Ella Watkin '25 Recruiting Profile

I have loved this sport since my first time in a boat in 2021. The competition, comradery, mental focus, and physical push have given me the strength to thrive. I have been shaped by these last two years of rowing into a person I'm not sure that I recognize, but am so grateful I have become. But It doesn't end here. My club took us to the Youth Summer Nationals in Oak Ridge where my boat placed 12th(3 seat) and have raced in multiple other regattas. As a rower who does more than one sport, I have grown to love how my body changes and moves with the boat. My background in figure skating also encourages me to train even harder into get better faster. 

I have been figure skating for over 10 years at this point, and it means so much to me. Whenever life got tough, I knew that I could always count on my time at the rink to cleat my head. For years I had to find a balance between training as much as I could, and my schoolwork. It had gotten to a point where I was waking up at 4:30 am three mornings a week just so I could get time on the ice without as many people. Very quickly I realized how unhealthy it would get for me and my body. My parents noticed this and brought up the idea of switching schools to a school that would be more accommidating of my practice schedule. 

Professional Children's School has enabled me to train as much as I want to while still being able to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Instead of being up at 4:30 am, I now get to "sleep in" until around 6 am. That extra hour and a half allows me to be a better athlete, student, and person. I am able to train on nearly empty ice every morning until 9 am when I have to leave for school. My teachers are trained to know how to best help students with busy personal lives, whether it is for ballet, acting, singing, or a sport. They have been able to support me when I have a hard time balancing training and school.

My experience with PCS has given me a glimpse of what being a D1 collage athlete is like. I have learned how to take care of my body, eat when I am hungry (real food not just a protein bar), do schoolwork whenever I have the time (not just when I feel like it), and how important getting my sleep is. Not staying up until 2 am everyday has greatly increased not only my productivity, but my ability to preform in my sport to my greatest ability.