The Senior Co-Captains Make Comments about the Past and Predictions about the Future of the Team

By: Olivia Solley

 

For the women’s crew team at Loyola University Maryland there is no time for leisurely “row, row, rowing, your boat down the stream.”  No, for the Women’s Crew Team, it is a fierce battle with other schools.  The wind in their hair and their oars cutting into the water, the Loyola Women’s Crew Team are making strides in the rowing World.

 

Just last month, in their last regatta of the season, the women’s varsity four and eight won two of their respective heats at the Bill Braxton Regatta on November 12, 2017.   Now looking forward to the spring season, Senior Co- Captains, Natasha Murray and Keenan Gibbons reminisce about their time as part of the team for the last four years while also looking ahead and making predictions about the future of the team as they prepare to graduate.

Reminiscing

Both Natasha Murray and Keenan Gibbons joined the crew team freshman year, powering through all of the early morning practices, various injuries, and long urg sessions.  All of their hard work paid off as Murray was appointed captain her sophomore year followed by Keenan who became co-captain with now Loyola Alumni, Serena Rivera her junior year.  As current seniors, they are now sharing the captain’s seat.  A bit emotional, Keenan comments on how being a part of Loyola Women’s Crew team has helped to shape and develop her throughout the last four years:

 

while Murray reflects on what it meant for her to be chosen as captain:

To me it was a really huge honor especially for not having rowed in high school.  I was completely new to the sport and for them to choose me as captain, it was very surprising and special to have them believe in me that much and to want to uphold the same values I have and to become a leader of the team and I was very shocked when it was first announced”

Changes and Looking Towards the Future

As the captains are preparing to graduate, they are confident in leaving the team in the very capable hands of new head Coach, Megan Patrick.  This is what Murray had to say about the new head coach:

Coach Meghan. She has been a great addition to the team, a new set of eyes, a new set of values and ways to look at the stroke.  A new perception to attack a workout and it is really something the girls have latched on behind and we have definitely seen an increase in speed and technique already and she’s only been with us for a couple months. So I am very excited to see whats going to happen in the coming months when we are back on the water in the spring and see how we’ll continue to improve”

Indeed, Gibbons and Murray both have high hopes for the spring semester including reaching new goals and new heights as a team.  The future is looking bright and I leave you with a summarization of the future both captains envision in the words of Keenan Gibbons:

Thanks for reading! Check out their upcoming competitions and schedule for the spring as well as see where they have competed in the past winter season through this interactive map.