How to Make Your Own Opportunities with Olympian and Division 1 Head Coach Sarah Trowbridge.
Olympian Sarah “Trow” Trowbridge qualified for the 2012 London Olympics at the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta, nicknamed the regatta of death because it is truly the last shot to qualify for the games. Like many other times in her life, Trow didn’t accept defeat when things didn’t go her way and worked her way onto the team. Trow then coached Kristi at Yale and has successfully coached many other high school, college and elite teams over the past decade! Currently Trow is the head coach at Oaklahoma and coached the USA Under 23 Women’s 8+ to a gold medal this summer.
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*This Transcript is Autogenerated*
Sarah Trowbridge 0:01
Going into London, having come so close like across the line of you're not going to Olympics at all brought a whole new appreciation and humility and gratefulness and love for everyone, all my teammates who have made it my coaches anyone you know who was involved in this situation and so that also made it really special way to enter into the Regatta.
Kristi Wagner 0:27
Welcome to the other three years a show for anyone who has an Olympic sized dream they want to turn into a reality. Hi, and welcome to this week's episode. This week on the podcast. I have my college coach and a woman I have looked up to you for many, many years. Sarah Trowbridge, whom I call true I think most people do. So Troy came into my life right when she retired from elite rowing, which was very much not the beginning of her story, but the beginning of her story as I knew it. So she started coaching at Yale, weeks after she finished competing at the Olympics, and that was my sophomore year of college. So she coached me at Yale for my last three years, and since then, has coached many other successful high school and college teams, and is currently the head coach of the women's rowing team at Oklahoma, also coached the under 23. Women's aid to a gold medal this summer and has coached crews at many world championships at the Olympics is a really successful coach in her own right. But also it was a really successful rower in her own right. So tro and I talked about her own elite career, which definitely had some ups and downs as everyone's does. But ultimately, she qualified in kind of dramatic fashion for the 2012 Olympics, and then made the grand final in the women's double in London. And she shared a lot about her journey, both in her early career and coaching career. And a lot of it is mostly how to stand up for yourself and advocate for yourself, even if it doesn't seem like other people really believe in you, or are giving you a ton of recognition. So personally, I have learned so much from tro, and she dropped some real wisdom bombs during our conversation. So I hope everyone enjoys hearing from her as well. But before we get into that, here is an update on what's currently going on in my own training. I am still in Gainesville, Georgia with some of my Orion teammates. We just finished our first whole week here. And it's funny every time we go on a training trip with Orion kind of crazy things happen when we're getting settled. But once everything is settled, and we have a good routine and stuff, it's like pretty smooth, and a really good training environment. And that's what it's been. So last week, we had really good training. And then we had a pretty easy day on Sunday. And we actually went to this winter market and this cute little town up in the mountains called Helen Georgia that I think is more famous for like Oktoberfest, but we went for their winter carnival and it was really fun. And now we've just started a new week of training. And it's definitely, you know, intense and we're training pretty hard. But it's it's been really good. We've been watching as my national team teammate Claire Collins recommended the David Beckham documentary on Netflix. So thank you, Claire, for that recommendation. And it's, it's pretty good. I would recommend it to anyone that likes to be I don't know, inspired by sports stories. It is kind of crazy how many like sports documentaries there are on the streaming services. Now, there's definitely been an uptick recently. But I personally really liked them. And I like I don't feel like I knew that much about Victoria Beckham like Posh Spice, but she's kind of super cool and a little bit of a savage. So I appreciate her like way more now. And I just think it's really cool. Like, obviously, most of the stories that they're sharing happened a while ago. So they've gained a lot of perspective on them. But I don't know, it's inspirational in that. It seems like they're able to have, you know, their lives and everything but then still really perform in their careers like for her being a Spice Girl and for him playing soccer and even if things aren't always going the way that they want them to go, like just being able to come out and do what you do and do and speak the most with your performance, you know, on the field or on the court or on the stage or on the water. I don't know. I really I've been enjoying it. And it's fun to like watch all together. We have this great movie room in the house we're staying in. I nicknamed it the Thunderdome. I don't know if other people like that, but I think it's pretty funny. So yeah, it's been fun. We tried to watch the NCAA Women's Soccer final yesterday really hard to stream online which I know is because like all All these college, you know, leagues and everything and the NCAA get all of their money from streaming contracts. But well, if it should be easier to be able to watch things like that online or on TV or whatever, because it was very hard to find, and then I did find it on YouTube, but it kept like, glitching out because I think it's illegal to share it on YouTube. So that's my gripe for the day. But yeah, other than that training has been going well, just trying to, you know, stack days and keep things improving and make the most of, you know, this focus time and this water time and, and kind of just get better every day. So now it is time for my conversation with Tarot. And I hope that you all enjoy it. I'm so excited to have you on especially because I had the you 23 Girls on this summer and they like talked about you so much. And then I was like, you guys know that tro was my coach in college. And they were all like
Sarah Trowbridge 6:05
yeah, it was Jebi sent it to me. She was like, Have you heard this? They really talk about you. I was blushing the entire time. No,
Kristi Wagner 6:14
no, I thought it was great. It was so cool that you coached the year 23. Eight this summer. Like, what a cool thing.
