Dear Washington: David Bridges
Men's Rowing
6/10/2020
Dear Washington,
I did not know I would be a student-athlete when I came to you. My freshman year approaching, it was recommended I walk on to the rowing team. I had never touched an oar or been in a rowing shell but decided to give it a shot. After ten grueling days of tryouts, I was offered a spot on the team. Years later, my freshman coach told me I was the final person selected to be on the roster.
Over the next three years, I developed from a wide-eyed novice to a Varsity 8+ contender. I wanted nothing more than to bring a National Championship to Montlake. We fell short over the next three years, finishing second in the Varsity 8+ all three times. We won the Team Championship each of those years, but the National Champion in collegiate men’s rowing is winner of the Varsity 8+.
Before the 2019-2020 season, George Esau and I worked closely with Head Coach Michael Callahan to discuss how we could take our team to the next level. We realized our team needed more complete commitment to the journey, rather than the end goal. Everyone wants to win on the final day of the season, but you must win every day before that to be champions. There needed to be a unanimous mindset; not that we have to do the work, not that we get to do the work, we simply do the work. We get up at 6:00 a.m. We practice twice a day. We do 20 hours/week practice year-round. We challenge national team crews. We beat Cal Crew. We win championships. Excellence does not just happen. It is a mundane, long process. That is who we are and what we do.
After five months of training, we were scheduled for a 2km test on the C2 ergometer, a grueling six-minute long anaerobic effort. A few hours before the 2km start time, the Ivy League cancelled their spring sports season. The writing on the wall became abundantly clear: our season was going to be cancelled. Coach Callahan texted everyone reminding them our season was in fact not cancelled and we had a task at hand. Going back to our mindset of the year, this erg test is what we do. There was an eerie feeling in the air, but there was a job to be done. Before we started, one teammate yelled, “I’m doing this for you,” to another teammate. Coach Callahan quickly shut this down saying, “This erg is for no one but yourself. Do this for yourself. See how great you can be.” Personal records were smashed. Limits were pushed. We did our job. Done solely for ourselves. The following day, our season was suspended. A week later, it was cancelled.
Shock. Anger. Frustration. This was an unprecedented situation. I felt I would just move on with my life. But after some reflection, I realized I could not leave Washington, yet. There is still work to be done: a master’s degree to be earned and a fifth year to be utilized. I will be back on Montlake. I will wear my “W” with pride. Not just for me, but for all the seniors who lost their final season. Even after I hang up my racing tank for the final time, the lessons I have learned, the values I have acquired, and the friendships I have made will still be with me for the rest of my life. So, thank you, Washington. Thank you for allowing Mt. Rainier to be seen from Rainier Vista. Thank you for the Greatest Setting. Thank you for the best fans in the country. Thank you for renown academics and elite athletics. Thank you for the opportunity for my teammates and I to be our best selves. Thank you for being home.
David Bridges
Men’s Rowing
Class of 2020