On Being Part of A Team

When I say "I row crew", the responses are usually:
1) Are you crazy?
2) Wow, that's intense.
3) What's crew?

So, to answer: yes, yes, and crew is rowing: fast, hard, and intensely (yes, this is grammatically correct- I checked). It's a completely crazy, hard, fun, passionate, team sport. It's also full body and will put you in the best shape you'll ever be in. Trust me on this. It's also the most intense team sport I've ever encountered. Each and every person has to give their all- when someone takes an off stroke in the boat, it's that much more work for everyone else. If someone doesn't lift the boat up, the other people have to take more weight. If you don't respect the coxswain, you'll crash.

For me, being on a team is a new thing. I've never been into the "team sport" thing, mostly because I've never liked the sports involved. I tried- and rejected- soccer, tennis, swimming, basketball, track, field hockey, and softball. I chose instead horseback riding, which is an individual sport on a very individual level. Crew, on the other hand, is something I'm fairly good at and a team sport, something previously unexpected for me. So far, it's working out, and I love it.

On Persevering

I'm a quitter. I'll say that right out. If I don't have to do something, I won't do it. If it gets hard I'd much rather stop and go around or avoid it than keep going. Maybe that's why crew is good for me. My coach is a right pain in the ass, but he keeps me from quitting. I hate him (with a fiery burning passion), and I hate winter crew, but I'm persevering for purposes of being out on the water in the spring. For me this is a big gamble, because then I'd have to basically give up riding. And that would be quitting in and of itself, because I've been working so hard to finally get back in riding shape and get over my fear of falling off. So it's a dilemma, to say the least.

I'm not sure what I'll do, but either way I know I won't be quitting. I'll find a way to make it work. Perseverance is the key.