Indiana University Athletics
Spring Break Stories - Laura Lazaridis
3/20/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Rowing
March 20, 2006
CLEMSON, S.C. - The Indiana rowing team completed training in Clemson, S.C, for its spring break training trip from March 12-18. The Hoosiers wrote in to IUHOOSIERS.com from time to time to let everyone know how the team did. Senior Laura Lazaridis is the seventh-and-last to report in.
We've returned to Bloomington. We're a bit more sun-tanned (in places; most of us have white feet). We're in better shape after a week of two-a-days, and we're better rowers, especially now that we've all gotten our first race under our belts. Everyone did well, and a couple of boats even came away with the win. But of course, all of us have lots more to learn. We'll start up again with practice on Monday morning to continue working toward our goals. Our work isn't done once we've crossed the finish line; we have to come home and work toward the next finish line, and the next and the next.
As a senior, this trip was bittersweet. The four of us (Erin Kuehn, Elisabeth Benoit, Ashley Airis and myself) are the only ones left from our freshmen year. We started with the largest novice team Indiana had ever seen up to that point. We remember Spring Break our freshmen year and how different it was than the next three, and now we've completed our last winter training, last Spring Break trip and last first race. Everything we do is a "last." Monday will be our last first practice after spring break. This sentimental attitude can get a bit ridiculous when we go into that great a detail, but the point is, the four of us are trying to savor every last moment we get to experience on this team.
Now, we're back at home and the "lasts" return to the mundane day-to-day type things. When we're working hard on Lake Lemon on the cold, dark mornings that remain in March and carry into April, we'll remember the work we did in the Clemson sunshine and be re-inspired. As for the seniors, we'll be drawing on the inspiration from our last four years on Indiana Rowing, remembering where our hard work has taken us in the past and understanding that this is our last chance to be part of something as great as this team.
