Heavyweight Rowing
Oscar Patton
Teams: Deerfield Academy Boy's Varsity Rowing. Princeton Varsity Heavyweight Men's Rowing.
Get matched with a mentor like Oscar
Their story
From the field to the mentor's seat
I began rowing competitively in my Sophomore year of high school at historically successful program in Deerfield Academy. After graduating a very strong senior class from the covid canceled freshman season, I was thrown into the top boat as a novice and we lost almost every race. The next year, the whole boat returned and we went undefeated, winning the national championship. My senior year was supposed to be the cherry on top of a perfect junior season as we were supposed to be even faster, however, we had an injury filled and underwhelming season. My freshman year at Princeton, I got injured again in the fall and underwent wrist surgery and was sidelined for three months. After a long and difficult road to recovery, I ended up having the best season of my career to date as I stroked the 3v to an Ivy League Championship and a silver medal at the National Championship. This past year, I got injured for a third year in a row, tearing a muscle in my back and was sidelined for 5 months, after losing a whole year of continuous fitness training once again and only being cleared for cardio as the spring season began, I had to spend the season in the lower boats as I was not fit enough to compete at the standard of the top boats.
Why they mentor
“As is the nature of rowing, amplified by my personal experience, I have experienced the highest highs and feelings of triumph, as well as the helpless feeling of watching go through a season without being able to help. I have been in boats that seem like they will win no matter what with unimaginable levels of trust and camaraderie and I have also been in boats that arrive to the start line knowing there is no chance of victory. These experiences give me a very valuable perspective on the true goals and struggles of youth rowing that I would love to share with athletes like me looking to compete at a high level but still maintain there love for what is an inherently painful and often miserable activity that allows its participants to experience unmatched euphoria in victory. In a sport like this it is important to stay level headed and keep a static perspective on what the goals are because it can really tear people down sometimes and it is invaluable to have somebody to talk to help one's competitive drive and pressure consume them in a positive way.”