Catching Up with Karen Colwell
5/8/2008 12:00:00 AM | Rowing
Redshirt junior Karen Colwell is a two-time All-Big Ten first team honoree after spending each of the last two seasons as a member of Michigan's first varsity eight. Colwell and the IV8 earned bronze medals on May 3 at the Big Ten Championships. The Pawcatuck, Conn., native easily earns the distinction as the squad's most well-rounded student-athlete. At the team banquet last week she earned the following honors: Athlete of the Year, Academic Achievement Award, Strength and Conditioning Award and Maize and Blue Award. Revered by her teammates, Colwell has worked to improve her leadership skills as an upperclassman and strives to direct the Wolverines to an NCAA Championships bid later this month.
First off, coxswain Laura Dunn talked about your incredible toughness both on the water and on the erg. Where does your drive to succeed come from
"While I obviously enjoy winning, my main motivation to succeed comes from my teammates. Its not easy to come down every day and meet the goals and expectations that are set, especially with other distractions outside of rowing. When I look around the erg room or the weight room, when I look at all the boats out on the lake, I know that everyone is giving it everything they have and refuse to let one another down. I red-shirted my sophomore year with an injury, and for the longest time I felt that I had let my team down. The toughness comes from the commitment to never let them down again."
What did it mean to you to earn four team awards (Athlete of the Year, Maize and Blue Award, Academic Achievement Award, Strength and Conditioning Award) at the team banquet on May 4 Was any of one of them more meaningful to you than another
"It was a great honor to earn four awards at our team banquet. Each award has its own importance to me, but the Maize and Blue award means the most by far. The team votes on this award and it is such an honor to know that my dedication to this sport and my team does not go unnoticed. While I know at times I may not be the most easy-going person at practice, its a great feeling to know that my teammates appreciate my love and passion for them and everything we do."
As one of the most veteran members of the first varsity eight this season, has your role within the boat changed on and off the water
"I spent a lot of time this past summer reflecting on myself as an athlete and my role on this team. Weve missed out on NCAAs the last few years, and after coming close last season, I decided to take myself more seriously as a leader on this team, and committed myself to doing whatever it took to get us back to one of the top programs in the country. While I much prefer to lead by example, as Im not very good at expressing myself through words, I became more of a vocal leader on the team. The expectations and standards didnt change. They just became less ambiguous. "
How has your experience at the U.S. national team camps in 2005 and 2007 benefited you Following your career at Michigan do you have aspirations of rowing for Team USA
"Attending these camps with the best athletes in the country has made me realize that there is much more speed to be gained. The camps showed me that I have a long way to go and a lot of things to improve on. I give a lot of credit to the girls I attended camp with last summer. The competition was steep and I realized that I needed to get better. While Ive struggled to perform well at these camps, the experiences definitely did not deter my dreams of rowing for the U.S. National Team. In fact, its only fueled my desire to train harder. I definitely have the desire to row for the U.S. National Team after college, but right now, rowing for Michigan is my one and only focus."
What makes University of Michigan rowing unique
"We take ownership of everything we do. On the wall right outside of our locker room at the boathouse is a poster that reads, 'Expect nothing. Blame no one. Do something.' I think this quote sums up how our team functions. We succeed as a team and we fail as a team. Its easy to find a team that gets along when things are going well, but its rare to find a team that stands together when times are hard."
What makes you proud to be a Wolverine
"Its tough to balance a life on top of being a collegiate athlete and a full-time student. Here at Michigan, we balance these things and more on a daily basis, not just doing the bare minimum, but exceeding the expectations in all aspects of life. Im proud to be a Wolverine because its not easy, but I know that those who stay will be champions."
What is your relationship like with the coaching staff
"The coaching staff has gone through quite a few changes since I arrived here my freshman year. Initially I didnt have a very close relationship with the coaches, but over the years this relationship has grown and I cant imagine rowing in college for anyone else. The coaches are flexible with scheduling and really make an effort to accommodate everyones academics, which is definitely important to me. (Head coach) Mark (Rothstein), Vee (assistant coach Veronika Platzer), and (assistant coach) Carla (Bezold) all take the time to get to know us not only as athletes, but also as individuals. I really appreciate their dedication to not only help us to become better rowers but also better people."