Sarah Trowbridge 6:22
Yeah, yeah, it really it surpassed all hopes. It was a great group to work with. I did not think that was something I wanted to do this summer being the first summer Oklahoma. You know, I had so many big plans for what I wanted to be doing here. But they knocked at the door like, once, twice, three times. And I said no, the first couple. And then it was like, Okay, I can't, I can't say no, again, otherwise, I won't get asked in the future. So I was really glad I did it. And it was great to do it here. Yeah,
Kristi Wagner 6:56
no, that's so cool. And I definitely want to talk about that. But I think we should like back up a little bit. And I really, like you obviously had this like amazing career of your own. And I feel like me getting to, like meet you right at the end of your sort of elite career. Like, I mean, when did you start coaching at Yale, like, a few weeks after the Olympics? Yeah. It
Sarah Trowbridge 7:23
was close. I signed my contract before I went, really, I think or something like I don't even know if there was really contracts, but I yet signed up.
Kristi Wagner 7:34
That's crazy. So I just think, to give like everyone a little bit of context that's listening, maybe if you can just do like, not super brief, but just like a little bit of overview of sort of your own career, and then kind of that culminating, like in 2012. Because that was also not like you guys had to go to fo QR and everything like that. Yeah.
Sarah Trowbridge 7:57
So you know, I don't think anyone on my college team thought I would necessarily keep rolling with that I'd go into extreme sports or like the X Games. But I only started right before college. And I felt like I was still getting a lot faster. And so I wanted to see what else I could do. And I was definitely not a automatic invite out of college. So I had a dip toe and book club and trained through the club system, which was great for development and had a lot of opportunities in that day and age to go and scrimmage the national team group, as well as do this lecture on guys like they have now. And I could tell I was getting faster, it seemed like my results were getting faster. But I did not meet any of the requirements that are listed on the website. I was not six foot and I was not whatever it was at the time sub 650. And so, you know, it was it was really through those water regattas to get a shot. And I think, you know, a big story that people love is that through a selection guide, I earned an automatic invite to quad camp, but was pretty much considered out on the first day when we don't go on the water. We do an art test. So that was short lived in might but I mean, I was there I participated. This is in oh eight, all through quad camp. But we were the cut at the end. And there was the non Olympic worlds straight for and there was a camp in Charlottesville, and I called a few of the girls, Stacy Carlye and Esther Lofgren and was like, what if we go do this straight for camp? You know, and I think was stage was like, that's an awesome idea. I'll call the roll, roll call the coach maybe I should tell it that way. So I called a few of the girls and they thought that was an awesome idea we could go try to do the straight for camp, one of them called the coach kind of someone overseeing all the women's side told her about it. And she said, that is a good idea you, you can go do that except for Sarah. She doesn't need to even attend that camp. So she's not invited. So the other girls had a dam. But I get a call from my coach, who also works in the national team system for my club. And he said, Hey, listen, someone's injured, they need someone to fill in. However, it is crystal clear that you are not eligible for selection. You are to fill in to the camp. So they have the boats for selection. And you cannot participate in in this this event. He's like, you know, but it's a starboard. Do you roll starboard? I said, Yeah, absolutely. I had never rode starboard before. But I said I can. And I will be there. I figured I was in the best shape I had been in training for oh, wait. So why turned down the chance to even race or scrimmage or learn and so headed into that selection for the oh eight not Olympic, for straightforward alembic worlds. And so we went, we see raced over and over and over. And they we did it by pairs, we did it by individuals, I actually switched in a sea race from starboard to port. And the one thing that came out is that I never lost my boat always one. They said, Okay, we're actually not mixing these these groups. And you can just race, you know, you guys can go race for if you want. And we'll take a camp for. And we decided to race, a four. And we won by like, hey, are based on some the steering that was happening. But we won. And we went and won a silver medal at Worlds that year. And everyone from that boat, received invites to move to Princeton, and join the training group. And everyone in the boat that got beat, received an email with an invite to Princeton to join the trading group, except for me. And so I wrote to the coaches and said, Thank you so much for my invite. For instance, and and basically move there now, I should be careful, I just remembered that this is not a private
I am not actually sure. That story. But
Kristi Wagner 12:40
no, it's a great story. Story. You
Sarah Trowbridge 12:44
