Amanda Kuras '18 Recruiting Profile

Pursuing rowing at a varsity level was not my original dream.  I had been a distance swimmer since age eleven and on a recommendation from a friend, I tried rowing over the summer before my Sophomore year in High School.   I instantly fell in love with the sport and two years later have reached goals I never thought possible when I first began.  Being new to the sport, at the beginning of my first season, my technique needed improvement and it was very difficult for me to race as often as I would have liked.  I knew, however, that with hard work and determination I could eventually reach the varsity level and remained positive.  During my first spring season on the water, I raced once while I continued to work on my technique.  Limiting the number of times that I could race only made me want to improve faster, wherein I put in as much effort into my practices as I could on and off the water.  The following fall season, my hard work paid off as I was moved into the Varsity A boat.  I knew I had to continue working with the same work ethic and drive because I was at risk for losing my spot in the top boat.  Knowing how hard I worked to achieve a seat in that boat, I have continued to secure that seat on a weekly basis.  

I believe what makes me a good candidate is once I set goals for myself, I will stop at absolutely nothing to achieve them. I can be counted on to put forth the effort needed to succeed not just for myself but for my team as well.  Knowing someone can take my spot in the boat is the incentive I need to keep focused on improving myself in order to achieve the goals I have set, making me a very hard working individual. Academically, I am hoping to pursue my dream of going to medical school in the future, by majoring in neuroscience, biomedical engineering, or biology as an undergraduate.  Combining my love of medicine and rowing together at one school would be my ultimate dream.