Jumping in the Deep End: From Hockey to Rowing with ARION Teammate Katy Flynn | Episode 47

*This Transcript is Autogenerated*

Katy Flynn  0:05  
The biggest letdown in becoming a rower is like the lack of creativity in the sport. And I think that's what I really miss from hockey is like, you got a rowing practice. You take 10,000 strokes and you go home like, you don't really have to see the play and like make gametime decisions.

Kristi Wagner  0:22  
I agree with that. Actually, I feel like especially in college, I'd be like, I just miss playing games. 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 of the other three years. This week, I'm sharing a conversation that I had with my longtime Orion teammate, Katie Flynn. So Katie first joined Orion in 2017, when she was still in college at RPI, which is about 25 minutes from Saratoga. She had only started rowing about a year prior and for a club team, which is crazy and pretty incredible, and honestly kind of insane that she just started to train with an elite team of post collegiate rowers with like one year of rowing experience. But that's Katie. And I've had the extreme pleasure of watching katie, as she went from being honestly mostly a recreational rower to making the under 23 national team, I saw her win major collegiate races and eventually become a division one varsity athlete, about a year ago, she moved back to Saratoga and is now a full member of Orion, which makes me super happy. Katie works harder than anyone and continues to improve a lot. As time goes by year by year, month by month, and we talked about her unconventional path through the sport and how she's motivated herself and taken taken each step of her career. I feel like her story is really inspiring, because it just, you know, doesn't matter where you start, you just have to be willing to take chances and bet on yourself. And I've had a lot of teammates in my athletic career, and I value all of them. But I really value Katie, and I'm so excited to continue to cheer her on as she keeps advancing and getting faster and faster. So I'm super excited for everyone to hear our conversation, and I hope you like it. But before we get into that, here's an update on what's currently going on in my training. So I'm in Sarasota, Florida, and we are in the first week of our official selection camp for the Olympic team. So all of the groups are kind of doing different things regarding selection, different forms of selection, but we're all here in Sarasota, doing it kind of alongside each other. And training is going well, I think everything for me is just getting better, which I'm really happy about. And you know, it's a pretty intense time. And pretty, you know, obviously, the stakes are really high right now. But I think it's really nice to be with the whole team and the whole group here. And just obviously everyone has really high goals. But also like you can't be stressed all the time, you have to be able to relax and, you know, spend time with your friends and your teammates outside of practice as well to just alleviate some of this stress. So I appreciate you know, those moments as much as the moments on the water in which we're like pushing each other, but not that much is going on, because we are in so much selection right now. So it's not like we're doing tons of things outside of practice. Although we did go to the circus on Sunday. So there's a circus right on the same land that we train out of the circus is literally based at Nathan Benderson Park right now. So the coaches offered us tickets to go to the circus on Sunday. And one of the toxins Nina literally, like started the show, she had the whole circus, like a top pad and a coat and she welcomed everyone to the show. And they kind of honored us for being here and for training. So it was cool. And then we got to watch the whole circus and it was really fun and really cool. I don't know, I haven't been to the circus in a long time. But it was very impressive. It was not super like animal heavy. I'd say a lot of it was different, I don't know, tricks that people can do. And the I mean, it was just so impressive. Like people climbing on one another. They had all these different like apparatus that they were using. And then the last act was a flying trapeze, which was super impressive. So that was really fun way to spend Sunday. We ended up moving back into the hotel after the circus on Sunday. So now I'm staying in the hotel there's a hotel like right next to Nathan Benderson Park, so that's just really convenient. We have all of our meals back on there's breakfast at the hotel and dinners at The hotel as well, so kind of back in back in a different groove than we were in the past couple of weeks. But it's, you know, like I was saying, it's nice to change things up. We've had some new dinners, some new restaurants sponsoring the dinners. So we had like a bento box this week already tonight we're having pitas or something. So that's gonna be fun. You have to get excited about the little things when not that much is going on. So I'm just excited to Yep, keep attacking training and keep my body feeling good and keep getting faster because that's the important thing these days. So now it is time for my conversation with Katie. Katie, how long have we been teammates for? When did you join Orion?

Katy Flynn  5:45  
The fall of 2017? Isn't that crazy? Crazy? Seven ish years. That's

Kristi Wagner  5:52  
insane. We're like the longest standing members. Wow.

Katy Flynn  5:58  
Well, you definitely are. I came in what but

Kristi Wagner  6:01  
if it were like the longest standing teammates? Yeah, that's that's that deserves a trophy.

Katy Flynn  6:06  
We'll get a maid. Well, Katie,

Kristi Wagner  6:08  
I know. You're kind of very cool start to rowing. But the people of the podcast don't. So do you mind sharing? Like a little bit about how you found this sport?

