The Current

September 1, 2020 | nsucurrent.nova.edu 9 Sports Finding Fitness: Take your fitness in stride(s) Okay,Iknowwhatyou’rethinking.Walking? How is that a fitness activity? Well, I don’t mean the kind of leisurely walk you take to the fridge to get yourself a snack or the walk across campus after you realize your class started five minutes ago. Here, I’m talking more specifically about long walks that can positively impact your health. I think we’ve all seen those individuals walking around our neighborhoods with the fanny packs or the hand weights that make walking look like an intense Olympic-level event. But, you don’t have to keep up with them and you don’t have to do it alone. Sometime near the end of the summer, my aunt offered to walk with me around our neighborhood to look at the fancy houses and catch up. After realizing she meant an actual hour-long walk that left me out of breath instead of what I imagined might be just a leisurely stroll with some gossip, I really began to enjoy myself. Anyone who knows me can attest that working out isn’t my strong suit. Many workout classes in the past left me hovering over a trash can hoping my face would soon return to its normal shade of pale and for the room to stop spinning. However, walking offered something I didn’t consider before -- an activity I already knew how to participate in and could help me stay in shape without any equipment, monthly memberships or societal pressure. The beauty of walking, at least for me, was the endless adaptability of it. You can fit into your schedule in any free moment and take it at your own pace wherever you want. With my aunt, we opted between the local high school track field and some of the local streets we lived around. When my roommates and I decided to start walking at the start of the semester, we opted to walk from our apartment to Griffin Rd and back. With my aunt, we walked for about an hour or roughly two miles. With my roommates, we walk for about two hours and hit somewhere around four miles in total. One time, I even walked to campus, which was also about two miles. Now, I’m not going to lie. My legs did feel the burn the first few times, but that was an easy fix. I was able to take a phone call, walk with a friend or even create a playlist to distract myself. Eventually, it felt great to have that extra “stretch of the legs,” as some would say. Don’t just take my word for it.According toMarilynGordon,assistantprofessorattheDr. Kiran C. Patel college of osteopathic medicine, this type of walking has been found to improve mood, reduce stress levels, improves immune function and helps strengthen the muscles and bones in our bodies. Gordon also mentioned that NSU’s campus is conducive for walking because of the continuous walk paths around campus, especially around Gold Circle Lake. So, if you have a packed schedule, a small budget or are like me and looking for a less intense workout activity to fit into your daily life, consider giving walking the ol’college try. By: Christina McLaughlin Co-Editor-in-Chief PRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM C. MCLAUGHLIN Try a morning walk and don’t forget to track your steps and pace if you want! An ode to the rowing team This year, NSU announced the indefinite suspension of their women’s rowing team. This announcement came after nationwide cuts to college sports as many college athletics departments have been hit hard by the pandemic. While the rowing team has been suspended, the team spirit continues on and the girls on the team have fondmemories of their time spent rowing. Madison Mello, a junior marine biology major, recalls when she first began rowing. “I started rowing my freshman year of high school. After swimming for about six years, I got really bored and had known a family friend that rowed previously. One day, I just decided to sign up and never stopped,” saidMello. Alex Herlihy, a junior environmental science major, recalls a similar induction into the sport. “I started rowing in high school. Our assistant principal decided to start a rowing club since we had a pretty big lake nearby, and so he said ‘Okay, we can do this.’ Around the same time, I had [wanted] to stop doing soccer, so it ended up working out. I did it in high school and got super into it. I eventually went to a rowing camp at the naval academy. I joined NSU’s team as a walk on since my club was super small and I couldn’t get recruited,” saidHerlihy. BothMello andHerlihywere on the rowing teambefore itwas suspended.While theyareboth saddened at the news of the suspension, they have lifelong memories and feel that rowing at NSU has greatly enhanced their college experience. “I’ve met some of my best friends through rowing. While I was rowing, I was able to get all my school problems out ofmy head and just focus on that. It reallyhelpedme focus, too. I knowI’ma personwho, if not busy, will not dowell in school. It was the perfect thing for me and just really helpedme focus,” explainedHerlihy. Devin Fay, the coach for the women’s rowing team, reminisces on his time spent coaching the rowing team and knows that, while this is a disappointment to the team, it will help them grow in their personal and professional careers. “The students were absolutely spectacular. The women on the teamworked so hard. Rowing at NSU was amazing. Watching the sunrise come up over the intercoastal waterwaywas amazing. I think that’s probably going to be what I’m going to miss the most, besides being surrounded by and helping a group of people who just want to be really good at something. I loved the constant benefit of being inan environment like that,” said Fay. NSU’s rowing team has won many awards throughout the years and some team members have gone on to receive additional awards and scholarships for their rowing escapades. In 2012, the NSU Sharks rowing team dominated at the Sunshine State Conference rowing competition. The Sharks varsity eight won the championships at SSC by more than 10 seconds, a clear-cut and impressive win. That same year, they received the silver medal at the Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta, a prestigious competition. In 2017, four members of the NSU Sharks rowing team were given scholar-athlete awards by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA). This award is only granted to students who have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher while being in their third or fourth year of school and have competed in at least 75%of the team’s events. To Fay, rowing is more than just a sport. It is an essential tool to teach social and perception skills. “The purpose of rowing at the collegiate level is to teach people on a more basic level than just a classroom how to interact with teammates and people who are moving towards a goal. In the end, you’re personally going to get a lot out of it. Not just because you want the team to do well, but because you can see the individual growth in each team member,” said Fay. Melloalsonoted that beingon the rowing team at NSU was an essential part of what made college so great for her. “I think it definitely enhanced my experience at NSU. I feel, when I came to Florida, I had nobody and being pushed straight into a family like that was socomforting. Itmademe feel a lot better. Evennow, when the team is no longer, I still feel like I have that family. I talk to the girls every single day. It made me appreciate the college experience a little bit more; having to balance academics, studying, and my social life and all that. It just made it better,” said Mello. Fay believes that rowing exemplifies a co- curricular model that many schools use to teach personal and professional skills. “I think rowing is the best sport you can do in college. It’s a very simple sport, but the skills you’re developing mentally are complex. It helps you realize your goals and it teaches you that if you want to get something, you have to invest in a certain way. Learning what ways you need to invest yourself is something you need in rowing to excel at it, so that’s why I think rowing belongs in a college environment,” he said. While the team is only indefinitely suspended, there is already a change.org petition with more than 1,500 signatures asking NSU to reinstate the rowing team. “I know that the alumni are working really hard to prove that rowing belongs at NSU. Everybody is struggling in college athletics right now, so it’s no surprise, but I think there is away to continue rowing at NSU,” said Fay. By: Sofia Gallus Arts & Entertainment Editor PRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM K. VERBRAEKEN One last row out