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08/02/2018 12:00 AMAinsley Mackenzie instantly fell in love with the sport of rowing when she joined the Guilford High School crew as a freshman. Four years later, Ainsley leaves the program having established herself as a dependable leader who steered her way to many friendships along the water.
Ainsley grew up playing soccer, but was encouraged by her mother Heather to join the Guilford crew during her freshman year. This spring, Ainsley played an important role in the boys’ varsity 8+ boat as a coxswain, who essentially serves as the leader and main coordinator of the boat during races. Ainsley helped lead her team to a top-six showing at the Connecticut Public School Championships during the 2018 season.
“It involves a trust between me and my rowers and that we know each other’s strengths and weaknesses,” says Ainsley, a Class of 2018 graduate. “Another big part is having respect for one another and them listening to the corrections I give them. One of our coaches, Nancy Vespoli, was a big help and I give her a lot of credit.”
As a coxswain, Ainsley has to communicate to her teammates what adjustments need to be made in the vessel, while also examining the factors that are beyond the Indians’ control during each race. This includes things like how Mother Nature is affecting the water on any particular day.
“I am basically the rowers’ eyes. I make sure the boast doesn’t crash and we are going the correct way,” Ainsley says. “I also look at the height and direction of the waves. There are also technical aspects, like looking at which direction the oars are going. I also have a headset to communicate with the rowers and try to keep everyone focused.”
Ainsley says that the setting of crew provides a sea of tranquility that helps her get through any rough day. She also gains strength by working with a close crew of colleagues who have become her second family.
“I love being on the water and seeing a nice sunset reflected across the lake. Being in that water is calming for me,” says Ainsley. “My teammates have been so welcoming from the start to me, even at school. I loved being around them, and they had my back and I always had theirs. The lake was like my second home.”
Even during the dead of winter, Ainsley and the Indians keep their muscles moving. Ainsley understands the importance of finding the proper offseason regimen in order to stay in shape.
“We did winter training at a facility, and we did endurance and weightlifting days,” she says. “As a coxswain, I still wanted to participate in the workouts as a sign of respect to my teammates. I also did running and cardio on the side on my own.”
Ainsley’s rank as a coxswain came with a lot of responsibility, although she never shied away from any of it, according to Guilford crew Head Coach Matt Wilson.
“Ainsley quickly learned many of the skills of coxing as a sophomore and continued to grow in the position during her junior and senior years,” Wilson says. “Coxing requires the ability to multitask: reminding rowers of technique, power application, steering a straight line in a race, watching the competition, knowing how much her crew can handle, and knowing when to call strategic moves. She easily commanded the respect and trust of her crew. Ainsley was meticulous in keeping track of the strengths and weaknesses of each team member and was very effective at coaching them to their optimal performances.”
This fall, Ainsley is heading to Massachusetts to attend Amherst College, which offers rowing as a club option. Ainsley plans to continue doing the sport at Amherst, while following her way toward a major that involves her favorite subjects.
“I will definitely do the club team there in the fall, and it will be a good time, and I’m looking forward to it,” says Ainsley. “Academically, I am undeclared at the moment, but I love science and math. My main goal right now is to get to campus, start taking some of the courses I want to take, and go from there.”