The Sooner the better
Hailey Mercuri, middle, is flanked my her parents, Tania Mercuri on the left and Basil Mercuri on the right, as she signs her rowing scholarship offer from the University of Oklahoma. Photo by: BILL POTRECZ
Hailey Mercuri loves a challenge.
The 18-year-old, Grade 12 student at Grimsby Secondary School excelled in karate and cross-country running before turning her attention to rowing, where her competitive streak really had a chance to surface.
“I joined rowing because a family member, my cousin, was rowing. I’m really competitive and I wanted to impress people so I tried it,” Mercuri said. “I was motivated out of the fact of competition and then I started getting results.
“I’ve always liked the water — I used to swim — and it took off from there. I liked the success and I liked the sport itself. I liked pushing myself, that’s the kind of person I am, especially with my karate background, and now I’m in love with it and get to do it every single day.”
Mercuri’s hard work and competitive nature have paid off in a full scholarship to the University of Oklahoma, where she will study neuroscience.
“I talked to a few schools. Oklahoma contacted me and I went down there for an official visit and I loved it,” she said. “I describe it as a puzzle. I just fit in really well with the team. The coaches were nice. They were super easy to talk to and I decided I was going to commit.”
Mercuri officially signed her deal recently at a function which included her parents, Tania and Basil Mercuri, along with friends and family and many of her former coaches.
“There are numerous coaches and I couldn’t have done it without them and the people I have rowed with,” she said.
Hailey Mercuri also made sure to give props to her parents.
“They drove me to practice and went through all the stressful things like balancing rowing with school work and my schedule which is pretty hard on everyone,” she said. “I couldn’t be more grateful.”
She also realizes none of this would have been possible without her exceptional work ethic.
“I really do work hard at my sport and take the opportunities that I get,” she said. “I enjoy putting in the work. I enjoy the workouts more sometimes than the actual racing because I like to see myself improve and see myself grow as an individual. I think it’s all worth it.
“There are some difficulties. In the end it’s always worth it in any sport. There’s never going to be always-perfect days.”
Grimsby rowing coach Michele Fisher saw greatness in Mercuri early on.
“Hailey is a one of a kind athlete. She was chasing the boys crews,” Fisher said. “She accepted the environment and went after it. That’s really something because a lot of athletes have to feel so comfortable. She was always just going for it.
“She excelled in the single because she was fearless. She’s also a very good athlete and trains very hard.”
Mercuri, who currently rows for the St. Catharines Rowing Club, already has an impressive resume.
She rowed for the Canadian National Team at the CanAmMex 2018 and won gold in the women’s doubles and also won gold for her school in the women’s senior 630kilogram event at the 2018 Canadian Secondary Schools Rowing Association Regatta (Schoolboy). She also won CSSRA gold in the junior girls double when she was in Grade 9 and two years ago was a member of a Ridley Graduate Boat Club junior girls double that captured gold at the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta.
Now, she’s shooting for a spot on Canada’s junior national teaming is also hoping to qualify for the world championships in Tokyo later this year.
“I’m training really hard with that in mind,” he said. “I’m really excited.”
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