Annabel Caudill '24 Recruiting Profile

I discovered the sport of rowing after moving to Florida prior to middle school. I had just earned my black belt in Taekwondo at a young age and was looking for a sport that would not only challenge me but could also become my life’s passion. I signed up for a “learn to row” summer camp at a local club and was instantly hooked. I joined the team full-time in 6^th grade, and during my 7^th grade year I was invited to row with the high school team. With my freshman year being my third full year as a high school rower, I competed as the bow seat in a quad that placed 5^th in the Florida State Rowing Association Championships. I truly enjoyed being a part of this team, and I grew into a leadership role that helped us accomplish an incredible goal.

Being a part of a small club, however, posed significant challenges. Effectively, I missed my entire sophomore year due to a dwindling team, not only in terms of rowers but also coaches. The team I loved had come to lack direction, and we were often forced to create our own workouts and then would withdraw from regattas due to an inability to fill boats. We were not competing as a team, nor were we working towards individual goals on the water or the erg that were important to those of us that remained and had a desire to further our rowing careers. But I was still in love with the sport, and still had a tremendous desire to not only become a great rower, but to fulfill my dream of rowing in college. Therefore, I made the difficult decision to join a new team, a much larger team with a proven coaching staff that will give me the best chance I have at becoming the rower I want to be. I’m gracious for SORA’s acceptance of me as a new member of their team, and I am excited to give them my fullest effort so that we may all strive towards the goals we have set.

Academically, I want to major in Political Science and to spend my life as a human rights advocate. As the Secretary of my school’s Model UN club and the Vice President of Amnesty International, I am working every day to learn as much as possible to turn these goals into reality. I was also awarded a full scholarship to the ACLU Advocacy Institute in Washington DC, solidifying the fact that these lofty goals are in fact obtainable. I am in the very challenging IB program and unfortunately was part of the class of incoming freshman that were forced into distance learning without warning. This was a challenge for the teachers and students alike, and unfortunately, I did not get off to the beginning that I would have liked. However, I am working very hard every day to become the best student I can, and to make the most of this opportunity that I have been given. I understand the work ahead of me and am dedicated to giving it my all.