know, I think as a coach now, you know, when I think about, let's say, my coaches were listening, because eventually what are my coaches? I can't imagine what they would say. Because I think we all it's been so interesting to see how athletes and coaches how we view the situations. And, you know, I had so much to learn, and they weren't wrong in so many ways. But that was my reality at the time. So that's, that's how it felt. Yeah, so I joined the training center, and, you know, had a little bit of at each year where it was like, these are the standards, a lot of it is based on Earth, and therefore your potential. And I was always just a little bit off the pace, not way out the back, but off the mark. And every year it was like this is going to be really hard for you or possible for you. But if you want to do it fine, you can be here. And every year, I made it, whether it be in the quad, or then the double until the last year when there was an IRD test leading into the trip to the west coast and on the trip would be the selection. So it wasn't quite that I was out of the selection. But if I couldn't get there on the trip based on the ERG score or the ordered test, then I wouldn't be able to participate in that. Now I'm sure I contributed to being put in that position in the first place. I know I did in my body of work. So it's not like it always comes down to that one moment. But it did based on where I was. So there was an art test. And for the first time, I didn't PR really on a critical piece I always had before and was pretty devastated was not allowed to go to the camp. Therefore I knew it was going to be near impossible to get into a good selection for the boats. And so I went back to Potomac and had, you know, basically combined with a single scholar who had been on the team before had been at the Olympics, Margot Shumway. And, you know, she was figuring out her own path forward and committed to pursuing the single but we decided that it was it was a good idea to go in the double and try for it but I think we were both really wrestling with our own baggage of the process that had happened over the last couple of years, there's something when you're working in spite and being pissed, versus really focused on the goal and united about the true goal. And we were kind of still in phase one. So we went out to trials and got our butts kicked, and really had this moment when we thought it was all over, have true honesty with ourselves and clarity about how we actually were training and what we were really doing when we put in those meters, you know, regardless of if they were enough or not, what were we really doing in those strokes, and in those those hours, and that clarity, you know, it can only come with like full tears, this whole journey is over six national teams, no Olympics, it's done. And then a couple boats, decided they wanted to go to quad camp, because the double wasn't qualified, and would have to go to the final quantum qualification regatta in Lucerne or the Word of God of death. And, you know, that's such a risky place to be in. And the other boats were, you know, in good positions based on the field internationally that year. So they decided to pursue quad cam. And then we got the bid for the double. And that, you know, that moment had changed everything for us. So we changed our haul, we changed our lineup, I moved from bow to stroke, we changed our train hangry. But mostly, it was just our mindset, like a huge shift there and went to the final qualification got out or like a whole new boat, lead from line to line, got the bid, you know, punch to the ticket ourselves, which was in itself a really amazing time because I had never, you know, I've been going through camps. And that was how I had been getting my seat for worlds to do it in a way where it was like my racing, just in that moment on the water was what was going to punch my ticket to the Olympics was really a really special moment and a good way to cap that off. And so we headed to London. And I think that also added you know, I started to be kind of overconfident because I'd always been the one coming you know, the underdog that got it done. Right, the one who was told no, but did it anyways, I like I almost enjoyed that. And great you told me I can't do it, I'll show you I can and thinking probably a little too focused on the ways that I was slighted versus the places I need to work on. So going into London, having come so close, like across the line of you're not going to Olympics at all, brought a whole new appreciation and humility and gratefulness and love for everyone, all my teammates who have made it my coaches anyone you know who was involved in this situation. And so that also made it really special way to enter into the regatta and we went there, you know, we were definitely not supposed to be you're not you know, especially if if you go through the qualification Regatta, you're generally not a crew that anyone thinks we'll do anything, you should be bottom of the of the pack. And we basically, you know, it just culminated in figuring it out together, the race of our lives, sprinting up from last up into third place and making into a final. And going into a final where we kind of threw some Hail Marys, and we were in the outside lane in the headwind. And it didn't quite make it but we're two and a half seconds off of bronze medal, you know, bringing up the PAC. So it was pretty much everything that we could have asked for in terms of how we went into that. And being a crew that had been together for such a short period of time.