Katy Flynn  6:21  
Yeah. So I was a hockey player in high school, which was super fun and a great sport. And then I went to college, and I wasn't playing hockey anymore. And I was just like, looking for something fun to do. I obviously am super competitive and love sports. So my freshman year of college, I tried every club sport known to mankind and landed on the rowing team, which I went to a small engineering school in New York, and it's just a club there for rowing. So like think d3 rowing, but like 10 times more recreational. And I was like, this is cool. This is fun, but I'm not really working out. I remember like going to the practices and then like going to the gym after because it didn't feel like it worked out. And then after my sophomore year, I was working an internship in Detroit, actually. And I was like living near the boathouse there. So I was like, hey, like, maybe I'll go row with this program over the summer. And I like learned how to row a single and ended up rowing a double with this girl who actually went to UVA. Well really find out about Yeah, it was crazy. So I went to like summer nationals. And I wrote the single and I raced these girls from this crazy club called a Ryan. And I Googled it. I was like, What is this? Who are these people? And, and literally, Saratoga Springs, New York. And I was like, Wait, this is 20 minutes from where I go to college. This is so cool. And I literally so that's the summer of my sophomore year, I emailed Kat and I was like, Hey, I like to grow. Can I come grow with you guys? And he was like, Yeah, show up tomorrow. I drove myself to Saratoga Springs. I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

Kristi Wagner  8:05  
I just think like, like, I've tried to explain to people, because I love to brag about Katie. I feel like she's my little sister. Or maybe my child. I don't know. I'll be like, Yeah, and so she just like, didn't really, like know even what rowing was, and then decided to join an elite rowing team. When all of these people that like we're out of college, she's still in college, just like, Yeah, remember your boat? That was like, way too big to you? Yeah.

Katy Flynn  8:39  
There was like a guy at RPI that was like, hey, like, I've got a single you can roll it. And I was like, Can I take it to Saratoga? He was like, Sure. I show up. And cat and Chris, you're like, why are you rowing a heavyweight men's singles? Like, what does that mean? I don't know.

Kristi Wagner  8:58  
Oh, my gosh, that's just like, I don't know. I just feel like, I know. You don't think that that was a, like, unique thing to do. But I do appreciate that. Like, nobody

Katy Flynn  9:10  
would have done that. Yeah. Now that I think I'm like, you hear all these stories of rowers, and they're like, oh, like rowing. You can start in college and like, yeah, I started in college, but this is a little different. I went from club rowing where like, we somedays would only have four girls or less like, you know, you didn't really rope to immediately doing an elite training plan in a single when I was like, you know, 19 Yeah, what

Kristi Wagner  9:36  
was that? Like? Were you like, what is going on?

Katy Flynn  9:41  
I don't think I had the ability to even say what's going on because I had no idea what was going on. I don't even think I looked at a training plan like I must cat must have shared it with me but like I just showed up and whatever he said into that walkie talkie I did. And you know, it practices were kind of funny because I did like see how long I could get better. He would have to wake me out to like, go catch you guys because I'd be so far behind. And then like, every day, I would get in the car after practice to be driving home like this guy's gonna cut me like, I don't even know what I'm doing. Like he's gonna call me up and say, Don't come back. You're dragging my practice out if he never did go out it out there. So, yeah,

Kristi Wagner  10:19  
were you ever like, I don't know if this like makes that, like, was it ever frustrating for you? And you were like, I'm waking up so early. I'm driving all the way there and taking all these engineering classes like this, right? You know, I feel like you came every day you never you didn't ever

Katy Flynn  10:35  
know, every day, every day. I remember, I didn't really understand what you guys were doing. I was like, Oh, these are post-collegiate rowers, like, they're just up there, having a good time. And like, I didn't really grasp that, like, Oh, these are like, future Olympians. Like they are working towards that goal. I was like, Oh, I'm just part of this club. And like, I like working out and competing. And that's great. And it's like weird that I'm doing this not with school, but like people do weird things like it's fine. During my first year. Cat was like, hey, like, apply to you 23 camp. And I was like, first of all, what's your 23 camp, but I filled out the application and like, got invited, again, had no idea what I was stepping into. And I show up like at Princeton and all these. I don't know why I was more intimidated by these girls. Maybe because they were like my age. And they were like big Sweepers and like you guys were like fun scholars. I was like, Oh, we're like really doing this. These are big people do a big rowing things. That's when I was like, This is crazy. I'm at a national team event. And I've been doing this sport for like half a month.

Kristi Wagner  11:42  
Yeah. Well, that was what was always I think crazy to me about you. I was like, I just feel like Katie doesn't understand that. Like she's doing very impressive things. And yeah, and I feel like it was hard because like, Yeah, I mean, you were slower than all of us. And then remember when you were a senior, and I was like, You were you're going faster than I was when I was a senior in college. Like, and you were just like, that's not true. But I was like, it is true. I

Katy Flynn  12:06  
don't know. Right?

