A Different Course
But things didn’t work out quite like that. A Morgantown native, Meale believed that West Virginia University would be a good fit for her. At the same time, because she wasn’t going to be traveling a great distance for college, she knew that she would have to make some changes to ensure that her college experience would still be worthwhile. “In a way, I felt like going to West Virginia University after living in Morgantown was kind of like limiting myself because I was already in a hometown routine,” Meale said. “I figured I’d try something different here.” ‘Something different’ is an understatement. Meale had many new opportunities at WVU, but she decided on something most students would never dream of; she tried out for a completely different sport. “I had no idea what rowing was,” she stated. “I had no idea what I was getting into.” Like the majority of freshmen rowers, Meale started out on the novice team. She admits that she originally didn’t have high expectations for herself, but was eager to try something new. “I had no place to go but up,” Meale added. “Everything just happened a lot quicker than I thought it would, and the improvements were big ones.” Meale said that the novice program was a big help both for her and other freshmen rowers. She believes that being a member of the novice team helped her to quickly adapt to the collegiate level of sports. “In the novice program, the coaches work with you in the fall semester on technique and make sure that everyone is improving,” she explained. “When you are ready to transition from novice to varsity, you’re not necessarily on the same level as the varsity girls quite yet, but you’re pretty close to it. You can still jump in and make a difference.” A junior occupational therapy major, Meale knows that she’s made huge improvements on the water, a testament to her dedication and hard work ethic. But the team aspect of the sport also helped her adjust. “Being a part of a team is very important,” she said. “I think I found more so in rowing than in soccer that the relationship aspect has to be there. In rowing, two people can’t have an ‘off’ day because the team won’t succeed. The other eight people have to back you up and support you. You need everyone to make the boat move.” When it comes to go-time, Meale has her own unique routine. “I mainly feed off of my boat’s energy and get started warming up. I go off on my own for a few minutes to pray and get inside my head, not only to understand the race plan, but also to figure out what I need to do individually to execute that race plan and make it successful. “Once we get ‘hands on’ on race day, that’s when the adrenaline starts, before the boat even touches the water,” Meale added. “There is no more coaching to be done, so you learn to rely on and trust the girls in your boat.” The routine is working; there are statistics to prove it. During the 2010-11 season, Meale was a part of the Varsity 8+ team that placed first at the Head of the Ohio and at the Frostbite Regatta, second at the Occoquan Sprints, fifth out of 28 crews at the Knecht Cup, and seventh out of 21 crews at the Head of the Schuykill. She also placed fifth out of 34 crews at the Head of the Schuykill as a member of the Varsity 4+. The water isn’t the only place where Meale stands out. She is also a Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association scholar-athlete and has made the Dean’s and President’s lists during her time spent at WVU. “Since I was fourteen years old, I would not allow myself to not have a job, be on a sports team and do well in school,” she said. “I make sure I stick to that. I feel like if I have too much free time, I won’t be productive with it. This way, I get more accomplished.” It is clear that Meale knows a lot about progress and she believes that there is nowhere to go but up, with high hopes for the spring season. “I think the team collectively wants to do well at the BIG EAST Championships,” she explained. “I think every team’s goal is to make progress from where you left off last season. Ultimately, for me, it’s about making our boat the most competitive that it can be.” When asked what her biggest accomplishment at WVU has been, Meale can’t decide on just one single answer. She has a few stand-out moments that she values the most. “Getting into the occupational therapy school was big because I already knew what I wanted to do coming into college,” she ended. “When I got into that program, I was thankful. In terms of rowing, I’m happy that I met people I would have never met otherwise and that I ended up really liking the sport. Every time I do my personal best, I take that as an accomplishment because I started from nothing. I guess the way I see it is that I celebrate little times along the way.” |
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