Finn Griffiths '27 Recruiting Profile

Growing up on the Thames in Southwest London, I often watched rowers practicing on the river. I always wanted to try rowing myself and when I was 11, I attended a summer camp at Kingston Rowing Club.  The camp was hard work, but I had a great time and was excited when KRC asked me to join their team.  I loved rowing on the water – I didn’t realize it at the time, but during these first few years in Kingston I was actually rowing on some of the best rowing waters in the world! But it wasn’t just the water that I loved. Our Club practices were always fun and productive, and I very much enjoyed the way my teammates and I bonded and came together as a team.  As we sculled, we pushed through our own various challenges, overcame obstacles together and went on to enjoy success in the regattas we participated in.

In 2022, my family and I moved to Leesburg, Virginia.  While I was too young to participate in High School rowing when I arrived, I was fortunate enough to be able to train off-season on the Potomac River with P-10 Rowing and indoor at Maverick Rowing.  Both programs are run by our local High School coach and most of the High School crew team participate throughout the year – particularly now that Maverick has a new indoor training and tank facility available for us to use. Rowing with P-10 and Maverick has not only enabled me to continue my passion for rowing but given me a “home” in the USA.

Spring 2024 was my first opportunity to join the Riverside High School Crew team. I’ve easily switched from sculling to bisweptual sweeping and have made new friends, developing a new brotherhood with my fellow rowers that has helped me settle into my new life here. I look forward to further building these relationships.

I am already considered a team leader due to my rowing experience and fitness.  One of my goals at Riverside is to help to motivate my teammates so that we can accomplish future success together.  I feel I am very coachable and am always ready to help people wherever possible.  My aim is to be the hardest working team member; both inside and outside of the boat!

At school, I always try to work and study hard so that I can achieve my academic goals.  I am an active member of DECA which is an international organization which prepares future leaders and entrepreneurs for college and careers. I won 1^st place at both District and then State Leadership Conferences in “Selling” in 2024, and was able to attend the Young Leaders Series convention at the DECA International Career Development Conference in Anaheim, CA. I will be attending the State Leadership Conference again this year to compete in the Professional Selling competition.

In addition to sports and academics, I was elected Freshman Class President of the Young Men’s Service League and am now Vice-President of Communications during my Sophomore year. YMSL is a four-year long program where mothers and sons dedicate time to serving the local community together. I am also very involved in Theater, belonging to groups inside and outside of school.  Most recently I played the lead role of Albus Potter in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which was one of 26 High School productions in the United States.

I am planning to attend a college which will allow me to study Business whilst giving me the opportunity to row at the highest possible level and compete to win.  I see college as a time for me to learn, grow and excel both as an individual and as a part of a team, while being an inspiration to my friends and making my family proud. I look forward to speaking with representatives of colleges who are willing to give me my chance to prove myself and become the best I can possibly be!