Kristi Wagner  12:07  
I don't know how to explain it. Yeah, anymore. Clearly, yeah, no,

Katy Flynn  12:10  
I think I never I looked still to this day. I'm like, Oh, I'm not Christie. Like, I'm not fast. But I think that it is like, these girls are going like I didn't even know what was fast for 2k. But you know, I was like, Oh, I'm 20 to 30 seconds behind. I must be slow. Whereas like, I didn't realize that like you're the best of the best. And my slow was like kind of okay,

Kristi Wagner  12:33  
yeah. Do you remember when you PRT on your 2k in the middle of your 6k?

Katy Flynn  12:38  
Yeah, I do.

Unknown Speaker  12:39  
I do.

Katy Flynn  12:41  
Like, that's crazy. Yeah.

Kristi Wagner  12:43  
So it's your first year was when you went to the first.

Katy Flynn  12:49  
Yeah, and you guys were all there. We were there.

Kristi Wagner  12:51  
And what was that experience? Like, like being at camp?

Katy Flynn  12:55  
I don't want to say it was a bad experience because it was like a very motivating experience. But it was to be see racing for the first time at a US rowing selection camp is a little crazy. You know, they were like, Oh, this is your start time. These are your boats, like do this. And then they email out results. And I had no idea what it meant. I remember like taking a screenshot and sending it to you guys and be like, hey, like, Am I doing okay? And like that camp in particular. I feel like the selection was a little it was weird. No one really knew who was faster we were doing like 1500s rate kept it like a 22 in doubles for a quad. And I'm like, Cool. I didn't know that. It was like a weird thing. But like, it was cool because I was like, Oh, I'm like going the same speed as people who are on D one teams. I'm just this club rower because like again, to me Orion was like at the time just like a club that I was rowing at. It wasn't this big elite HP team that it really is. Yeah.

Kristi Wagner  13:57  
And then did you feel like I don't know coming out of that camp like did you feel like that changed anything about the way that you like approached Yang going into because did you go to like, dad that maybe I just don't really remember like all those races that first year or so

Katy Flynn  14:16  
that first year I did go to dead veils. I didn't like go to ackers yet or anything but like dead veils was just like, it was somewhere that I could race the single in the spring that was like local enough that I would drive myself and I went actually because Ryan Springer Miller, one of our older teammates was also like she had gone the year before. So I knew about it like I wouldn't even known about that race if like she hadn't been around so yeah, the camp like the first year was really like eye opening to me and kind of like oh like you can be national level you can keep doing this and like keep training because I hadn't really even considered that like I was again just like growing to like have something to stay in shape and just like have fun while I was in college and then going into my senior year I was like, I'm gonna be an elite athlete. Now, you know, it's like, I gotta go to bed and I gotta like, get my homework done and all of that stuff, so that I could get faster.

Kristi Wagner  15:11  
Yeah, well, I mean, I feel like your senior year was pretty, like impressive. I mean,

Katy Flynn  15:16  
I don't know I it was fun. It was fun. I raced, like all the only college events that you can race in a single head of the fish, obviously the most prestigious on that list. But then dead veils and Acuras, which were were cool. And like, racing, Sophia Lewis. She was at all those events that year. You know, you see her name everywhere now. So

Kristi Wagner  15:37  
yeah. And you were beating her a

Katy Flynn  15:40  
moment in time. Christie. Yeah. So moment in time.

Kristi Wagner  15:43  
I remember we were all watching Acuras when you were racing, and like, what did like start and then they brought you back to this like, a false start or something kept like BS. Started I remember. Oh, my gosh, what's going on?

Katy Flynn  15:59  
That's Katie. It was crazy. That's I think it was funny to like, go to some of these forgot it. Like I Car Talk to single by myself. I was like, Hey, mom, like you want to go to Philly this weekend? I'm going to this race. She's like, I don't know what you're talking about. But sure. Like, I always joke with cat now that I've been the most successful at regardless that he didn't go to all those college races when he didn't go, which I'm sure he loves to hear. But

Kristi Wagner  16:25  
oh my gosh, yeah. And then you went to camp again that summer?

Katy Flynn  16:30  
Yeah. So camp was in Charlottesville that year. And I had, I guess, a parallel story is that I had already decided to go to grad school, I had found out like in the fall that the way the NCAA rules are written, you have four years of eligibility, and you have to use them across like this five year timeline. So I had obviously not used any of them. So I had a year left and I was like, Cool, I'm gonna go row for D one program like, this is gonna be an awesome experience, narrowed down all the programs did all the recruiting crap. And Virginia was where I was gonna end up mostly because of the engineering school and like the offer I got there. But you 23 camp was in Charlottesville. So it's like, this is great. Like, I'm moving to Charlottesville, I'm going to go to you 23 camp, and then like I'm there. So that was really fun, and ended up making the quad. I think like going into that camp, I was so much more just like confident and like I knew what was going on. And I had a year of elite training under my belt. And all these girls, I think it was really helpful. Like, all of these girls were coming off of their NCAA season and sweeping and like peaking for NC double A's. And I just like barreled through rolling my single that was kind of a leg up I had for a quad.

