Over the winter, McLean’s girls crew team has been continuously training for the upcoming spring season, exhibiting their dedication during the offseason. The team will race their first regatta on March 22 at the Potomac River.

“Our team has been training incredibly hard over the break,” junior Sophia Kucko said. “It’ll be great to show off our hard work this season.”

The girls team has had to make a significant adjustment since last season due to the new coaching staff. Coaches Rachel Dickenson, Ryan Slanina and Aaron James were grateful to have joined the club over winter training to build strong bonds with the girls before races begin. Both the team and coaches have been learning to work with each other to propel into their spring season with high expectations.

“All the coaches have been extremely helpful,” junior Kate Bo said. “They definitely have an aggressive coaching style but that's pushed us to be better.”

The team can often be seen in the halls of McLean after school, using the rowing machines to strengthen both their physical and mental game. Following last year's exceptional performance, the girls plan to focus on gaining more physical strength through conditioning, hoping to place higher in the approaching season during competitions.

“We definitely want to make it in the top three for all our races, especially since we have new coaches that are more dedicated than coaches we’ve previously had,” Kucko said.

While most practices take place in D.C. on the Potomac River, the team also travels lengthy distances to compete, further demonstrating their dedication to the sport. This year, the team will be traveling to Canada, along with some shorter trips to Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

“Our team is very tight knit,” Bo said. “It’ll be fun to travel farther this year and spend time together, which is also important before racing.”