Kristi Wagner 18:46
I just feel like that's such a crazy turnaround, like, from racing at trials to like, how much time Pat? Like when did they decide? Was it still the like you have two hours or whatever. Okay. So you and you had already decided that you were going to like step away from elite rowing when you were kind of doing all of this.
Sarah Trowbridge 19:11
Yes. You know, in retrospect, I'm, I'm, I'm not saying it was not the right decision, but I can't believe my thinking around it. And I'm so happy that that thinking has shifted a lot within the country and in the team. Whereas it didn't feel like there were that many athletes that were going for multiple quadrennial goals, and that I didn't feel like obviously, I was getting a lot of positive reinforcement in terms of besides results. I wasn't getting it necessarily from the coaches or the system that was saying, you know, no one's like, please keep training. And so I didn't feel like I was maxed out. You know, when I left college, I wanted to keep going. It's because I felt like I had a lot of speed to gain and I still felt going into 2012 Like I was gaining speed, and, and even in London, you know, feeling like we were gaining speed. So I'm not saying it was the wrong decision. But I don't know if I would have made the same decision in today's time. And the thoughts around the development and how critical like, you know, it's a 10 year pursuit, kind of idea minimum before you really start getting good. So I probably would have given a much longer thought about it.
Kristi Wagner 20:30
Yeah, did you ever consider going back to training,
Sarah Trowbridge 20:34
I mean, I really took all of the same passion and fight and piss and vinegar that I feel about rowing and my own career. To me, it's just a shade away from being a coach. You know, I don't think that's for everyone the same way by any means. But for me it is. And so to be able to turn around and do that with a group was along the same lines, and there were goals I had in that world as well. So I don't could shift that focus. Yeah.
Kristi Wagner 21:02
So like, whenever I was at Yale, when trow came in, right after the Olympics, like it was crazy, and I remember you just like, showed up, and we were all like, this is so cool. But now given my, you know, context of like, what your life must have been like, then it must have just been crazy. So how was that transition for you? Because you had done like some coaching, but probably not collegiate coaching at that level, you know, sort of like boom into a brand new life, right? Like,
Sarah Trowbridge 21:35
so definitely not a lot, but compared to most athletes. I coached in college, I coached juniors, crazily, Zach, I was her sculling coach, and as she was a junior high schooler in an arbor, and grace Hall, well, who's a coach now, too. So I coach in college for the junior like the local junior program. I coached the Masters there as well. And then when I moved to Potomac, the Georgetown lightweight coach was Jim O'Connor was helping us and coaching us working on some for, for some, probably some trial bow. And he asked me afterwards after the summer, Hey, would you like to coach Georgetown, lightweight freshmen be the freshman coach? And I was like, Oh, you must have heard from an arbor, that I'm a great coach. Oh, you must have heard from the Michigan coaches, that I did great at their camp. And he's like, No, I haven't talked to anyone. And I was like, what? Why? You know, why are you asked me to be your freshman head coach. And he's like, Well, I heard you in the boat, you clearly coach in the boat. And at the time, it was so offended, like, oh, my gosh, it is apparently so easy to get a coaching job. I don't even find out if I know how to coach. You know, I was like, you know, there should be some, some bars I have to get over. But, you know, I think now I realize how much there is some genetic was some like factor that does help that you might know how to communicate. You may not have the information, but knowing how to communicate it. And getting people to buy into it does help in coaching. So I had coached at Georgetown for a year and then technically a little bit more, but I kept going up to Princeton that was in Oh, eight. So I coached in college, but yeah, then went straight in. And there were a lot of things I thought I would do. I never was like, I'm going to be a coach. I thought there were all these other things I was auditing classes at Princeton wanted to do other things. But at some point, I did realize what I enjoyed the most. And I think I just put it out there, which was in some ways bold, but in some ways not. I think I also said I wanted to be a cattle driver after reading Lonesome Dove. So that was also my husband bio. But I think I put like, you know what, I want to be a collegiate and national team coach, and I want to be one of the best in the world. And I put that in my bio in some way, shape or form. And Kate Maloney was talking to well in his search for a new assistant, and she said, Hey, look at this athlete right here. And he called me up and so and then went from there. I'm glad you appreciate how crazy that was to come in. So hot off the Olympics into a full time coaching job as an assistant because will likes to say that, you know, I was on this joy ride around the country, going to the White House going to parties being in the city. And I feel like I was pretty there. Yeah.
