HS Soph Girl is a Scholarship Possible?

Question
Al,
 My Sophomore daughter (15yr old) said she just rowed a 6k erg time split of 2:14.9. She currently rows Stroke Seat every week for both her JV 4 & 8 Boats. She Stroked all last season for her Novice Boat & attended the Univ of Texas Rowing Camp last summer. She will attend a different camp this summer. Is my daughter on her way to a college athletic rowing scholarship? What goals should she set for her High School Junior & Senior Years to earn a scholarship. Academically she's A's & B's here in Tacoma.

Answer
Hi Mark: Based on your daughter's 500M splits, her 6K time is 26:58.8.  Per the Concept II Database, the average 6K time for girls between the age of 14-16 is 26:07.  Realistically, your daughter would probably need to row a 25-minute 6K or better to get a coach's attention.  I'd also suggest in finding your daughters 2K erg time.  This is the distance that is considered the benchmark and is the distance that all eregometer competitions use.  You can use the following web site to see where she stacks up:

http://www.concept2.com/sranking03/log_start.asp?p=/sranking03/log.asp

As the erg is more a measure of rowing potential, rather than rowing ability, most rowing coaches are careful not to recruit a candidate based solely on erg times.  A coach would probably be more interested with the fact that your daughter is an experienced strokeman (er, strokewoman) and her participation in summer rowing programs.  Probably, the most important thing that will determine if your daughter is a candidate for a scholarship is her on-water racing experience and the level of success her crews have had during her time in high school (and summer club rowing).  The academics is also very important.

I'd say for your daughter to get scholarship consideration, she'll need to do the following over the next few years:
- Lower her 6K erg time
- Get her 2K erg time to 8:00 or below
- Win races at the high school and club level
- Maintain a 3.5 GPA and a strong SAT score
- Participate in volunteer work

Even if your daughter does not get a rowing scholarship, she can still join any college crew as a walk-on -- even Harvard.