Rowing to a new success

W ith her right knee in excruciating pain, Jackie Olson was unable to withstand the daily three-hour practice regimen of running, jumping, and cutting. She made the painful decision one day that her basketball career at Bates College was over.

The former King Philip Regional three-sport star was determined, though, that she was not finished as an athlete.

The next day, she ventured over to the college's Merrill Gymnasium, enthusiastically jumped on an ergometer rowing machine, and went to work.

Three years later, the result is quite remarkable.

Olson departed Bates last week armed with a degree in psychology. But she also left as a second-team Division 3 All-American rower and captain of the Bobcats' varsity eight boat that placed third at the nationals held in Tennessee.

"Pretty incredible," summed up a worn-out Olson last week, resting back at her parents' Norfolk home. "Oh my goodness, it's been like a dream come true."

Those who know the 22-year-old Olson well will tell you her work ethic and competitive spirit are what enabled her to transition from the basketball court to a seat in a shell, and succeed at the highest level.

"Her strength is an ability to work very hard with great intensity," Bates crew coach Ann Lewis said. "She's a tireless trainer, extremely motivated. She is a great example of a true athlete."

Olson was a two-sport captain at King Philip in basketball and lacrosse. But the hardwood was her passion, and as a 5-foot-11 player with the ability to play both inside and outside, she was attracting the interest of recruiters. Prior to her senior season, however, playing in an Amateur Athletic Union tournament at Penn State University, she tore the anterior cruciate ligament, the medial collateral ligament, and cartilage in her knee. Her senior season was over before it started.

"It was hard," she recalled.

Her father, Bill Olson, added, "the phone stopped ringing" with calls from college coaches.

But Olson worked diligently on her rehab, joined a league in the spring, and found a believer in Bates coach Jim Murphy. Her freshman season "was a great time. I loved playing for coach Murphy," Olson said.

However, in training the following summer, she developed severe tendonitis in her knee and came to the realization that she could no longer play basketball competitively.

"It was a huge decision, but I only have one body," said Olson, who recalled being in tears when she told Murphy of her decision. "If it was my senior year [of college], it would have been different. But I want to be able to walk and run when I am older."

Rowing was a viable option.

"There is no impact; it's just a lot of pulling and endurance and working hard," Olson said. "Rowing was a pretty easy transition."

Over the past three years, she continued to refine her technique, hours upon hours working on the ergometer machine. "All winter, five days per week," she said. And because of the inclement weather in Lewiston, Maine, the Bobcats didn't hit the water until two days before their first meet this spring. Undaunted, Bates earned its first-ever trip to the national championships. Before departing for Tennessee, though, Olson made an emotional call home.

"Jackie called. She was crying, and said she had been named an All-American," her father said. "It gave me the chills."

At the nationals, Bates' s first boat struggled on the first day, barely qualifying for the final. But the Bobcats bounced back and edged out Puget Sound by seven-tenths of a second for third place, finishing behind New England Small College Athletic Conference rivals Williams and Trinity.

"All season long we were doubted, but we worked our butts off," Olson said.

Rowing is now her passion and her college athletic career is not yet complete.

Olson is headed to grad school at Boston College, and with one year of eligibility remaining, she will row for the Eagles this coming year. She's eager to get started. "You can't really replace college rowing," she said.