Kristi Wagner 24:46
You were definitely there in those first
Sarah Trowbridge 24:49
couple of months, so yeah, it was right into the thick of it, but honestly, it probably helped me so many people really struggle with the come down out of the Olympics or You know, if you don't make it and that transition and the ensuing depression, you know, that's so common when you go from such focus on certain goals that are very much outcome oriented. And so it really helped. I
Kristi Wagner 25:15
mean, I feel like at the time, I don't know if I like, notice, you know, would have known, but it's just like now. I'm like, wow, that was pretty impressive. And I also remember, like, because there had been like, for, like Yale alumni that went to the 2012 Olympics, and we had this like, Olympic day or whatever. And I remember we like, rode in boats with them. Like, they were like, stern pair, and like two eights, whatever. And we did this whole practice of like, one minute shots, I think. And I remember us all being like, that was so cool. Like, we got to roll with these Olympians like blah, blah, blah. It's so cool that they're there. And then somebody was like, Yeah, but we get to hang out with tro every day. And we're like, Oh, right. She went to the Olympics to like, I remember being like, oh, yeah, like, because I just feel like you were so like, chill about all of it. I don't know, like you weren't rubbing, not rubbing it in anyone's face. But you weren't like, Oh, I just got out of the Olympics. And like, This is who I am, and blah, blah, blah, you were just like, No, I'm here to coach and I'm here. You know what I mean? I don't know. So yeah,
Sarah Trowbridge 26:26
I mean, ultimately, it's about it's about you all, is how it's always kind of been with coaching. But I think so this to this day, there's still times where the athletes will see a picture or something. And they're like, whoa, wait, we could just ask you.
Kristi Wagner 26:44
I do want to, like ask you about Oklahoma. But I'm also just curious, like, You've coached a lot of different levels, like you've coached high school, I mean, head coach of high school teams, college teams, like elite athletes at the Olympics. Do you sort of approach all of those things? Like all those groups the same way? Or do you? Yeah.
Sarah Trowbridge 27:08
You know, I think probably in a few, I don't actively are cognizant, tively think of and approach them the same or different, there's probably some ways that I approach all of them or bring something right, I think, starting out young as a coach, and, you know, I had just graduated when I was coaching Georgetown, so I was coaching girls who I basically could have rode with, and then later coaching, that Olympic double of Megan Allen, they were also teammates of mine. So quite a few times being in the position to coach peers, forced me to, you know, I could not rest on I just have the credibility, you should just listen to me, I needed to, you know, I It's not that I thought about it. But what happened was that I became really good at listening, and I still was so close to it, that I could put myself in the seat, no matter what was happening and coach from that position. And I think getting that kind of trust from the athletes, as well as understanding that it's not all one size fits all, but being able to handle unique or individual circumstances really helped with my coaching or you know, made me I guess, an accessible coach them. And I think that's helped. Now, in this generation, or this group of rowers were where that's already how I coach is to listen or to to understand where they are to be in the seat with them, to be in that team environment with them. And that then I think, made it really work well with juniors and under 23 athletes. And so I haven't been that different when I approach these groups. A lot of the group's it hasn't been so much about the age group a little bit is about where they are in the sport. So sometimes actually working with juniors, depending if they're kind of at a high level, versus you know, another group of older athletes who are maybe a little bit newer than my approach might be different. And I kind of wish I actually brought the same approach.