Kristi Wagner  17:39  
And then what was it like being on a college team? Obviously very different than like being on the RPi team. But I also assume Yeah, different from being on like a team with all of us.

Katy Flynn  17:50  
Yeah, it was shocking to me, I think more shocking to me to show up at UVA than it was to show up at Orion. Because day one I roll up into like, all right, 30 minute, or test 22 like hit your standard. I'm sorry, there's 100 girls in this room. And we're all about to do with three rate 22 It was also interesting, just like being a little older, I was like I already did college and like they're sending me at all they like new student events that I had to go to as an athlete. They're like, do your homework, go to bed, we're gonna check and make sure you go to class. And I'm like, Okay, I'm 21 and these kids are like 17 But yeah, and then that was like learning how to sweep. No one taught me how to sweep Kevin sat me down and was like, pull hard. Like best of luck. I was like, okay, but it's like weird like I was a novice basically sweeper, but I had just been to the world championships as a you 23 interests. I

Kristi Wagner  18:48  
feel like people think it's a it's pretty easy to go sculling to sweep. It's just hard to go sleep to scowling. Yeah,

Katy Flynn  18:57  
it was fine. Yeah. made it happen. Yeah,

Kristi Wagner  19:00  
it's not like that. I don't know. I feel like it's sort of uncomfortable. Like, now when I do it. Yeah. I'm like, Oh, I just want to be straight. Yeah, and that year was the pandemic, right.

Katy Flynn  19:18  
So the race Yeah, so that was crazy. Like, I got to go to the Charles in the fall, which was awesome. Like making the eight that fall. I was like, Cool. Like, this is it anyways, then COVID hits. I'm like, well, crap. This was my one year like, I'm toast and now I'm in grad school at Charlottesville, like, can't even row and fortunately like obviously they granted everyone an extra year. Unfortunately, my program is still going on. So I ended up sticking around in Charlottesville. got really close with the men's team because they all stayed in our training singles so I got to train with them, which was really fun. And then coming back in the fall was like it was cool because I was able to like step into a more leadership position on the team. Instead of being like an old first year, I was like, oh, like, now I'm a vet, I know what I'm doing. And we had like a weird fall, because of COVID. Like small boats, but then like, went to NC double A's did pretty well there. Got the whole experience. And then, you know, stuck around for a few more years of school.

Kristi Wagner  20:22  
Yeah. Well, so were you were only planning on doing that, like, two year program initially, right? Yeah. So

Katy Flynn  20:29  
initially, like, I got into the school, and I was like, great, like, I'm gonna get my masters. It's a two year program, I'll roll for a year, and then I'll just like trade on my own for a year and figure out what I want to do with my life. And then while this whole COVID thing is happening, I get offered a research fellowship, to like, pursue a PhD. And I'm like, well, like, do I really want to do that? I don't know. But like, they're gonna pay me. So I'm gonna say yes. And then if like later down the road, I don't want to do it. I can just, you know, take my masters and leave. So I spent two years following those first two years working in research and training on my own, which was maybe not the best decision, looking back on it. But it was a decision, and we did the best we could for as long as we could. I don't

Kristi Wagner  21:13  
think it was a bad decision. Yeah, yeah.

Katy Flynn  21:17  
It wasn't the most fun. Yeah, like working a lab research job, where you're like, just probing tiny electronics all day, and then trying to do an elite training program on your own is a challenging tasks.

Kristi Wagner  21:31  
Yeah. Yeah. I feel like you've spent a lot of time doing kind of more independent training. Which I personally feel like is pretty challenging. Yeah.

Katy Flynn  21:44  
Fortunately, like, even I remember immediately when COVID hit, I texted cat and was like, Hey, can I share me your training plan, please, like I need something to work with. And moving forward into those two years. I like, tried to kind of be like more on a remote Orion athlete. Like I stayed in touch with cat, I had the training plan. I think that people undervalue the importance of like, just having teammates around every day, I could go out and do the 20k. That wasn't the problem. It was like the quality of the rowing. And just like the enjoyment in what you're doing, is really dependent on the people around you. So, you know, I like ticked the boxes, I did the work well enough that like, now I could come back and make a lot of progress. You really realize how important it is to have good people around you. Yeah,

Kristi Wagner  22:33  
I mean, I think it's really interesting, because like, obviously, we do spend a lot of time as scholars and singles. But I personally, like, have always really enjoyed the like, teammate aspect of sports. Yeah. And yeah, I feel like, even when we're all in singles, like, I'll still have teammates around, and I like, yeah, that part. Like, even if I'm not having the best day, I still want to be around other people. Like that's something i i like about Yeah, it is a huge part of sport. Yeah. Yeah. And like, I don't know, that was like, a hard part of COVID for me was like, I feel like everything was so separate. And I could, like you were saying, like, check the boxes, sort of and do the work, but like, it just wasn't very fun.

