When thinking about athletics at the University of Alabama, some of the sports that come to mind are the dynastic football team or the incredibly successful men’s basketball and softball teams. But the rowing team is also worth paying attention to, especially since a local athlete is taking her talents to the Crimson Tide.
Last month, Ithaca’s Coral Street signed her National Letter of Intent to continue her rowing career at Alabama. Once she decided to row in college, Street knew she wanted to go to a large, competitive school that was located in a warmer climate so she could be out on the water longer. As soon as she stepped on campus for the first time, it felt like the perfect fit.
“The team was super welcoming, and the culture of the team is just so great,” Street said. “The coaching staff is amazing. I was looking for a team that’s kind of working its way to the top and not just already at the top so I can be a part of the history and getting it to the top.”
While football is king in the South, rowing is starting to gain some traction. Just last year, the Southeastern Conference (SEC) began sponsoring the sport and held its first conference championship. The Crimson Tide finished in third place in the four-team league with Texas, Tennessee, and Oklahoma the other current members. Street believes rowing will only continue to flourish during her time at Alabama.
“I think people are starting to realize that rowing is something fun to watch,” Street said. “Last year, Texas had an incredible season. They’re just on the water more than the North, and that’s gonna get you faster results. I’m really excited to see it grow and help it grow and just hopefully inspire other people and make people realize they don’t have to stay in the North if they want to row.”
Street is expected to be in either the fifth or sixth seat in the eight-person crew, the same positions she’s been in with the Cascadilla Boat Club. Not only will she bring strong physical traits to the Crimson Tide at just under six feet tall, she also has many other valuable assets.
“Personality-wise, I’ll definitely bring a positive energy and a lot of competitiveness,” Street said. “I’m a very competitive person. I like to push my teammates, get them faster. I think [I’ll also bring] a lot of leadership. I really like leading people, so I’d say that’s a big thing too.”
Street started rowing when she was in eighth grade. The person who got Street into the sport? None other than the current head coach of Cornell men’s rowing, Chris Kerber (whose daughter Taylor is friends with Street and will also be competing at the Division I level for Le Moyne women’s lacrosse).
Rowing is the ultimate team sport. Even though the workouts with the ergometer are individual, all that time and dedication on the machine would not translate out on the water without being in sync with the rest of the crew.
“You can’t win a race by yourself,” Street said. “When you’re in a boat with seven other people, you need to trust that they’re putting everything in. Sometimes it’s about proving it at practice, especially on the erg. Everyone is working hard. Everyone is proving that they can get the times they need to be in the boat. You see those times on the erg, and then you’re with those people on the water, and you just have to trust that they’re going to put it in.”
There’s obviously plenty of physical work that goes into preparing for races and regattas, but the mental side is equally as important. Eating and sleeping well is part of that, but Street also has her own superstitions—wearing the same socks, hair ties and Oakley sunglasses, among other things—to keep her focused.
“I like to take a lot of time to myself to visualize and just remember to control what I can,” Street said. “I try to not really think about the details. I just focus on rowing and putting as much as I physically can into the race, and I just trust that my teammates are going to back me up and do the same.”
Since rowing is not a sponsored sport at Ithaca High School, it can be easy for rowing to go under the radar. But Street knows firsthand how worthwhile it is to compete in or simply being a fan of a quickly-growing sport.
“It creates such good mental health,” Street said. “It gives you so much discipline because you get whatever you put into it, and I think people are starting to realize that. It’s also a full body workout, which is obviously great. I think people just have to realize it’s really exciting to watch, especially at huge races like Head of the Charles in Boston, which we actually got to go to this fall. It’s so fun. There are so many people, and it’s just great to watch.”
