In Allie's wake: Walk-ons and the first week of school
September 07, 2018 | Women's Rowing
'Callie at the Catch' blog torch passed to senior Allie Lohrenz
Senior and Chanhassen, Minnesota, native Allie Lohrenz is giving regular updates this year from Porter Boathouse and around the country as the women's rowing team travels through the 2018-19 season. A third generation Wisconsin student-athlete (grandfather played football and mom was a rower), Lohrenz played lacrosse and competed in motocross before walking onto the Badger rowing program her freshman year.
Happy first week of school, Badgers and friends! Summertime has officially become a thing of the past, and the athletes of Porter Boathouse are eagerly poised and ready to hit the ground running coming into the 2018 fall season. While the memories of an intensive spring racing season are still freshly etched into our memories, the fun and relaxation of summer has allowed us the opportunity to reflect on our experiences and refine our training, leaving everyone itching to get back on the water as a boathouse. With that being said, a new year has begun, and with a new year comes new faces! Allow me to introduce you to the newest bunch of athletes who double as Porter Boathouse's most populous demographic: the walk-ons of Wisconsin.
By definition, a walk-on is an athlete who joins a team without any prior recruitment or scholarship offers from that particular team or institution. Many of us are familiar with the concept of walking-on in regard to sports such as football (perhaps you've heard of J.J. Watt?). Generally speaking, these athletes have a vat of experience and skills, but for one reason or another were not recruited or did not initially opt to pursue a collegiate athletic career. These athletes are a huge asset to teams, as they provide a wealth of diverse personalities and experience, and often talent that was overlooked or unbeknownst to coaches and scouts.
Here at Wisconsin, our men and women's rowing programs pride themselves on the cultivation of walk-ons, which has given way to a legacy and tradition in Madison unlike any other. Of the 17 Olympians to come from a Badger rowing background, 16 of these men and women were walk-ons. Rowing is one of the few, if one of the only, collegiate sporting teams that an individual can walk-on to without ANY prior experience. That's right, zero. None. This lack of prior experience is more often than not what makes these athletes so incredibly coachable, and lethal weapons in competition further down the road.
Last week, I had the privilege to attend a few of the open houses offered by the coaching staff and current varsity members at Porter Boathouse. These open houses are an opportunity for incoming and curious former athletes who want to learn more about what it means to be a part of a Division 1 program at one of the most academically and athletically renowned universities in the country. Over the course of three days, hundreds of men and women come through to meet coaches, talk with current athletes, tour the facilities, and meet new friends. Though many are initially daunted by the legacy that is Wisconsin Rowing, they soon realize that it really is as simple as showing up and doing the work. These men and women who attend undoubtedly make one of the most pivotal decisions of their collegiate careers before classes even start! Should they choose to continue to move forward in the sport, they will find themselves part of a community that they never imagined themselves in or even knew existed.
As a senior entering my final year of eligibility, I found myself getting flashbacks from three years ago when I too attended the same open house in the fall as a walk-on. This time, however, I was standing at the front of the room, taking a crack at public speaking and sharing my own fond memories, experiences, and friendships that rowing has granted me during my time in Madison. Open House Week has been dubbed another success this year for Wisconsin, and after a few trips around the sun with a red oar in my hand, I can say with absolute certainty that the men and women who are brave enough to show up are in for the most physically demanding and rewarding time of their lives.
Happy first week of school, Badgers and friends! Summertime has officially become a thing of the past, and the athletes of Porter Boathouse are eagerly poised and ready to hit the ground running coming into the 2018 fall season. While the memories of an intensive spring racing season are still freshly etched into our memories, the fun and relaxation of summer has allowed us the opportunity to reflect on our experiences and refine our training, leaving everyone itching to get back on the water as a boathouse. With that being said, a new year has begun, and with a new year comes new faces! Allow me to introduce you to the newest bunch of athletes who double as Porter Boathouse's most populous demographic: the walk-ons of Wisconsin.
By definition, a walk-on is an athlete who joins a team without any prior recruitment or scholarship offers from that particular team or institution. Many of us are familiar with the concept of walking-on in regard to sports such as football (perhaps you've heard of J.J. Watt?). Generally speaking, these athletes have a vat of experience and skills, but for one reason or another were not recruited or did not initially opt to pursue a collegiate athletic career. These athletes are a huge asset to teams, as they provide a wealth of diverse personalities and experience, and often talent that was overlooked or unbeknownst to coaches and scouts.
Here at Wisconsin, our men and women's rowing programs pride themselves on the cultivation of walk-ons, which has given way to a legacy and tradition in Madison unlike any other. Of the 17 Olympians to come from a Badger rowing background, 16 of these men and women were walk-ons. Rowing is one of the few, if one of the only, collegiate sporting teams that an individual can walk-on to without ANY prior experience. That's right, zero. None. This lack of prior experience is more often than not what makes these athletes so incredibly coachable, and lethal weapons in competition further down the road.
Last week, I had the privilege to attend a few of the open houses offered by the coaching staff and current varsity members at Porter Boathouse. These open houses are an opportunity for incoming and curious former athletes who want to learn more about what it means to be a part of a Division 1 program at one of the most academically and athletically renowned universities in the country. Over the course of three days, hundreds of men and women come through to meet coaches, talk with current athletes, tour the facilities, and meet new friends. Though many are initially daunted by the legacy that is Wisconsin Rowing, they soon realize that it really is as simple as showing up and doing the work. These men and women who attend undoubtedly make one of the most pivotal decisions of their collegiate careers before classes even start! Should they choose to continue to move forward in the sport, they will find themselves part of a community that they never imagined themselves in or even knew existed.
As a senior entering my final year of eligibility, I found myself getting flashbacks from three years ago when I too attended the same open house in the fall as a walk-on. This time, however, I was standing at the front of the room, taking a crack at public speaking and sharing my own fond memories, experiences, and friendships that rowing has granted me during my time in Madison. Open House Week has been dubbed another success this year for Wisconsin, and after a few trips around the sun with a red oar in my hand, I can say with absolute certainty that the men and women who are brave enough to show up are in for the most physically demanding and rewarding time of their lives.
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
