Kiera MacKenzie '24 Recruiting Profile

   Hello!  My name is Kiera MacKenzie and I am a varsity coxswain for Marianapolis Preparatory School. My rowing journey began during my freshman year of high school.  Joining the team in hopes of finding a new and interesting sport to keep me occupied in the fall, I found one of my greatest passions.  I joined the team as a rower, but it was in my sophomore year I discovered my true place on the team as a coxswain.  I cox both seasons, in the fall and the spring.  The long distance, “coxswain’s” races in the fall test my ability to not only get us smoothly cruising through the water, but also requires me to pace my team in the most beneficial way possible.  While the spring races on the other hand are far from difficult to navigate, these sprints test how well I can motivate my team.  On the water, I learned to channel the leadership abilities I have always exhibited in the classroom and in my day-to-day life.  My fondest crew memories are those on the Charles River,  where our varsity girls team would knock 2 minutes off our previous HOCR time.  To me, that is what crew is all about: constant improvement, camaraderie, and dedication.  I feel that I embody these three staple characteristics of the sport.   Additionally, I have learned many important skills from my coaches and even fellow teammates such as grasping information quickly, working well under pressure, and prioritizing the needs of my team.  This all said, I feel that these qualities ensure that I will thrive at the collegiate level.