Katy Flynn  23:25  
And like, Yes,

Kristi Wagner  23:26  
I guess I'm grateful that I'm the kind of person that like, will still go do it. You know, because I understand that for a lot of people like they just won't. It's weird to look back on now. Because people like, you know, even cat will be like, well, like COVID was so good for you. You know, and I'm like, Yeah, but it wasn't really that fun. Fun urging in my house. Yes. It

Katy Flynn  23:53  
happened in my tiny apartment. Right? Yeah.

Unknown Speaker  23:56  
I didn't know.

Katy Flynn  23:59  
Like, I did that. I don't ever need to do it again. Yeah. Like,

Kristi Wagner  24:03  
I think it makes you appreciate, you know, having other people around. Yeah, it's so interesting to me. Like, how much Orion has changed over the years? Yeah. And like, I mean, I'm very grateful for like, all of the Orion teammates I've had and I Oh, yeah, yeah, the, you know, the early people like, Great it just in different ways. And I think it's just so interesting, like, the culture now is just so different than it was so different.

Katy Flynn  24:35  
I don't even know if you can, like put words on what's truly changed, but it's like, I don't know if someone from like 2017 walked into one of our practices today. They'd be like, this is foreign. Like, yeah, everyone said in a while, like pull up one of the cat's old Excel training plans to just be like, guys, like, look how far he's come.

Kristi Wagner  24:56  
I know. I know. Well, that's another funny thing like people Oh, and I appreciate how I don't want to say like, demanding, but like how, like people kind of ask a lot of him, you know? Yeah. And just like a lot of being on the team, and, you know, whatever, but it is so funny to me. I'm like, Guys, we used to just like go to practice, I'd like go to Prague not know what was going on. And no, I don't know.

Katy Flynn  25:26  
Like, you turn that radio on channel nine. And you're like, alright. Yeah,

Kristi Wagner  25:30  
no, but I feel like the other thing that, like, is interesting to me is for me, I mean, I obviously like, a new person will join the team, and I'm happy to have them there. But like, it's always been the kind of thing where I feel like for me to really like trust people. I have to just like, see it? And like, it takes a lot. Yeah, especially in a teammate sense. And I feel like when you were like, away, it was like, a lot of people didn't know you. And like, I would speak like so highly of you. And I think that the other girls would get kind of like mad, not like mad, but yeah, like, why does she like Katie, so whatever. And it's like, well, I saw Katie, like, come to practice every day and like, work super hard. And it's not the other people haven't done that. But like, I didn't, I didn't get to witness their like true. Like entire like, climb. You've

Katy Flynn  26:27  
seen it all. I've seen it

Kristi Wagner  26:29  
all. Yeah. And so I don't know. It's just like crazy. I mean, you've seen like it all for me, you know. So yeah, I feel like you can really appreciate it more like when you have people that have been a part of the journey. The whole journey. Yeah. Yeah. Orion early days was just like a lawless land.

Katy Flynn  26:49  
It was a lot like, you think it was lawless? Like, like, put yourself in my shoes. Oh, I

Kristi Wagner  26:55  
know. Like some of the things you guys did. Katie, like when you drove to Florida, with the boys and then Alex Lloyd. Yeah. And then you guys just left.

Katy Flynn  27:05  
Yeah, we're like, no one's here. Cat Cat was like go to Florida. Like, there's lightweight girls there. That'll be your speed. We show up to Florida. No one's here. And the boys are like we're leaving. And I was like, Well, I'm on spring break. Like I'm staying and I'm just gonna roll around Nathan Benderson Park, like before Nathan Benderson Park was what it is now. We're just we just showed up that road for a week and then drove home.

Kristi Wagner  27:29  
I know. I remember. Also when we were at that. I think literally, I think it was maybe your first year, like the first speed order that you went to

Katy Flynn  27:40  
the crazy one. The crazy weather? Yeah.

Kristi Wagner  27:43  
Oh my gosh. See, like, I can't even imagine that being like, your first race.

