Some women grow up playing sports their entire lives but cannot always compete at the college level. Not being involved with a sport in college can sometimes be a big adjustment. For those students who miss their favorite sport, an opportunity exists to get back into athletics.

Because rowing is not a typical high school sport, a novice level is available.

“Rowing is good for people who said they missed being involved with athletics,” assistant coach Jennifer Myers said.

Myers is in her fifth year coaching at Kansas. Sarah Smith is also an assistant this year.

Coach Rob Catloth said he agreed with Myers.

“It’s an opportunity for women who are good students to come out and work hard,” he said.

Working hard is definitely a concern for novice-level rowers, because rowing is new to almost all of them.

Every year Myers, who heads up the novice team, has to teach the team the basics before they can get started on the water. Those athletes who competed in a sport their whole lives know how much dedication and time can go into a sport.

“Most athletes will play a sport for nine or 10 years,” Catloth said. “Jen has to teach the sport in nine to 10 months. For some, it is like teaching a new language.”

Literally, it can be a new language. For example, “way enough” means “stop” in rowing.

Other such terms are also expressed by Myers for the team to learn.

“We have to teach them from scratch,” Myers said. “They all come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences.”

This year, the team has a variety of women — 19 total.

Some are from Kansas; one is from from New York; one hails from Arizona; another from Iowa; and one freshman from Nebraska, Emily Fuhs.

Fuhs, Omaha, Neb., freshman, played basketball, volleyball and ran track at Millard North High School. She had plans to play volleyball in college, but changed her mind at the last minute.

But when Fuhs got to Lawrence, she did not miss just the game.

“I missed playing sports in general,” Fuhs said. “After one week of not doing anything, I decided I need to be involved with a sport.”

She ended up seeing a flyer for rowing in Allen Fieldhouse while picking up her sports pass. She attended the informational meeting and decided that rowing was for her.

“I love it. It’s awesome,” Fuhs said. “I’m having more fun with this sport than I did in high school with my other sports.”

If not being involved in a sport still bothers an athlete a year later, it is not too late to go out for rowing. The novice level is open to sophomores as well.

The team has five this year.

For sophomore Dyana Lawrence, who had played soccer since she was six years old, the opportunity to be involved in a sport was too good to pass up.

“I just wanted to do something different,” Lawrence said.

“It’s a good way to meet other people, get in shape and travel to different areas.”

Rowing is similar to some other sports in terms of teamwork; it is essential to the sport.

“It’s very much a team effort,” Lawrence said. “Being part of a team is something I’ve always loved. In soccer I had that, but now I can get that aspect in rowing.”

Catloth feels teamwork is important in order to be successful. It may be a love for some of the girls, but working together has to happen.

“This is such a teamwork sport,” he said. “Everything you do has to be together. As soon as they buy into the teamwork aspect, they’ll be more successful.”

Last year, teamwork took the novice to a one-loss record. The team also took first at the South Central Regionals, which is the highest novice level.

Fuhs said her goal for the team was to make it to regionals, undefeated.

The upcoming spring season is the toughest, players said.

“The spring season is our main season,” Lawrence said. “I’ve heard from the older girls that it can get pretty crazy and stressful at times.”

But after all the conditioning and training is complete, the team is eager to see what will happen when they start to compete.

“This year’s novice has all the potential,” Myers said. “We just have to wait and see what they do with it.”

Edited by Jennifer Voldness