Rowing may be the one of the most unique sports on campus. It is a sport open to everyone, although barely any of the women who try out have previously rowed, and yet it is still one of Wisconsin's most successful programs. Considering the women 's openweight team has competed in five NCAA rowing championships, including four in the last five years, and the lightweight team owns 10 top-three national finishes and four national titles, being a member of a Wisconsin women's rowing team is quite an accomplishment. So what exactly is it like to be a Badger rower'

This past fall, a whole new crew of freshman tried out for the women's rowing teams. We talked to three of the current novices on the women's openweight team about their experiences as a Badger rower.

There were a few common threads between all three of the rowers we talked to. For one, none of them had experience rowing before they tried out at Wisconsin. In fact, simple curiosity seemed to be the main reason why these women decided to attend the initial meeting.

'I just wanted to find out what it was all about,' said freshman Hayley Leinss simply.

After the initial meeting, those interested in continuing with the program attended a three-week try out period, although 'it wasn't like a huge try out, ' freshman Sara Watermolen recalled. 'They didn't try to kill you in the first week. They really worked us in very slowly and just tried to show us what our stroke should look like. They didn't drive me away at all, and I didn 't know a thing about rowing before.'

Following try outs, the team started to solidify and the coaches got down to more serious training. Watermolen remembers her first few weeks on the water.

'Our first day on the water, I literally was scared to death. The boat was so tippy! I was a complete disaster my first couple weeks, but you get more and more comfortable as you find out that the boat is not actually going to tip over,' she admitted.

As the training became more intense, it became more of a commitment to keep coming to practice every day, and each woman had her own personal reasons for sticking with it.

'I learned very early on that I am extremely stubborn,' stated Leinss, explaining why she decided to stay on the team. 'Once I say I will do something, I can't back out.'

'I keep coming back because of the people mostly,' admitted freshman Sami Grady. 'The girls are the best part. I also kept with it because this is the best shape I've been in my entire life.'

Watermolen acknowledged the daily ebb and flow of deciding to stay with crew.

'One day, you think, `This is great, this is so rewarding!' You 're getting a great workout in, the girls are absolutely amazing, and you meet all this new friends. Then the next day, you'll get up and think, `Why am I here ' Why am I doing this'' It is really hard. But knowing that all the girls are going through the same exact pain, that we can all crab about it but then get it done, helps.'

For many, it is precisely the team aspect Watermolen alluded to that is one of the most rewarding aspects of being a novice rower. As you are learning the rowing basics and improving your technique, there is a lot of practice and hard work with little racing and competition. But considering 95 percent of past and present rowers never rowed before coming to Wisconsin, most everyone is in the same boat, quite literally.

'The team is like having a huge family that knows exactly how hard you work and is right there next to you every step of the way pushing you to be better,' Leinss said.

Watermolen expanded on the subject, stating, 'You do grueling workouts together and that really makes everyone bond. We're very supportive of each other. We 're competitive too, but not negatively. We want each other to do well, and we want to go fast.'

The coaching staff helps ease the transition into learning to be a Division-1 rower as well.

'Every day, coach (Megan) Cooke says, `Today is going to change your life. ' She's fun, but she's tough. Rowing is hard work, but she is encouraging,' Grady said.

'The coaches are always there pushing you to find out what you are really capable of accomplishing,' Watermolen stated. 'I learned I could do something if I put my mind to it. A lot of times coach Cooke would tell me a score and I would think, `I can't do that! It's impossible,' but I would try my hardest and I'd prove to myself that I could do it.'

Leinss agreed with both of her teammates.

'I have never been pushed so hard in my life,' she admitted, but went on to assert that 'they (Cooke, Bebe Bryans and Karen Rigsby) are the best coaches I 've ever had.'

When it comes to summing up the novice experience all three of the girls seem to agree that it has been one of the best decisions they made to start off their college career.

'It has been a beast to tackle,' Grady admitted, 'but I am working with it and it has definitely been a good experience. I have really enjoyed this year so far.'

'It has given me a lot of confidence that I would not have had otherwise, ' stated Watermolen. 'It's awesome to know that I go and do these great workouts everyday and not everybody can say that.'

Leinss summarized her feeling toward the rowing experience in one sentence: 'It is the hardest but most gratifying then I've ever done, and it came with an amazing team!'

'I definitely would suggest that someone else walk on for a year, absolutely, ' Grady asserted. 'You have to make serious decisions when it comes to keeping with it, but it has been a good experience.'

Any other suggestions for potential future rowers'

'Well, yeah,' Grady went on. 'I know I could have bought some more spandex'that would have helped!'