Kate Brownson

Hi! My name is Coach Kate.

I started rowing in 8th grade, then was recruited to row DI in college with a full scholarship to West Virginia University. What enticed me to row in 8th grade was to hang out with friends, I had no idea that rowing would be the “tool” for me to develop my heroic self. Thanks Kristen Feeley, for taking me to try-outs in February 2002!

All the development and competitive training I did for the ten years I competitively rowed has better prepared me for challenges in life and achieving my life goals. I do remember “old me” before learning how to row being timid or feeling unworthy of opportunities. “Old me” lacked self-confidence and felt insecure to be vulnerable in situations that I thought my peers would judge me as uncool. I missed out on a lot of opportunities that I really wanted to participate in if I didn’t have friends joining me or know that I would succeed.

Through my rowing career I have developed and trained qualities to support the version of myself to be very competitive, compassionate, and have a realistic perspective during the process.

I remember a big personal accomplishment in my physical career was when I transformed my mental game. In my junior year of college, I was redshirted because of injuries sustained in a car accident. During my recovery since I could not have any use of my legs, I took the opportunity to strengthen my mental game and become more aware of what I needed to better support myself. I learned that whatever my “perspective” is in a situation, really influences my outcome (game changer moment right here!).

I now understand my biggest accomplishments in my career go way past the medals and trophies I have won. The person I am today (“new me”) is one who embraces challenge, is worthy of opportunity, and confident to know “to fail” is part of the process to succeed in my goals but I am not failure.

What took me 20+years of knowledge and experience to develop my compassionate, supportive, competitive mental game as an athlete, drives me to mentor younger athletes to develop these skills sooner in their competitive career so they become their alter ego/heroic self.