In 2016, Aisyah Rafa'ee became the first rower to represent Singapore at the Olympics. She was an athletic and competitive kid, finding her way onto Singapore's national netball team before being handpicked in high school to train in a 2x for the national rowing team. She eventually fell out of love with sculling, retired, and found herself in Boston, rowing sweep with masters women.

Aisyah's honesty about how rough training could be both mentally and physically is humbling, and refreshing. Today she's interested in mental skills and growth mindset, and is pursuing an athletic counseling degree.

In this episode we talk with Corinne Kazmierczak, an exercise science and psychology double major who learned as a young rower that managing her anxiety and PTSD came in the form a 1x. We delve into the effects of anxiety on sport performance, the benefits of rowing for the anxious mind, and how well-informed coaches can help rowers with anxiety to approach training and competition with perspective and confidence.

Boat clubs that have historically catered to binary athletes, are struggling to put out a welcome mat for trans, and gender non-conforming athletes. Scholastic, collegiate, and masters programs – along with USRowing – are slowly adopting new policies and opportunities for trans rowers, but there’s a lot to learn and a long way to go. Cillian Mullen and Liam Mirada share their experiences as trans athletes and how the rest of us can create a welcoming boathouse environment.

Daniela Nacházelová was just 10 when she learned to row on the Vltava River in Prague, Czech Republic. She went on to row at Washington State University and collected medals at World Cups and world championships, and chased an Olympic dream. She fell in love with rowing, but also ended up hating it. We talk with her about her new book Women’s Voices in Rowing, and are joined by two of the women featured: Michelle Carpenter, CEO of Rowing Ireland; and Judy Geer, 2x Olympian and part of the owner-operator family at Concept2 and Craftsbury Outdoor Center.

Lisa and Matt Weise met while rowing at Michigan State University in the 1990s and have been rowing and coaching ever since. Lisa admits she’s animal behind the oar and has masters wins to back up her claim. As a collegiate coach, Matt brought his teams to 14 NCAA championship appearances, three Big Ten Championships, and helped develop eight national team rowers. In 2019 they launched Rower’s Dream camps and coaching and in 2020 pivoted to online coaching with downloadable training plans for novice, intermediate, and advanced rowers.

We head North of the border to check in with Halifax Rowing Club in Nova Scotia. Despite a global pandemic that wreaked havoc on rowing programs everywhere, the Halifax team spirit remained intact, rowing continued, training pivoted, and they ended the season with a virtual awards ceremony. We're enamored with the club's resilience, motivation, and dedication.

Sara Nevin, at a mere 5’6”, won three varsity 8+ national championships and went undefeated in collegiate competition while at the University of Washington. She’s a three-time Washington Rowing Hall of Famer and two-time U.S. national team member. With 30+ years of coaching high school, masters and collegiate programs including UC Berkeley, and Mills College, Sara’s a legend.

Tara and Rachel ask the analytical guys behind Science of Rowing –Will Ruth, Blake Gourley, and Joe DeLeo – to reminisce about high school regattas, injuries, and finding direction in life outside the boat. They also tell us about their November initiative to support the A Most Beautiful Thing Inclusion Fund.

Plus the Best Part of Your Rowing Week calls from grey whale-spotting Rod Sternagle, South African club founder and rower Val Blacking, and masters rower Jen Huffman, granddaughter of Joe Rantz.

SSN co-founders Rachel and Tara talk rowing during COVID-19, rapid fire Q&A on salt water rowing and the pros and cons of unis, and hear from Coach Ben Steele on the best part of his rowing week.