It’s 4:30 a.m. on a brisk Thursday morning and junior Dorin Flynn’s alarm is blaring. Groggy but determined, Flynn rolls out of bed, pulls on her rowing gear and eats a quick breakfast.
Minutes later, she’s out the door, headed to practice. By 5 a.m., she’s warming up on the ergometer, a rowing machine, preparing for another session on the water.
For Flynn, rowing isn’t just a random sport she tried. Flynn said she was first introduced to the sport by her father, who rowed in college.
“I first tried rowing because my dad was so passionate about it,” Flynn said. “At camp, rowing was one of the activities, so I thought, ‘Why not?’ I ended up loving it and never stopped.”
However, finding a new passion also comes with its challenges. Flynn said she has struggled with the mental and physical demands of the sport.
“Something my coach tells us a lot is that rowing is all about who can keep their hand in the fire the longest,” Flynn said. “Rowing pushes me to find a strength that I didn’t even know I had.”
Flynn also said she carefully structures her days to balance academics and training. Her early morning practices give her afternoons to focus on schoolwork, a priority she’s maintained despite the intensity of the sport.
“School comes first,” Flynn said. “You can get injured by rowing, but your education is something no one can take away from you.”
Senior Anika Raffle, Flynn’s former club teammate, said the strong work ethic rowing demands translates into academic success.
“Rowers are often some of the best students I know because the work ethic comes with the sport,” Raffle said. “Dorin definitely has that killer mindset in both places.”
While Flynn has achieved lots of success in her career as a rower, she said one of the biggest challenges she faces is maintaining a positive team dynamic under pressure.
“There’s a lot of stress before big races because most of us are aiming for college recruitment,” Flynn said. “That stress can sometimes lead to tension, but it’s important to focus on supporting each other instead of blaming each other.”
However, Flynn said her dedication has paid off.
“A year ago, we qualified (to) and won Nationals in Sarasota, Fla.,” Flynn said. “It was definitely one of my proudest achievements because all the work we put in showed. We had no idea until we crossed the line that we won because we were just so locked in on what we were doing.”
Looking to the future, Flynn said her immediate goals include improving her times on the ergometer and placing well at upcoming competitions in the summer.
“Right now, it’s about getting faster and placing well at Nationals, which is in Sarasota again this year,” Flynn said. “I’m mainly really focused on improving my times for (college) recruitment.”
Raffle said with Flynn’s drive and focus, there’s no doubt she has a bright future ahead.
“Dorin puts down her head and puts in the work every day,” Raffle said. “Rowing as a sport really has no casual option, you’re either in it or you’re not. Because the bare minimum is so intense, you have to be incredibly dedicated and disciplined.”
Ultimately, Flynn said to her, rowing is more of a mental game — one that demands determination and an unwavering drive.
“Rowing teaches you to push beyond your limits,” Flynn said. “It’s not just about winning — it’s about giving everything you have, every single day. That’s why I love it.”