opportunity to cox several varsity boats (2V8 and VLtW4). At the conclusion of my novice year, I attended SRAA Nationals as the alternate coxswain for Baylor School's 1V4 and 2V4 boats. I have sought improvement through channels beyond practice and competition by attending the following camps: U.S. Naval Academy Rowing Camp (June 2019), and Sparks' Coxswain Only Camp (December 2018). At the Sparks Coxswain Camp, I honed four key areas: Awareness, Steering, Organization, and Direction. Additionally, I have participated in virtual coxswain workshops with Laura Simon of Yale University. In the summer of 2020, I will be learning to scull with Chattanooga Junior Rowing.
Upon joining my high school rowing team, I learned that I was an ideal size for a coxswain. Through experience, I learned that I possess innate coxswain sensibility and ability, so I set out to become a student of the sport. There's always more to learn about being a coxswain! I am a coxswain, but I train alongside rowers as much as possible to gain their respect, to share the pain, and to maintain optimal physical condition. I am passionate about rowing - the ultimate team sport - and am grateful that it is a sport that can be pursued long after high school, and I intend to pursue it well into adulthood. I am seeking a coxswain role on a college team beginning Fall of 2021 so that I can continue to follow my passion while I continue my education. I hope to be an engineer, so I am considering math, physics, and engineering majors.
Beyond rowing, I am a solid student with a 3.72 GPA, a 32 ACT, and 1370 SAT as a junior. I am also an Eagle Scout and a trained dog handler for my local dog shelter. I currently live in Signal Mountain, TN and attend Baylor School in Chattanooga; however, as the son of a military officer, I grew up in the Washington, DC area and attended middle school at St. Anselm's Abbey School in Washington, DC, and lower school at Immanuel Lutheran School in Alexandria, VA.
