Sophie León's Women's Rowing Recruiting Profile

Personal Statement

Hello, I am Sophie León, and I am a lightweight rower.  I had always seen rowing on TV as a child and wanted to try it myself.  I began rowing in the summer of 2015 and absolutely fell in love with it.  I worked incredibly hard on both strength and technique and have raced with the varsity lightweight 8+ from the very first regatta, as well as sculling and stroking the novice 4x+.  Rowing has shown me how to push myself and the importance of teamwork and trust.  All this hard work has led me to constantly exceed my own expectations of just what I can do. 

Rowing has allowed me to positively impact the community as well.  I have been helping to grow the sport of women's rowing by volunteering at the novice summer camps (56 hours just this summer) and helping my coaches with middle school groups throughout the season.  In this volunteering, I helped to show the younger girls correct technique and how to carry the boats.

For me, rowing is also a gateway to a better future.  It has shown me important qualities and values that will be useful in the future.  It has also helped me greatly with multitasking and time management, trying to find a good balance of school, rowing, and life.  I study very hard in school to maintain straight A's.  In the remainder of high school I am planning to begin taking more advanced curriculum while still maintaining the same grades or better.  With both rowing and strong academics, my goal for college is to get into the best school academically for me and to row there.  I believe that I can reach that goal by continuing to put forth my best effort and having the best attitude possible.

I find joy in many aspects of life, and I try to make the best of each day.  I love languages and learning, and I am constantly looking to find something interesting in the world around me.  I am intrigued by other cultures, and one of my greatest joys is traveling and experiencing other countries.  I enjoy reading and cooking, and I am also a self-taught musician; I play the ukulele, guitar, and piano, though I have played many others in the past and would love to play many more.

One of the most important things rowing has brought me is the atmosphere and team spirit that comes along with it.  My teammates and I are friends both on and off the water, and we work for each other.  The experience with rowing is so different for me than it has been with other sports in the past, especially how every girl is willing to push for everyone else.  It truly is a unique feeling, and it is what makes me love what I do everyday and what makes me want to continue doing so.