Kristi Wagner 29:21
I mean, I think that makes sense. I feel like in my experience, like you have to just meet people where they are and like, talk to people, like they're people. Like I've spent time coaching middle schoolers. We have a lot of middle schoolers in Saratoga. They're like in sixth grade, like some other people speak to them. Like they're like, what I would assume you speak to babies like, and I'm like, they have brains, like, you know what I mean? They're not and why would you coach? I'm good, I guess in my brain. Obviously, it's not exactly the same as like an elite athlete, but I don't want to teach them to do something that then some other coach down the line is gonna have to fix later, just because it's simpler, right? I like might as well just talk to them, like an adult, like, obviously you make it fun and whatever. But I don't know, I kind of wish that I hadn't learned some of the things in high school that I had learned. I've just been trying to fix them for the past 10 years. Like, no, not a dig at my high school coaches, just like, I don't know, you know, like, so yeah, now it must be so I don't know, it just so cool that you're coaching Oklahoma. Like, I feel like such a cool opportunity, like for you, but also just like for the program, they're like, how has the experience been? This is your second? Yeah.
Sarah Trowbridge 30:43
Yeah, you know, I came here, because it was the combination of who I was as an athlete. And really what that high level coaching and things like the Olympic, you know, processes about which is being very high level. So I guess what I mean, is, I came to Oklahoma, because they have inherently a good work ethic, if you dream it, you know, and if you believe it, and you put in the work, you can achieve it that's so pervasive here. And they have a very frontier spirit, I guess, a accountability and hard work are just kind of woven into the fabric of the university and athletic department. And you really, it's like, actions speak louder than words. And so obviously, that was appealing to me in that idea of, you know, when you crossed the line, at a trial, or a final qualification Regatta, that you've done that and you've won that. And but then they also have here, the desire and standard to do things at the best as the best possible level, and to be really innovative. So that's also really critical to the athletic department here. And, you know, when they say championship mindset, or a championship school, it's not a football school, it's not a big state school, it's not a really wealthy, athletic department, those are not the things that identify it, even though that's what obviously is part of it. But it's this championship school for all the sports and so they have some of the most winning women's teams here in the country, they've really done revolutionary things across the world of sports. So that to me, was really exciting. And that's one, you know, something that I brought into, or really wanted to do in coaching. When I started coaching those national team athletes was, they've already been in the system for two quadrennial URLs, they already know the system, they've gotten a lot out of it, absolutely. But to get from where they were at 11th, at Worlds, into a final at the Olympics, we were going to have to do something new and specific for them. And so that's what was exciting about that, what I could do here, Oklahoma, and now I have a team where we have the resources, and the mindset in the in the community to go be at the top level, now we have to put in the work. Right, we have to work with athletes that are, are here and excited, as well as bring in athletes that want to do this, too. I think that we can do that unique and special thing, which is to have a lot of work and discipline and high level expectation, but to still keep the idea of team and college athletics and family and the love of each other as you pursue this high level success and that it doesn't have to just become about the individual and you're you know, kind of siloed from your other teammates as you're all just trying to fight to stay alive and keep the National Championships coming.
Kristi Wagner 34:03
Yeah. So cool. I feel very inspired. I miss your free race socks for your desktop.
Sarah Trowbridge 34:15
Yeah, no, I'd say fun in that for I know.
