How far could I go?

Question
Al,
I am a 15 yr old lightweight rower who is 5'10 and 135 lbs. I recently started rowing and in 3 months have taken my 2k time down to a 7:15. My 5k time is a 19:30 and my 1k time is a 3:30. I really havent started growing yet and they say my potential height could be up to 6'2 or 6'3. I row for the Horsetooth rowing club in Fort Collins, Colorado. If I cotinue rowing through high school and get my times down as well as grow and maintain a 4.0, how far could I go in rowing? Could I row for a college like Washington, Harvard, or Yale? Thanks

Answer
Hi Tom: Based on your 2K time, you are in the 60th percentile (Top-40%) for 14-16 year old lightweights.  That's quite good for a relatively novice rower.

You definitely have the potential to be an excellent lightweight rower.  You can add another 10 to 15 pounds to your frame and still row lightweight (which I encourage you to do through weight lifting and diet).  The most important thing will be getting on-water racing experience this spring.  I can imagine it's quite cold rowing in Colorado.  But even rowers at Harvard have to train through brutal winters and they do great.

With your excellent grades and three years of racing experience, you could row for just about any lightweight crew program.  Grades are by far the most important criteria for getting into the college of your choice.

Good Luck/AP