Katy Flynn  27:50  
Yeah, that was my first race and a single, literally, like my first 2k for

Kristi Wagner  27:55  
some context, this race was truly I don't even know it was so windy. So windy

Katy Flynn  28:02  
and cold. It was in Princeton and like, I don't know, early, April or something

Kristi Wagner  28:08  
probably early April. But it was really really cold. And it was like really, really windy. Like very, very bad weather. And somebody flipped, right. Like, but our races were just like, it was just a crazy situation. Yeah, like,

Katy Flynn  28:26  
I just remember that Chevy was behind me in the time trial. And I was like, she's gonna pass be like, immediately she's gonna pass. And Christy was like, No, you're gonna be fine. Like, there's plenty of time between people. She's not going to get you and I was like, the only name I know and rowing. Gabby, like great. Here we are. She didn't pass me. I don't know. They must have saw me and given me like an extra minute or something. No,

Kristi Wagner  28:51  
Katie? No. Gotta actually remember that. You were I was like, Oh God, I really hope she doesn't pass her because I was like, she's gonna pass you. Oh my gosh, it's so funny.

Katy Flynn  29:04  
I think about that. Like this waitress feed order. I had the privilege of passing someone and I was like, it happens. It does happen.

Kristi Wagner  29:12  
The privilege of just kind of crazy when you pass somebody during a time trial because I just feel like it doesn't happen that often. And then you're like, Wow, this is happening like this is crazy, right? Yeah. Yeah. I one time past somebody in my lane. Which was crazy because like, they had to move and they like, didn't move. And so I had to be like, you're in my own lane. Like moving please. You know, whatever. And then it was weird. She like Did she like still like didn't get she like moved over but didn't get like all the way out of the lane. I don't know. I guess I could have like complained to somebody but I just didn't. Cuz I don't know.

Katy Flynn  29:58  
You probably They didn't need to.

Kristi Wagner  30:00  
I don't know. Like, I don't know. It's just the time drive. That was before misadventure. Yeah. Back in those days. Yeah. Although I literally actually think there was misadventure at that rate. Because I might have been the first one somebody's Yeah, somebody's like, or broke. And then they brought more people into the Yeah, yeah. Yeah,

Katy Flynn  30:23  
I think it was, actually. Yeah.

Kristi Wagner  30:25  
What would you say are some of the like, biggest things that you've learned kind of from the different like stages? Like if you just call like, Brian one? And then like, yeah, like, how would you say, maybe not what you've learned, but like how your like, approach to training and like rowing has changed? Yeah.

Katy Flynn  30:45  
I think like, first and foremost is like, understanding what I'm doing is huge. A D workout, I know what that is. And I like know how hard I need to go for some of these workouts. I think earlier, Ryan, I was just trying to stay afloat every single day, which, you know, was what executing the workout was for me at the time. But now it's like, you know, I know what splits I'm supposed to be holding, or like, what the ballpark is, and how I feel in a workout has really evolved, I would say, and then also just like, how to be an elite athlete, and how to be smart, taking care of your body, and how that impacts your performance. You know, like, in playing team sports, you don't really, I'm sure, on the elite level, you're taking care of your body, you're doing all those things. But like when you play, like team sports, as a kid, it's like you go out and you have fun, you don't really need to think about all these factors that you have to worry about outside of the game. As you become more elite in the sport of rowing. You realize like, this is about doing the work in practice, but it's also about like, getting your mind right and fueling right and prepping. Right and all of those things. And just like now, being able to just like do those second nature, like, you know, I'm going to bed and I'm like, logging my workouts and like, that kind of stuff. You don't realize how important it is and like how crucial it is to your success. Really.

Kristi Wagner  32:09  
It's hard to learn that without like, literally experiencing it though.

Katy Flynn  32:13  
Right? Right. I even think like a couple years ago, it when I went to UVA, I was like, oh, like I've been elite row or like I trained at Orion, I know what I'm doing, like, had no idea what I was doing. And even I think that what really was crazy is like, being at Orion, not having the D one athlete resources and then going and having the D one athlete resources. Like I worked with an athletic trainer for the first time. And I was like, Whoa, like, you just get to see this person and they help you when you feel bad. Crazy. They give you food when you go on a trip. That's crazy. And I was actually like, very taken aback at the funding that these college teams have relative to like the resources we had at Orion, you know?

