Sunday May 21, 2023
It's Sunday Morning
This Sunday’s photos and poem are replaced by photos and a story with poetic charm.
Told through the eyes of Leigh Anne Van Doren, this story speaks to the beauty of our river, the determination that our young people - especially those at UMW - demonstrate regularly, and the power of shared struggle to remind us that life is better when lived with others.
Finding Resilience and Community at
Hope Springs Marina
by Leigh Anne Van Doren
When the pandemic hit, the University of Mary Washington rowing team faced a harsh financial reality when it was demoted from a team sport to a club sport. The team’s coach, Rich Adams, did not feel he could operate under the circumstances and retired.
Rowers, however, are devoted to their sport, and they are hard to keep down.
Upon learning of the demotion, a group of eighteen-year-old students stepped up to keep the team alive. They created a proposal for the university that included an operations’ manual, a website, and a plan to run the team themselves so the sport wouldn’t die at UMW.
It took a couple of years, but in fall 2021, UMW granted the team permission to return to the water. This time they were under the leadership of senior Rory Cameron.
Later in that semester, I stumbled into the rowing room and joined them as a 56-year-old graduate student who had last rowed as a junior in college.
Returning to rowing was, unlike many life experiences, everything I hoped it would be. Shared suffering at 5:30 a.m.; the eagles, ospreys, and herons hunting on the river; and the passing Amtrak train as we rowed beneath the railroad bridge were all as compelling as I remembered.
What surprised me the most, however, was how much I liked these young men and women. Far from the stereotypes often associated with college sport team athletes, they proved to be everyday heroes—kind-hearted, supportive, and devoted to the collective success of the team.
They uplifted and valued every member, irrespective of personal challenges, creating an atmosphere of belonging. They were, and are, the kindest people I have met in decades.
Enjoy the photos, and enjoy knowing that in this case, at least, the kids are all right.
Leigh Anne Van Doren is founder and publisher of Fredericksburg Parent and Family, and a leading voice in supporting young families through the challenging and deeply rewarding waters of parenthood.
Will your photos be next?
Have photos of nature, grouped around a theme, that you’d like to share? Email editoratF2S@gmail.com.
The photos were amongst the best so far (they've all been good) and the story about the rowing team's resurrection was inspiring.