Athlete Spotlight: Grace Kennel
Meet Grace Kennel, a sophomore on the rowing team at Purdue. Grace loves 6 seat because she gets to follow, but likes to be in stern four, and she enjoys practicing in a 2-, but racing in a 4+ or 8+. "All I Do Is Win" by DJ Khaled gets her pumped up to row a 2k, and you'll find her eating handfuls of dry cheerios as a post-practice snack on the way home from the lake. Outside of rowing, she enjoys cooking since it is a fun way to destress after practice while also fueling herself. We sat down with Grace to find out what it's like being a student athlete, and what she has learned from the sport of rowing.
Honoring Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month
My name is Tammara Quevedo and I am a senior studying Kinesiology and Disability Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I am a current varsity member for the Illinois Rowing Team. I started rowing my freshman year of college and I have fallen in love with the sport ever since. In celebration of Latinx and Hispanic Heritage month, I am honored to have JL Racing invite me to the conversation about what it is like to be a Latina in the rowing community and celebrate my culture.
Historic Women Creating Spaces for Women to Excel
It’s on the shoulders of these trailblazers that we stand today, personally I am indescribably grateful for their contributions to our programs and professions. Their resiliency to press forward despite glass ceilings, patriarchal precedent, and barriers to equality enabled them to painfully carve out the spaces that we have today in male-dominated environments like athletics and high-level professional environments.
Didn't compete in varsity? It's not too late for you, Masters!
This blog post is dedicated to people who discovered rowing later in life at the masters level, and who haven't raced in school or college. Many masters are rowing in clubs for leisure/exercise more than to compete and it's sometimes hard to train for competitions when the rest of the team is not in this mindset. This blog post features quotes from two JL ambassadors sharing their advice with us
Women's History Month 2023
The history of women in sports is full of obstacles and discrimination. For a long time, women were considered physically weak and unsuitable for sports. At first, they were not allowed to play sports in various sports associations at all. Over time, the situation changed, and women's sports associations were established. Even after the formation of associations, they could not participate in competitions, races, or matches.
"Black People in Rowing: Our Stories, Our Future" by Joshua Rafferty
As Black History Month approaches, esteemed black leaders, activists, athletes, artists, and so many more are highlighted. It serves as an opportunity to take a step back and look at the history and future of our beloved sport through the lens of black people.
National Girls and Women in Sports Day 2023
In recognition of National Girls and Women in Sports Day on February 1, 2023, we asked three of our ambassadors, Zola, Mallory, and Nancy, about their experiences in sports. Read about how these women feel about being an athlete, their accomplishments in sport, and what they would like to see for girls and women in the future.
Team JL 2023 Ambassador Program
Applications for the Team JL 2023 Ambassador Program are now open! Do you want to be more involved in the rowing community, and share the sport with a wider audience? Are you interested in becoming a part of JL and helping us grow? Apply today for JL Racing's ambassador program for exclusive discounts, apparel, spotlights, and more!
