By Alexandra Sedlak
Senior Nicola Arrato is captian of the varsity women’s rowing team and the bow seat in the varsity 8 boat. She is a pschology major and spanish minor in Fordham College Rose Hill.
The Fordham Ram: How many years have you done rowing?
Nicole Arrato: I have done rowing all four years at Fordham; rowed for 3 years in high school at
GMS Rowing Center in New Milford, Connecticut, and was recruited by Fordham.
TFR: What made you choose to start rowing?
NA: I wanted to join a team sport in which everyone must work together at all times. In the sport of rowing, each individual in the boat must be moving as one unit throughout each stroke of a race or workout.
TFR: What are your plans after college?
NA: After college, I will be pursuing a Ph.D. in child clinical psychology, with the end goal of having my own private practice.
TFR: Do you plan to continue your athletic career in any way?
NA: Although my NCAA eligibility will end after this year, I plan to continue rowing individually after college. I have an indoor rowing machine, on which I can continue workouts, and I plan to purchase a single [a crew boat for one person]. I also work as a rowing coach in the summers at Yale Community Rowing, so that will keep me very much involved in the sport.
TFR: What will you miss the most about the rowing team, and about Fordham in general?
NA: After graduating, the part of Fordham University Women’s Crew that I will miss the most is, by far, my teammates. These girls are my closest friends at Fordham; I will miss all of the goofy moments we’ve shared, the team bonding through the tough times that have been presented to us, and the sense of community as a result. This is very similar to what I will miss most about Fordham in general: the Fordham community is one big family.
TFR: What are your goals for this season?
NA: As we are about halfway through our spring racing season, and have had some great results thus far, we hope to continue our successes on the race course. This is particularly the case in regards to the A-10 championship on May 2-3, and the Dad Vail Championship Regatta on May 8-9.
TFR: What is your favorite sports memory?
NA: My favorite sports memory is the moment my boat crossed the finish line in first place in the Freshman Four event at the 2012 Dad Vail Championship Regatta. In that moment, all of our hard work paid off; we felt invincible. I still look back at pictures from that moment, to re-live the excitement and pride exuding from each member of the boat.
TFR: What advice would you give to those who wish to join the rowing team?
NA: Advice I would give to those who wish to join the rowing team is to step up to the challenge! Although the sport is quite challenging and demanding, it is equally rewarding in the end. If you are looking for a sport in which you can push yourself individually to become a better athlete, while also working closely as a team, rowing is the right sport for you. It will impact your life more than you could have predicted.
