SE: K-State Rowing Focused on Each Other Before Big 12s
May 13, 2021 | Rowing, Sports Extra
By: Austin Siegel
The goal this weekend is redemption. And making people mad.
Honestly, Elizabeth Mummert is aiming for both as K-State Rowing heads to the Big 12 Championship in Austin.
"Our focus is just doing it together," she said. "This whole year we've had it down physically. But it's more than just technique. It's about a group mentality when we face the technical part and the mental part of the race."
The final meet of season, at Decker Lake in Austin, will wrap up a year unlike any other for the women who show up every day at the Intercollegiate Rowing Center.
When the team returned to campus in August, the status of the 2021 season was still uncertain.
Bramlage Coliseum hosted socially-distanced team meetings and the 'Cats had to adjust to rowing in masks as they began workouts without an end to COVID-19 in sight.
All that training away from the water told Pat Sweeney something about his team.
"The kids we get love it," he said. "And they work as hard as they possibly can."
The challenge this weekend, once the boats are in the water in Texas, will be preparing for one of K-State's only multi-lane races of the season.
Normally, the Wildcats compete in duals against another school, but the competition in Texas will include the rest of the Big 12, in addition to affiliate members like Alabama and Tennessee.
"It's a lot more fun than just racing one school," Megan Michaelis said. "There's a lot of energy and nerves when everyone is lined up. That's what I'm looking forward to."
Her head coach also appreciates the atmosphere at Big 12s.
"I prefer multi-lane [racing], but I don't know how to describe it," Sweeney said. "You perform how you perform, and there's so much going on that you have to focus on what you're doing. It's not about getting up on one boat or down on one boat. There's always somebody coming."
For Mummert and the members of the K-State First Varsity Eight, the focus will be on putting each part of their race together after falling to Kansas in the Sunflower Showdown this month.
The sophomore broke it down into the start, the middle five minutes of the race and the finish.
She said the Wildcats have focused most of their attention on that final push across the finish line, though the goal in Austin will be to set a rhythm throughout each part of the race.
"You're surrounded by a lot of voices and a lot of different things going on," she said. "You have to make sure you're keeping your head in the boat."
Fortunately for the Wildcats, that's been the mentality since August.
Jadyn Greisen is a freshman in the First Varsity Eight, balancing all the challenges of remote classes and keeping COVID-19 safe on campus. Rowing has been her outlet.
"School has been the hardest part, just staying focused when everything is online. Some of my classes are on Zoom and it's really easy to fall behind if you miss a lecture one day," she said. "Walking around campus and seeing people in class, I don't really get that anymore. So rowing has been a nice way to talk to people and hang out where it's not on a computer screen."
Michaelis couldn't agree more – this weekend might be the finish line of the 2021 season, but the K-State RowFam doesn't end at the water's edge.
"There's an energy that you feel when you're there but also a calm because you've been working so hard all year and you just want to prove yourself to all the other schools," she said. "It's just a lot of fun to do it with your friends and your teammates."
The goal this weekend is redemption. And making people mad.
Honestly, Elizabeth Mummert is aiming for both as K-State Rowing heads to the Big 12 Championship in Austin.
"Our focus is just doing it together," she said. "This whole year we've had it down physically. But it's more than just technique. It's about a group mentality when we face the technical part and the mental part of the race."
The final meet of season, at Decker Lake in Austin, will wrap up a year unlike any other for the women who show up every day at the Intercollegiate Rowing Center.
When the team returned to campus in August, the status of the 2021 season was still uncertain.
Bramlage Coliseum hosted socially-distanced team meetings and the 'Cats had to adjust to rowing in masks as they began workouts without an end to COVID-19 in sight.
All that training away from the water told Pat Sweeney something about his team.
"The kids we get love it," he said. "And they work as hard as they possibly can."
We are loaded up and headed out! @Big12Conference Rowing Championships, here come the Cats! #NoFamLikeRowFam pic.twitter.com/vCxlG7LMET
— K-State Rowing (@KStateROW) May 13, 2021
The challenge this weekend, once the boats are in the water in Texas, will be preparing for one of K-State's only multi-lane races of the season.
Normally, the Wildcats compete in duals against another school, but the competition in Texas will include the rest of the Big 12, in addition to affiliate members like Alabama and Tennessee.
"It's a lot more fun than just racing one school," Megan Michaelis said. "There's a lot of energy and nerves when everyone is lined up. That's what I'm looking forward to."
Her head coach also appreciates the atmosphere at Big 12s.
"I prefer multi-lane [racing], but I don't know how to describe it," Sweeney said. "You perform how you perform, and there's so much going on that you have to focus on what you're doing. It's not about getting up on one boat or down on one boat. There's always somebody coming."
For Mummert and the members of the K-State First Varsity Eight, the focus will be on putting each part of their race together after falling to Kansas in the Sunflower Showdown this month.
The sophomore broke it down into the start, the middle five minutes of the race and the finish.
She said the Wildcats have focused most of their attention on that final push across the finish line, though the goal in Austin will be to set a rhythm throughout each part of the race.
"You're surrounded by a lot of voices and a lot of different things going on," she said. "You have to make sure you're keeping your head in the boat."
Fortunately for the Wildcats, that's been the mentality since August.
Jadyn Greisen is a freshman in the First Varsity Eight, balancing all the challenges of remote classes and keeping COVID-19 safe on campus. Rowing has been her outlet.
"School has been the hardest part, just staying focused when everything is online. Some of my classes are on Zoom and it's really easy to fall behind if you miss a lecture one day," she said. "Walking around campus and seeing people in class, I don't really get that anymore. So rowing has been a nice way to talk to people and hang out where it's not on a computer screen."
Michaelis couldn't agree more – this weekend might be the finish line of the 2021 season, but the K-State RowFam doesn't end at the water's edge.
"There's an energy that you feel when you're there but also a calm because you've been working so hard all year and you just want to prove yourself to all the other schools," she said. "It's just a lot of fun to do it with your friends and your teammates."
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