What's your favorite place on the Michigan campus
"I know this is probably crazy to say and people arent going to believe me, but my favorite place on campus would have to be either the erg room or the weight room. I love erging and lifting, and I especially love it when Im with my teammates and we are putting in some solid work."
What is your most memorable moment as a Michigan athlete
"There have been so many good memories over the past four years, from winning Big Tens last year in the first varsity eight to placing third in the Championship womens event at Head of the Charles in the fall to watching my teammates pull huge personal bests on the erg this year. While all of these have been amazing, I know the best is yet to come."
What are your pre-race routines
"Im a huge fan of visualization. Before an erg test or race, I like to spend some time imagining the piece in my mind. Usually I will go through the race plan and get a mental image of my rowing stroke and mechanics. Also, I try not to overhydrate and definitely make sure to use the restroom before launching!"
What's going through your mind when you're racing
"When Im racing, the focus lies on the current stroke. Many people think about how much of the race is left or when they will make their move, but every single stroke of the race matters and I want to make sure I make the most of every one."
Why is rowing your sport If you weren't a rower what sport would you compete in
"Rowing great Jim Dietz once said, 'rowing is a sport for dreamers. As long as you put in the work, you can own the dream.' Its an unbelievable feeling when all of that hard work and long hours of training lead to an incredible accomplishment. We train very hard here, sometimes harder than I ever thought possible, but when the training yields results, it is all worth it. If I werent a rower, which I can never imagine, I would play basketball. I loved playing in high school, but when I began rowing, it quickly took over as my passion."
What is your major and how do you plan on channeling it into real-life experiences What has been your favorite class
"I knew exactly what I wanted to study before I even stepped on campus my freshman year. I am a physical education major and I love every second of it. Physical activity is obviously a big part of my life, and something I am very passionate about. I plan on using my passion and skills I have learned to help children find an activity that they can enjoy for the rest of their lives. Ultimately I wish to help my students be healthy and active for a lifetime. Ill be student teaching in the fall at a local elementary school, and cannot wait to use what I have learned in the classroom. I also coach a group of high school students at a summer rowing club and my teaching skills have definitely come in handy. I cant say that I have a favorite class because I absolutely love everything about my major!"
What previous experiences (athletic or non-athletic) have helped you with rowing
"During high school, I was a member of the basketball team. We had a coach with very high expectations and there is one practice in particular that I will never forget. We had played poorly in the game the night before and had to run suicides for our mistakes. The person who finished last had to run it again, and of course I was not a very fast runner. She never took pity on me and I thank her everyday for it. I ran every single one without complaining. The discipline and mental toughness I learned from playing for her contribute to my rowing every single day."
What is your life motto
"Be true to yourself. Trust in your ability and what you know is right."
What is one thing you cannot live without
"I cant live without a comfortable bed. I usually get about eight or nine hours of sleep a night, so I need a comfy bed!"
Who is your superhero alter ego and why
"I cant say that I have a superhero alter ego, but if I could be any superhero, I would be Storm so I could control the weather when we have practice!"
What is your favorite ice cream flavor
"Mackinac Island Fudge is a favorite of mine. When I was younger I used to live at the top of the Lower Peninsula near Mackinac Island and Id have to say this flavor is still one of my favorites."
If you could invite four people over for dinner who would they be
"Since I dont get a chance to see my family very often, I would have to say that I would invite my mother, father, brother, sister-in-law, and my new baby nephew. I know thats five people, but my family is such a big support system for me and I would definitely choose to spend my time with them."
What's your favorite book
"I really enjoyed Lance Armstrongs book 'Its Not About the Bike.' The obstacles that he faced and conquered are amazing to me, and I find his life story very inspiring."
What TV show can you envision yourself being in
"I hate to admit it, but I watch way too much reality TV. I cant say which show I would want to be on because I doubt I would want to be on any of them!"
What are your summer plans - besides rowing
"As of right now, my summer plans are up in the air. I applied to the U.S. National Team camp that will send a 4- to the 2008 FISA Senior Non-Olympic World Championships, so hopefully Ill be trying out. If not, Ill definitely be rowing somewhere. Most likely Ill return home to Connecticut and row a single. Ill also probably coach the high school kids that row for my club as well. For me, summers are about continuing the training for the next season, but also enjoying quality time with family, which I definitely intend to do."
Players Mentioned
