Only The Strong Survive
4/22/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Rowing
April 22, 2002
Not many freshmen women walk onto the Michigan State campus with grand aspirations of joining the rowing team. But, four years ago, Krista Buzzell was one of the exceptions.
"I figured college is the time to try new things," the senior from Fenton, Mich. declared. "I met (assistant coach) Matt Weise at Academic Orientation as a freshman and he was passing out information on crew. It was nice to be recruited for a sport, and at the time, I just wanted to stay in shape."
Buzzell soon had a rude awakening.
"It was so hard my freshman year! Practice was just so draining that I dreaded going to it at times," explained Buzzell. "I stuck with it because I'm not a quitter, but it was really tough."
Krista Buzzell's hard work paid off. As the stroke for MSU's first varsity eight boat for the past three years, she helped lead the Spartan boat to three consecutive NCAA Championships appearances, including a 10th-place finish last season. For her efforts, she was named to the 2001 All-Big Ten first team, and was also awarded Second-Team All-America honors. But above all, she has also become a stronger athlete, and grown to love the sport that she used to find so difficult as a freshman.
"In my sophomore year I started to like it a lot," Buzzell admitted. "By my junior year, I began to love it, and now I really love it. Since it's my last year, I've just been trying to enjoy it while I can. During the day, I just can't wait to get out to practice!"
Buzzell's hard work can be seen as a reflection of head coach Bebe Bryans, a woman who built a nationally-ranked program on dedication and hard work. In five seasons as a varsity sport, the Michigan State first varsity eight has made four consecutive top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships. Buzzell shared her thoughts on Bryans and the results her coaching demands.
"In my freshman year I was pretty intimidated by Coach Bryans, but I admired her so much," Buzzell stated. "Now I know if I need to talk to her about anything, she'll talk about it with me. I think all the seniors feel the same way: she seems intimidating, and yet is very approachable. She's demanding, but fair. I trust her completely that she's always setting up the right line-ups. I know she'll always make the right decisions for our team."
Bryans' right decisions pushed Michigan State to success on a national level. Meanwhile, MSU's crew has helped the Big Ten become one of the most competitive rowing conferences in the nation.
According to the national USRowing/CRCA poll, Ohio State leads the Big Ten in the rankings at No. 3, with No. 10 Michigan and No. 14 MSU not far behind. Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota remain competitive as well. Although the conference is a challenge for Michigan State, Buzzell has the highest confidence in her team and their abilities.
"I would say the Big Ten is really hard, but I'd also say that I don't approach conference races any differently," she said. "You just have to always try to row your best. When it gets to the point where all you care about is winning, that's not the best way to win a race."
After rowing against No. 2 Brown and No. 6 Princeton earlier this season, Buzzell and the Spartans have used the racing experience to their benefit. The team is learning the best way for them to collectively motivate themselves to win.
"I think the thing that motivates us is seeing ourselves finish so close to those top teams," stated Buzzell. "We just want to go as fast as we can. It's always in the back of our minds when we're racing: 'What if we beat them? There's still a chance!' That's definitely what motivates me."
Buzzell's motivations have definitely evolved over the past four years. She has raced some of the toughest teams in the nation, and several international athletes as well. Through it all, she has emerged with her head held high.
"I think I'm mentally stronger after rowing for four years," explained Buzzell. "You have to be mentally strong to get through the practices we go through! But I definitely think every senior who sticks with crew for four years will feel so much more confident about themselves."
Senior crew member Krista Buzzell has learned the value of hard work, and as a result, is more confident of her mental and physical abilities. She knows that she is a stronger person because of her crew experience, and ultimately understands that in this sport, only the strong survive.