Kristi Wagner 34:18
I know. We did. I know I should probably ask you a question about that. But I'm like embarrassed to college. No, I mean, I feel like that's like one sort of not bummer about like elite rowing or like small boat rowing good. I did throw last summer and like a four World Cup and then this eight at Henley which we actually didn't do as great as we probably could have done but there was so much like camaraderie and like we got like a pre read like the relic gave us like a pre race talk. And I was like, This is great. You know, like, I don't know, it's just it's Nice, it's fun. But I hope you know that you like, you definitely inspired me. And I feel like hearing your stories of like, I got, you know, I was the only one from the quad invited back to the training center. So I just went anyways. And like, I don't know, I feel like in 2018 I think like, I was sort of like amongst a group of people that were invited to quad camp, but I wasn't invited and I, Casey was running the camp, and I just very respectfully, like, reached out to him and was like, Hey, I would like an invitation to this camp, like, is there anything I can do to get invited? And he was like, pull this 2k pull this one minute. So I did and I sent him. And he was like, okay, show up on Tuesday. And I don't know, like, I mean, I feel like hearing your story. Like, it's not that you're like showing up like, Hey, I belong here. Why didn't you send? You know, why didn't you whatever, of course, you have, like a little bit of Alright, at least we'll have a little bit of pissed off in my brain. That's sort of motivational, but I think there's a really respectful way of No, I would like this opportunity. How can I get this opportunity? Like I, you know, you have to stand up for yourself, especially in this world. So thank you.
Sarah Trowbridge 36:09
It's really good to hear. I mean, it is the I think the thing that I always felt like was a little separate than just being, you know, kind of, like, it sounds that I was against the system, I think I understood that there were rules to the game, or there was a game happening, and just had to figure out different ways to do it. I think also, knowing the whole time that I did have things to work on. There were weaknesses, I had major gaps in my own abilities, mostly in terms of knowledge. I mean, I always kind of thought I was the best wrestler in the world, technically, but you know, I think being aware, like I wasn't winning the single, and I wasn't winning the ERD. So I was aware of what I had to do, or that there was things I needed to learn. And so that added a lot of respect, but it sure wasn't going to stop me either.
Kristi Wagner 37:02
Yeah, in my opinion, like, that's the difference is that it's like, okay, yeah, maybe I'm not the best at this. But like, that's not going to stop me, and how can I improve in that? And how can I, you know, whatever.
Sarah Trowbridge 37:12
Yeah, and I never felt like a victim. I mean, I know a lot of my stories maybe, sometimes could fall into that, but it never felt like a you know, I was a victim of these circumstances. And then, you know, always had that over me. It was more just another challenge. Right? And how much sweeter when you overcome them? Yeah. Now
Kristi Wagner 37:33
100%? Well, I feel like I've taken up a lot of your time. But do you have any questions for me before we finish?
Sarah Trowbridge 37:40
Oh, I mean, I could talk, because I don't seek out staying in the loop on all the information, I could talk to you about what you're doing right now. And get right up in there. In terms of getting ready for, like you said, Olympic selection, you know, and maybe how you feel like you're going in this year, as opposed to four years ago, but maybe I don't know, maybe where you feel more confident? Um,
Kristi Wagner 38:10
well, I feel like four years ago, I was definitely like, on the outside looking in. And it was. So it's interesting, because I feel like I had sort of been operating at like a while I'm in the mix, you know, maybe my ERG isn't like quite right there. But it's in the mix. Like, it's whatever. And like, maybe my singles result isn't quite there. But it's in the mix, like I'm in the mix. And I wasn't looking at it this way. But I feel like I was sort of cherry picking from the bottom. And it then sort of just became clear to me through like other people telling me but also me realizing like, No, you just have to try to win. Like, you just have to try to go this fast and win. And so in 2021, I was like, you know, what my like, only shot here is to be at the time, it was like for both finals that trials like be in the final. Like if I'm one of the top four scholars in the country, and we have a single double and quad at the Olympics, like chances are I could make a boat if I'm or like I will hopefully be given a shot if I'm in the top four. And so I just put it into that, you know, and then after singles trials, like, obviously, you know, Jebi got second and I didn't know her at all, but it was like very clear to me that going up to her in that moment and saying Do you want to row the double with me? You don't know me? was a bad idea. Right? Like I was like sort of aware enough to know that like her free like, in a way her dreams had just like been crushed. And so I like waited a little bit and then I was like, Hey, I would love