Photo by Garrett Curtis/The Choate News
Although Co-Captain Andrew Kim ’21 is remote this term, he is still finding ways to be a leader for the Boys’ Crew Team. Kim remains involved with the program from his home in Korea, where he follows the team’s erg workouts, stays in contact with his teammates, and helps the team set goals for the season. Next year, Kim will join the Columbia University Crew Team as a lightweight rower. Recently, Naomi Fleisch ’22 sat down with Kim to learn about how crew has affected his life, his recruitment experience, and his advice for novice rowers.
Naomi Fleisch: When did you first start rowing?
Andrew Kim: I started rowing when I first came to Choate in [my] freshman year. I played hockey in Korea for nine years, and I didn’t even know what rowing was. Not knowing that I had to do all three seasons of sports, I was looking for a fall and spring sport that would prepare me for the hockey season. My adviser told me that rowing was the only sport with both fall and spring seasons, so I thought I’d give it a shot.
NF: What initially drew you to the sport?
AK: Every year, on the first day of [the] fall season, the novices go to the erg room to see the team do a piece together. I still vividly remember stepping into that erg room and seeing Tristan Jamidar ’18, Oliver Brown ’18, Scott Herman ’19, and many other huge varsity guys giving it their all and nearly passing out in the end. Although the on-water aspect is just as amazing, the drive and determination I saw in that erg room were what initially drew me into the sport.
NF: What is a lesson that crew has taught you?
AK: The most valuable lesson I learned from crew is dedication. I quickly realized that I got out what I put into the sport. The more I practiced and trained on a daily basis, the more I improved on and off the water. Even though there were times I plateaued, I remained patient and dedicated to my goals. Most of the work and training is done when no one’s watching, so it can often feel dull and unflattering. However, through this process, I learned that persistence and perseverance is the key to success.
NF: What is the hardest part about the sport?
AK: The hardest part about rowing is the daily grind. To be successful in this sport, you have to make sacrifices and good habits in your lifestyle. Since rowing is an endurance sport, it is very dependent on the amount of volume you put in on a consistent basis. If you lose consistency, it is very easy to lose fitness, and it instantly shows on the erg. It’s also one of the best parts of rowing because it’s so fair.
NF: What was navigating the recruiting process during Covid-19 like?
AK: Since the recruiting process for rowing is relatively later, I had scheduled a few unofficial visits during March of 2020. To this day, I haven’t been able to visit any of the schools, even Columbia, where I will be attending in the fall. The entire recruiting process was virtual, but the college coaches were very flexible and tried to make the best of the situation. As I made big improvements during lockdown training, coaches reached out to me through email and Zoom over the summer. The official visits were substituted by countless Zoom calls with current student-athletes and offers were given out shortly after.
NF: Do you have any advice for novice crew athletes?
AK: My biggest advice would be to trust the process. Allow the sport to change your lifestyle for the better and stay dedicated to your goals. As I mentioned before, the sport is very fair and sometimes brutally honest. You get what you put in.
