Anna Goodale Speaks to Rowing Teams
4/17/2009 9:13:09 PM | Women's Rowing
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SYRACUSE –Olympic gold-medalist Anna Goodale'05 returned to her alma mater on Friday, April 17, to talk to the men and women's rowing teams about her rowing career. Goodale began rowing her freshman year at Syracuse and helped lead the women's rowing team to the NCAA Tournament during her senior year. After graduating she moved to Princeton, N.J. to train for the US National Team. After placing fourth in 2005, the team won the World Championship in 2006 and 2007. In 2008, Goodale helped lead the eight-person crew to an Olympic gold medal in Beijing, China.
Goodale openly states that being an Olympic rower was never a dream of hers before college.
“You never know where you are going to end up,” said Goodale. “But find something you love to do, stick with it and if you work hard enough, anything is possible.”
The US National team defeated fellow competitors, most notably the Romanian team that had won the previous three Olympic gold medals.
Goodale discussed not only her successes but also the struggles she has experienced with the sport.
“Every great athlete has ups and downs all you can do is take it one stroke at a time and try to control the moment,” she said.
Goodale acknowledged the enormous amount of determination and support necessary to be a successful rower. On the eve of a double meet for the men and women's team, she offered this advice:
“Rowing is not actually the most popular sport, we row because we love it. Everyone has trained hard but at the end of the day, you have to race with your heart.”
Fellow Olympians and Syracuse Alumni Tom Darling, Bill Purdy and Tracy (Rude) Smith were also in attendance.
The 24th-ranked Orange go toe-to-toe tomorrow with No. 15 Harvard and No. 21 Dartmouth for the O'Leary Cup.