Kristi Wagner  32:58  
Yeah, I guess it would be really weird to go in that direction. Like do it in that direction. Yeah, especially to a place like UVA. Like, I mean, I don't get me wrong, like in college, we had resources, but I think it's just definitely a different level for like a sporty school, you know? Yeah. Actually, I remember on my UVA official, they literally brought us into the like, gear room. Yeah. And I was like, like, I don't know. I mean, I was like, weird, kid. So like, I didn't find that to be like this thing that made me want to go there. And they also showed us the like, buses that you can like sleep on. Yeah. And I was like, This also doesn't make me want to go here. Like, right. I don't want to sleep on a bus. In hindsight, I did have to sleep on a bus just not in a bed. It was in a seat. So I understand now why they were just showing, right. That's funny. Um, but yeah, like, I don't know. It's funny. I also in my mind, the thing that like sticks. Well, I remember like, somebody telling me once that their athletic scholarship included, like a clothing stipend for the winter. Yeah, that was crazy. But yeah, we went to Texas, my senior year of college for like the very end of our spring break training for a couple of days and then racing. It was before like Dave O'Neill went to Texas. It was okay our old system but we raced ut like their old Longhorn Invitational and we ate we would eat and like all the college dining halls that we would go visit which was I thought, cool, right? It's kind of cool. But we ate in like the athlete dining hall at Texas, and they had these chairs that were like, the size of two chairs for like, really big football players. And that's funny, I was like flabbergasted like literally our dining halls would not stay open like late at night like we would like make crafts. Yes, yeah. We did not go hungry like we were fine but like It's just so it was just so mind blowing in the moment. Oh, and they had fresh berries. I remember they had fresh berries and big chairs and we were all like, this is insane.

Katy Flynn  35:13  
Yeah. So that like you were going from Yale to UT. And you're like, holy crap, this is crazy. I was going from RPI club slash Orion to UVA. And I was like, I'm sorry. You're giving me clothes to wear with the school name on it. What?

Kristi Wagner  35:32  
So? Yeah, yeah. You don't have to sleep on a pullout or on the floor or whatever. Yeah.

Katy Flynn  35:38  
Like everybody has to have their own bed.

Kristi Wagner  35:40  
Crazy, new. Amazing. I know. What are the similarities you see in hockey and rowing? What have you brought from?

Katy Flynn  35:51  
I was hoping we were going to talk about hockey. I

Kristi Wagner  35:53  
love Oh, yeah. Well, now I'm at hockey, Katie, and I went to a hockey game recently. So yeah, we did I know everything about. There were a lot of fights, which was what I was there to see.

Katy Flynn  36:03  
I think that learning how to grind is like, a very important skill, especially for like, a young athlete. And I think that I across all the sports have ever played was never like particularly talented. In a way we were like, wow, like, crazy, like such natural skill. So like, I had to do like, I went to a lot of skating lessons when I was kid, which I loved. But like I had to learn how to properly skate. Thankfully, my mom was like, into figure skating. So she, like knew that I didn't know how to skate and was like, No, you need to like bend your knees more. So that process of like learning how to do something I really took from that. And like, I think that when you learn how to row like, rowing isn't the same in talent application, I think is a lot of team sports, like, almost anybody probably could grow, maybe not well, but you can be taught the like, motion of the stroke. I think that you have to learn how to learn, I guess, is something that I took away from a lot of my sports and when I got to rowing, it was like, oh, like, I need to watch people doing this. And I need to practice this motion over and over. And then I need to figure out how to apply the force while I'm doing it. And that was like, Okay, now I'm a rower. I can do this. I do think I do think and I will I'll add this because this is a soapbox. I will die on that. The biggest letdown and becoming a rower is like the lack of creativity in the sport. And I think that's what I really miss from hockey is like, you go to rowing practice, you take 10,000 strokes and you go home, like you don't really have to see the play and like make gametime decisions. But yeah,

Kristi Wagner  37:46  
yeah. I agree with that. Actually, I feel like it's sometimes I especially in college, I'd be like, I just miss playing games. Like, yeah, you you just want to come here and Arrghh for 80 minutes. And I would just like to play a game. Yeah, you're like, I want to put something in a goal. Like, yeah, which I will say we would. Well, first of all, that's probably why you like working with cat so much, because I feel like he is pretty creative and tries to make exciting for us. And like do you think that way that we can understand and whatever. But when I was in college on Saturdays in like the winter, we would do our like ERG, and then we would do a team relay race that was lifting. Oh, seems dangerous, right? My team. You had to do like 15 High poles, like put the thing on your back. But the last thing was that you ran down like the tanks were in the sub basement so connected to like, where the players entrance to the basketball was. So sometimes you would the last step would be that you would sprint down the hallway all the way across the basketball court, make a layup and have to run back and like, right, like so fun stuff like that. So I always appreciate when rowing coaches can like, make things slightly more fun and exciting. Right, everyone, right? Yeah. And there are no fights in rowing. So, you know, there could be we could make that happen. Christina, we could. I mean, I still don't know if I like the idea of just like a trash talk day. I'd rather I'd rather just like slide in my trash talk whenever I want. But I don't want to I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. So I'll trash like any day of the week. Amazing. Do you have any questions for me?

Katy Flynn  39:40  
You got any good cat stories to share that we haven't heard yet?

