Mary Trafton '19 Recruiting Profile

Rowing is an integral part of my life and has been an invaluable experience that has pushed me to be a leader and work both hard and collaboratively.

I began rowing in the spring of my eighth grade year, and started rowing year-round after the spring of freshman year. It was in my sophomore year- my first fall season, and when I truly began to become a part of the team rather than feeling like a ‘novice’- that I began to feel the importance of crew in my life. Now, as one of the older and more experienced girls on the team, I feel responsibility as a leader.  This means, for me, working hard and having a good attitude, as well as making an effort to reach out to the younger members of the team.

Crew has been the perfect way for me to be competitive and driven to improve while still working on being a good teammate and friend. The balance that crew provides between working as a boat and simultaneously giving full individual effort has been an important lesson for me and one of the reasons that crew has been so integral in my life. While being a good leader and friend is crucial for me, I also recognize the importance of hard work and ambition. I'm looking forward to a competitive college rowing experience and one that will push me to improve beyond the experience I have already had.