2008 Woodie Awards
UCF Women's Rowing team awaits completion of new facility
Andrea Canterbury
Issue date: 7/24/08 Section: News
Rogers first visited the team in 2004 after the busy hurricane season compromised their original storage structure. When she started the season, she said, there was a tent for boat storage and a porta-potty to serve their use for the next few years.
"It was very challenging, but I think it made us stronger because we definitely weren't pampered," Rogers said.
Teammate and former lightweight captain Taylor Wiatt agreed that the facilities weren't up to par with the team's performance. She said she's very excited about the construction and its impact on recruitment and participation.
"It's a lot more appealing to go to a place, like a facility, other than a tent," Wiatt said. "I think that it will help recruitment and participation because this is going to be a brand new facility, it is going to be beautiful from what I understand and I totally believe that."
Wiatt is a walk-on college recruit who was attracted to the sport's good workouts and required time management skills. She said she hopes more people will come out to events to learn about rowing and see what the team does on a day-to-day basis.
"A state-of-the-art project like the Intercollegiate Rowing Center also will enable UCF to continue to recruit with the best programs in the country," said Brian Ormiston in an e-mail interview, the assistant director of Athletics Communications.
The team is hoping that the addition of this facility to the UCF community will only encourage future participation and recruitment. There will be an informational meeting Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. in the Student Union for anyone who wants to learn more about the rowing program and what it has to offer.
"It was very challenging, but I think it made us stronger because we definitely weren't pampered," Rogers said.
Teammate and former lightweight captain Taylor Wiatt agreed that the facilities weren't up to par with the team's performance. She said she's very excited about the construction and its impact on recruitment and participation.
"It's a lot more appealing to go to a place, like a facility, other than a tent," Wiatt said. "I think that it will help recruitment and participation because this is going to be a brand new facility, it is going to be beautiful from what I understand and I totally believe that."
Wiatt is a walk-on college recruit who was attracted to the sport's good workouts and required time management skills. She said she hopes more people will come out to events to learn about rowing and see what the team does on a day-to-day basis.
"A state-of-the-art project like the Intercollegiate Rowing Center also will enable UCF to continue to recruit with the best programs in the country," said Brian Ormiston in an e-mail interview, the assistant director of Athletics Communications.
The team is hoping that the addition of this facility to the UCF community will only encourage future participation and recruitment. There will be an informational meeting Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. in the Student Union for anyone who wants to learn more about the rowing program and what it has to offer.