Margaret Young, a senior and Commodore for the University of Washington women’s rowing team, spoke about her experiences and leadership in an article published on May 6. Young described how she began rowing at Washington after coming from a basketball background in the Bay Area and finding herself drawn to the sport through an early-start program.
Young said that although she initially found joy in the endurance and teamwork of rowing, her sophomore year brought challenges when she missed a team standard by a small margin and was cut from the roster. She explained that this setback led her to train independently at Pocock Rowing Center while receiving encouragement from coaches, friends, and former teammates.
“I’ve found my best friends on this team,” Young said. “Just the most hardworking, down-to-earth, supportive women.” She added that returning to the roster gave her a renewed sense of opportunity rather than seeking redemption.
As Commodore—a leadership role focused on culture and daily standards—Young has helped set a theme for the season alongside co-Commodore Camille Randall: No bad days. “There are only so many left,” Young said regarding her senior year. “We want to make the most of every day together and be the best we can for each other.” She also shared hopes that new walk-on athletes will see they can achieve leadership roles within Washington rowing: “I want a freshman who’s a walk-on to believe they could become Commodore of Washington rowing,” she said. “Because they absolutely can.”
Looking ahead, Young plans to return to the Bay Area after graduation with aspirations to work with children or possibly coach rowing in the future. She emphasized carrying forward lessons learned through resilience and connection as part of her experience with Washington’s program.
