Photo by: Anna Leach
Callie at the Catch: The Finale
May 31, 2018 | Women's Rowing
Reflections on four years as a Badger
Whitewater, Wisconsin, native Callie Herbert is back and giving regular updates again this year from Porter Boathouse and wherever else rowing takes her and her teammates. A four-time swimming state qualifier in high school, the senior stroked the varsity eight to 11th-place at the 2017 NCAA Championships and rowed with the 13th-place second varsity eight at the 2018 NCAA Championships.
MADISON, Wis. -- As the season comes to an end, so does my time here. Four years rowing for Wisconsin, wearing that motion W, representing the best university in the nation, and it all came to an end as I took my last stroke at NCAAs. Unbelievable.
It has been the best journey of my life and I am so thankful for everyone I met and everything I learned. These I will never forget. I am now an extremely proud alum.
To my seniors: Four years ago we made the courageous decision to row for Wisconsin. This crazy ride we created together as Badgers has been the best years of my life and I could not have done it without every single one of you. And what a ride it was, from freshman year, not knowing what was going on and our legendary performance of losing our bow ball before making it to the starting line, all the way to racing at NCAAs and finishing our last race with more boat breakage and becoming the premier event. We have come full circle. I would not trade those moments or the memories made for anything.
To the class that loves to have fun while singing and dancing any chance it can get, to the class that is full of competitive racers who know how to push the limits of what is possible; we have become comfortable with the uncomfortable while enjoying the process and especially the company.
Four years together, through the brutal practices, the long winters, the ups and downs as well as breaking down the barriers and racing our brains out, this class is what made me excited to wake up at 5 a.m. every morning and continue to work as hard as I did, every single day and most of the time, twice a day.
I want to thank each and every one of you for making it the best years of my life and congratulations on four years of absolutely killing it. I hope we have influenced the rest of the team in a positive and powerful way. Don't ever let the dance floor fade away and remember even with the blisters and sore muscles, rowing is fun! It goes by too fast, so let everyday matter and every stroke matter. I know that we all will be watching and keeping up with our girls wherever we may be.
As we move on to the real world starting new jobs, going to graduate school, or wherever else life takes us, we are forever Badgers. Once a Badger, always a Badger.
To those who have followed along with me these past couple of years, I thank you. I thank you for letting me show off what we do and how we do it as well as learning a little bit more about the sport and the Wisco Way. I thank you for supporting us and coming out to races all over the country. Badger fans are the best fans. Thank you.
To the best university in the world, Wisconsin, I thank you for the memories and cherish every moment I had here. The school spirit, the Badger pride, and the entire community will never be forgotten. I will always be able to call Madison my home. Being a Badger has crafted me into the courageous, humbled, and confident woman I am today, which was led by the support and love shared from athletics and is a major reason I have chosen to stick around one more year for graduate school – sorry Wisconsin can't get rid of me too easily!
But, do not fear, you will still get your weekly updates as it is time for me to pass the blog torch to Allie Lohrenz, who will keep you in the know during her last year at Wisconsin. It is your time to shine Allie!!
And with that, I must end with; Callie at the Catch is now at the finish.
On Wisconsin!!
- Callie
MADISON, Wis. -- As the season comes to an end, so does my time here. Four years rowing for Wisconsin, wearing that motion W, representing the best university in the nation, and it all came to an end as I took my last stroke at NCAAs. Unbelievable.
It has been the best journey of my life and I am so thankful for everyone I met and everything I learned. These I will never forget. I am now an extremely proud alum.
To my seniors: Four years ago we made the courageous decision to row for Wisconsin. This crazy ride we created together as Badgers has been the best years of my life and I could not have done it without every single one of you. And what a ride it was, from freshman year, not knowing what was going on and our legendary performance of losing our bow ball before making it to the starting line, all the way to racing at NCAAs and finishing our last race with more boat breakage and becoming the premier event. We have come full circle. I would not trade those moments or the memories made for anything.
To the class that loves to have fun while singing and dancing any chance it can get, to the class that is full of competitive racers who know how to push the limits of what is possible; we have become comfortable with the uncomfortable while enjoying the process and especially the company.
Four years together, through the brutal practices, the long winters, the ups and downs as well as breaking down the barriers and racing our brains out, this class is what made me excited to wake up at 5 a.m. every morning and continue to work as hard as I did, every single day and most of the time, twice a day.
I want to thank each and every one of you for making it the best years of my life and congratulations on four years of absolutely killing it. I hope we have influenced the rest of the team in a positive and powerful way. Don't ever let the dance floor fade away and remember even with the blisters and sore muscles, rowing is fun! It goes by too fast, so let everyday matter and every stroke matter. I know that we all will be watching and keeping up with our girls wherever we may be.
As we move on to the real world starting new jobs, going to graduate school, or wherever else life takes us, we are forever Badgers. Once a Badger, always a Badger.
To those who have followed along with me these past couple of years, I thank you. I thank you for letting me show off what we do and how we do it as well as learning a little bit more about the sport and the Wisco Way. I thank you for supporting us and coming out to races all over the country. Badger fans are the best fans. Thank you.
To the best university in the world, Wisconsin, I thank you for the memories and cherish every moment I had here. The school spirit, the Badger pride, and the entire community will never be forgotten. I will always be able to call Madison my home. Being a Badger has crafted me into the courageous, humbled, and confident woman I am today, which was led by the support and love shared from athletics and is a major reason I have chosen to stick around one more year for graduate school – sorry Wisconsin can't get rid of me too easily!
But, do not fear, you will still get your weekly updates as it is time for me to pass the blog torch to Allie Lohrenz, who will keep you in the know during her last year at Wisconsin. It is your time to shine Allie!!
And with that, I must end with; Callie at the Catch is now at the finish.
On Wisconsin!!
- Callie
Raceday Highlights || Eastern Michigan
Saturday, October 25
Macy Mosner - Ball of Sunshine
Tuesday, May 14
Vicky Opitz Media Conference || Wisconsin Women's Rowing || May 6, 2024
Monday, May 06
Vicky Opitz Season Preview
Thursday, March 14