the shot a chance to like get in a boat. Like just try it out. Whatever. I'll come to Boston I'll whatever. And they were like, you can come and row with our whole group here. So, and interestingly, at that point, for instance, training center was like, Oh, now you can come here. And I was like, like, I'm gonna go to Boston. But yeah, and then and then through that, I think every day, it was just like, how do I show that like, I can make this boat go fast, and like, I can be a good teammate. And even if I, you know, whatever, she's been on the Olympic podium, like, I haven't made a senior national team, how do I show that I can, like, keep up? Sort of, and how do I show that I'm like, I feel like I'm showing that I'm physically there, how to show that I'm like, mentally there, I guess. And like, so anyways, that's a long winded way of saying, like, I think that I was just sort of living day by day because it, I couldn't really believe that it was all like happening in the way that it was. But I also like, wanted it to happen. So I was just like, don't screw it up. But now, like, everything is different, right? Like we have, Yossi has come in, and the doubles are camp boats. And the whole system is totally different, which has obviously been like a hard transition, but I really think is like for the best. And I know that it's taking a bit of like, I don't know, maybe it's taking certain things away from the old system. And it's not to say that, like there weren't fast small boats before, because there were but it's really nice, like being in a small boat, but still feeling really connected to the team and still feeling like valued as an athlete. And not like we are a country that only cares about one to two boats, like it seems like they really care about every boat and every athlete and like, they want us to care about each other and all that stuff, which I think is really nice. And it's been interesting to me, because there are some athletes like from the old system that have kind of been coming back. And it seems to me like they're doing things a bit separately. And I'm like, I don't know you. But I want to tell you like this system is different. And like you are welcome in this system. Like that's the thing is like the new system is very welcoming. And I think that's awesome, because I think that there are so many good athletes in this country and like, the system should be more welcoming. I feel like we've overlooked athletes in the past that could have helped make boats go really fast, just because they didn't fit into like a super specific mold. And then they didn't have sort of tenacity to be like, Oh, you didn't invite me to camp? How am I going to get there anyways? And maybe they could have made a boat go really fast and helped us win a medal at a world championship or an Olympics? I didn't answer your question at all. But I think what, yeah, I feel like right now what I'm doing is just like, Yeah, I mean, you got to take it day by day. But I feel very lucky to like, be supported, but also be given like, really high targets, being pushed to be going GMS is on the water and being pushed to like, go really fast on the erg. I'm going faster than I definitely ever thought that I was gonna go, which is cool. I mean, I'm excited. But it's also like you can't get I mean, you know, like, you have to just live the day today. And you have to just, you know, the 6k is not going to pull itself, the 2k is not going to pull itself trials isn't going to happen by itself, selection isn't going to happen by itself. Like, there's still a lot of work to do. So I feel happy to be in an environment that is supportive, but not like on recognizing, you know, the work that has to be done.
Sarah Trowbridge 43:38
I think you said something so key. And I remember that, for me, it was like 2011, when you made that shift of Well, in this area, I'm in the mix, you know, or in this area, I'm not far off the bar. And in here, I could be okay. And in here I have a really good excuse to that mindset of like, the only, you know, the only option is the work and is to the win. You know, so when you start looking at it that way, all of a sudden, I feel like you skyrocket? Yeah.
Kristi Wagner 44:13
Thanks for listening. I hope everyone was inspired by true stories and to go after whatever you want in life just like she does. I'm really grateful to her for coming on the podcast and sharing so much and just really, thank you so much true. So this week, my quote of the week is from this book I just started and enjoying so far. It's called gold in the water by pH. Mullen. And it is the true story of ordinary men and their extraordinary dream of Olympic glory. So the quote is actually like from just the intro, and it's the Olympic ODE, one from Pindar. hope I'm saying that right? We may sing have no contest greater than Olympia just as water is the most precious of all the elements just as gold is the most valuable of all goods. And just as the sun shines brighter than any other star so shines Olympia putting all other games into the shade. I just really like that. So, thanks for listening, and have a great week. See you next time. I'd love to hear from you. So send us a topic suggestion or if you'd like to submit a question for our Ask Christy anything segment, head to our website, the other three years.com
Transcribed by https://otter.ai