Kristi Wagner  39:43  
Oh my god. I feel like I have an iconic cat story. But I don't know if I should tell it on the pot. Well, okay. No, I will be I'll embarrass him because it was so funny. Okay, so I'll leave out some details so that we it's we Don't get anyone in trouble. Okay, so basically SRA wanted to put in a new fence. And cat was like, Oh, I'm going to call this fence man that I know and get a quote. So he calls up the fence, man. Sorry, The First Tee calls up the first fence person. And this fence person says, I don't really think as a fence person says, yeah, it's gonna be $12,000. But part of that is that I have to remove the fence. And cats, like, I know people that can remove the fence, right? So, lo and behold, the fence comes down like that. So now there's just no fence, then calls a professional Fence Company. Yeah, who I think has some sort of tie to SRA, but I'm not exactly sure what it is. And says to them, we need a fence. And they're like, well, we can do a fence for you. And he's like, you can just, you can do a fence for me. And they're like, yeah, we can do a fence for you. And he's like, amazing. That's amazing. Perfect. This is what we need. And they're like, great. We'll be in touch with details. And he's like, amazing. And then he calls Catherine is like, Catherine, I got us a free fence. Like, are you sure? And Kat says, Yes. I got us a free. Yes. So then everything is proceeding with the idea that we now have this free fence. So then Catherine has sent an invoice regarding the fence. It is not free, it is in fact, their most expensive option. Let's see, this is a classic cut, I thought the fence was free.

Katy Flynn  41:57  
See the like 404 error on his face. She

Kristi Wagner  42:00  
calls the fence, man. And it's like, well, you spoke to Eric. And he said the fence was free. Guys, like I never said was free. But I will say I appreciate the cat is always like I need to go through life with the optimistic like that he

Katy Flynn  42:25  
does. Yeah. And the like, everything will work

Kristi Wagner  42:28  
out, everything will work out. And honestly, like, I used to be so stressed when we would go on trips, and we would not have information and blah, blah, blah and like, it always works out. It's always fine. Like, of course I sometimes still get frustrated at him. But like he Yeah, does figure it out. I have yet to sleep outside. Like I've had a bed

Katy Flynn  42:52  
every day. I feel like it's fortunate for me that I was able to learn this years ago because on this training trip we've been on where we've moved around a bunch of times and just like had to pivot. I've like it's gonna be fine. It's all good. And people are like, freaking out. I guess. It's all good. Yeah, we're going to Orlando. We're going to Tampa. Okay, tears were rolling. Yeah. Yeah.

Kristi Wagner  43:16  
So no, but I also think that maybe if he just like applied a tiny bit more detail into like, planning things then like, like, I feel like Airbnbs cancel on him an exorbitant like more than the average. Which I don't know if that's user error. I'm not sure. But yeah, the fence thing really got me that was like, good story, cat. I'm sorry. We only we do it out of love. And I will say I I feel like I can make fun of cat. But like other people make fun of him. And I'm like, you know exactly. What are you talking about? You know? Nothing. They're

Katy Flynn  43:54  
like, Ah,

Kristi Wagner  43:57  
so that's true. It's pretty funny. It's true. Well, Katie, thank you so much. I

Katy Flynn  44:01  
feel like this was fun. Thanks for having me. Oh

Kristi Wagner  44:04  
my gosh of privilege Christy, you have any miracle quotes that you want to leave people with? Or any quote? Yeah, just know that you

Katy Flynn  44:12  
great moments are born from great opportunity. Christie, never forget that I dropped my mind.

Kristi Wagner  44:19  
I would have been I'd actually dropped out of it bad. I would have been bad. So thanks for listening. And thank you so much to Katie for coming on. I love being able to speak with my friends and teammates like in this form on the podcast because we always have such deep and meaningful conversations. And I feel like I get to know them a little bit better, while also having a great conversation that we can share with so many people that listen to the podcast and Katie was really no exception. I was so excited to talk to her and for her to share her story because I do really think it's very inspirational and I think that people shouldn't feel like they can't have lofty goals and achieve something just because maybe they started an endeavor. replace them people normally started. So to close the show this week, I'm sharing a quote from the movie miracle. As Katie mentioned in the episode, it's one of her favorites. So this is at the end of the movie, and it's the head coach. Her books, and it's kind of long, but I feel like it's very good. So he says, two days later, the miracle was made complete. My boys defeated Finland to win the gold medal coming from behind once again. As I watched them out there celebrating on the ice, I realized paddy had been right. It was a lot more than a hockey game not only for those who watched it, but for those who played in it. I've often been asked in the years since Lake Placid, what was the best moment for me? Well, it was here the sight of 20 young men of such differing backgrounds standing as one, young men willing to sacrifice so much of themselves all for an unknown. A few years later, the US began using professional athletes at the Games dream teams. I've always found that term ironic, because now that we have dream teams, we seldom ever get to dream. But on one weekend as America and the world watched a group of remarkable young men gave the nation what it needed most chance for one night not only to dream, but a chance once again to believe. So thanks for listening. Have a great week. See you next time. Bye.

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