From Dartmouth to representing the United States of America.
That's what this summer has entailed for multiple Big Green rowing student-athletes and coaches.
Following a successful U23 Men's Sweep Selection Camp held at the Friends of Dartmouth Boathouse, the final team is currently in Plovdiv, Bulgaria for the 2023 World Rowing Under 23 Championships, which run from July 19-23.
"Anytime you get the chance to represent your country, as an athlete or coach, is special," said Dartmouth head men's lightweight rowing coach Trevor Michelson. "It's an incredible experience and opportunity that does not come up often in life."
Michelson is an assistant coach for the United States while John Graves, former Big Green men's heavyweight assistant coach and recently-named Dartmouth head women's coach, is serving as lead coach.
Wyatt Allen, Betsy and Mark Gates 1959 Head Coach of Men's Heavyweight Rowing, played an important role in bringing the camp to Hanover.
"The USRowing high performance director and governing body has the highest level of respect for Wyatt," said Graves. "Wyatt presented it to me as a really amazing coaching development opportunity, which I was excited for."
Allen is a former Olympic gold medalist athlete, while making his mark on the rowing world as a coach at Dartmouth. Last year, he traveled to the U23 world championships as the U23 National Team Director.
"With Wyatt's experience and resume as an athlete and coach, [USRowing] knew the venue at Dartmouth, and his oversight of the camp, would be a great combination," said Graves.
Among the athletes on the final U23 roster are three from the Big Green's men's heavyweight rowing program. Julian Thomas made the team after serving as an alternate last year while Jacob Hudgins, who is a three-time member of the U.S. Under-23 team, is also a member of the eight. Sammy Houdaigui is coxswain of the four while Munroe Robinson also took part in the camp.
The camp was held from June 15 to July 7, before nearly a week of training in Hanover with the final roster. It provided valuable exposure of Dartmouth, the Connecticut River and the Big Green's beautiful boathouse.
"You see the natural beauty of this place and how special of a body of water we have to train on," said Graves. "Our approach is to be extremely invested in individual development. We want people to go home to their families and friends saying, 'That was a really invigorating experience.'
"It's no different than what we tell recruits or what we preach every day during the school year," Graves continued. "The moment you step in the Dartmouth boathouse, you're about to get better and when you leave, you're going to be a better version of yourself."
The U.S. team has undoubtedly improved over the last month. In their first meeting in early June, Graves shared the goal of not only winning a world championship, but also wanting something more.
"We want people going back to their college programs moving the boat a little bit better than when they arrived, and feeling excited about continuing that process," said Graves. "That was the seed I was trying to plant."
John Graves at camp
That seed has grown over the last several weeks.
"We also want them to be students of the sport," said Graves. "We've shown a lot of historical clips, such as Wyatt's 2004 eight and other great eights that have won world championships."
The purpose was to generate excitement and motivation to follow in their footsteps.
"Now, they (the U23 athletes) get to make their mark on the world championships," said Graves.
Graves has represented his country as an athlete, as has Michelson. Graves was an eight-time U.S. National Team member and two-time Olympic Trials winner. He represented the U.S. at 28 international regattas, competing as a sculler, lightweight and heavyweight. Michelson competed at the World University Games in 2015 as a U.S. lightweight single sculler. He was also part of the U.S. lightweight 8+ selection camp and four times a member of the U.S. U-23 lightweight selection camp.
Hudgins is another veteran of the USRowing Under-23 team, as 2023 marks his third time rowing for the U.S. eight.
"I was definitely a younger guy in my first boat," he said. "I always have fun with the U23 process."
Last season, Hudgins rowed with his brother Miles in the eight that won a silver medal. Two years ago, the U.S. also took home silver, missing gold by just two tenths of a second.
It's safe to say Hudgins is motivated to get over the hump and win gold for his country.
"In my first year, I thought the experience was pretty sweet," he said. "I was having a great time. Last year, I was with Miles and that was a super special experience. This year is my last year and I really want to go out there and win."
Great Britain has won the last two world championships; the U.S. is hoping to get over the hump.
"You never know what you're going to get," said Graves. "There are a lot of wild cards. Finishing second two years in a row to Great Britain, we definitely want to put ourselves up in that fight, knowing that we can't control what other people are doing. We just have to maximize our boat speed.
"The image that we're trying to paint is getting ourselves into the grand final first, then anything can happen in the final," Graves continued. "We want to be a crew that can handle adversity, be opportunistic and put down our best race."
Trevir Michelson at camp
Also competing for the U.S. will be the four, coached by Michelson, with Houdaigui as the coxswain.
"We are a new crew facing off against the best in the world," said Michelson. "It's an honor to don the Red, White and Blue, and our goal is to recognize the privilege before us and race with abandon."
No matter what happens over the next five days, everyone will come out of this summer stronger than they went in.
"This summer has been remarkably valuable," said Michelson. "Getting to work with the best athletes in the country and coach alongside Wyatt and John has been a blast. I've always felt that while I spend time helping athletes get better through relaying my own experiences, I become a better coach working with, and learning from, great athletes.
"This summer is no different."
It has become commonplace for Dartmouth to represent the United States in the U23 world championships. Last year, five student-athletes across the men's heavyweight and lightweight teams competed. This year, it's six. In addition to the three members of the United States, two members of the heavyweight squad are rowing for their respective country's eights: Felix Rawlinson (United Kingdom) and James Isles (Australia). Earlier this summer, Ryan Tripp of the Big Green's lightweight team also qualified for the lightweight double.
A strong culture is being built at Dartmouth that should only continue to improve.
The sky is the limit.
Sammy Houdaigui at camp
"It's a manifestation of what Wyatt has built over the last eight years," said Graves, when referring to the number of Dartmouth men's heavyweight rowers trying out and/or making their nationals teams. "Wyatt has built this culture of a growth mindset and getting excited about reaching their potential. You're starting to see his era of guys fighting for the senior national team and the Olympic team, and that's only going to continue.
"It also really speaks to the quality of the experience at Dartmouth because these guys want to row in the summer and they want to row beyond Dartmouth," Graves continued. "They are excited about continuing to get better, and that's not the case at every program. People sometimes finish their collegiate careers and say that's it. I don't have any more strokes in me."
Multiple members of the Big Green have been racking up the strokes to put themselves in the best position possible come race day.
This race will be extra special in representing one's country.
"Wyatt and I are really passionate about supporting the national team," said Graves. "We feel like we have an incredible venue here in Hanover to help the team go overseas and have not only a great performance, but also a great experience and get really excited about the national team pathway."
