Drennan heads west
Charlotte Drennan felt immediately at home at the University of British Columbia.
The Grade 12 student at Ridley College went for a visit earlier this year and came away mightily impressed.
“As soon as I saw the campus and had a tour around it with the rowing team, it really opened my eyes and spoke to me,” the 18-year-old Grimsby resident said. “I felt like it was my school.
“It was perfect.”
Drennan, who will be studying either kinesiology or arts this fall, can’t wait to get started.
“The future has so much in store and I’m so ready,” she said. “I’m super-excited, especially about going out west.”
Drennan said she weighed offers from both the University of Western Ontario and the University of Victoria before making her decision.
“My overall deciding factor was the academics at UBC as well as their strong rowing program. That had a big impact on my decision,” she said.
Drennan said the school expects a lot from its athletes.
“They want not only rowers, but athletes who are well rounded and physically active. Athletes who are passionate with a lot of grit and determination and not afraid to get out of their comfort zone.”
Drennan attended Grimsby Secondary School for two years before switching to Ridley for Grades 11 and 12.
She combined with Alexandra Cook, Erin Broski and Gabrielle Cook to win gold at both the Canadian Secondary Schools Rowing Association Regatta and the Stotesbury Cup Regatta last year in the senior women’s quad. The crew also went to England to compete in the Royal Women’s Henley Regatta.
“That was a really big deal for us,” she said.
Drennan, who has rowed for both the St. Catharines Rowing Club and Ridley Graduate Boat Club in the summer months, recently graduated from Ridley.
“I’m going to miss it so much. It was truly an amazing experience going to Ridley. It was definitely life-changing and eye-opening,” she said.
Drennan is missing being on the water but doing her best to keep in shape during the COVID-19 pandemic working on the ergometer, running and biking.
“I’m kind of going crazy, too,” she said. “It’s hard to train without a team but it’s about balancing everything.
“It’s taking it one day at a time and doing as much as I can.”
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