天美影视传媒

Passion never rests

When Eleni Englert began her freshman year at the 天美影视传媒, she was already making waves. After representing the U.S. at the 2012 Paralympics in London, Englert arrived in Seattle, where her first quarter was punctuated by interviews, photo shoots and even a first pitch at a Seattle Mariners game. Beyond the thrill of competing in the Paralympics, the stories captured something else: Englert鈥檚 resilience, which led her to rowing and the UW.

In middle school, Englert was diagnosed with Stargardt disease, a degenerative eye condition that causes progressive damage to the retina. But that hasn鈥檛 stopped her from competing in both national and world rowing championships as well as excelling at a number of other sports, including snowboarding and CrossFit.

Accompanied by her attentive guide dog, Briggs, the graduating senior sat down to reflect on her time at the UW: rowing, life as a Husky and pushing past limits.

UW: How did you first get involved in rowing?

Englert: I first tried rowing my freshman year of high school, when I attended a National Federation of the Blind conference. At the conference, there was an erg machine competition, and I beat everyone there 鈥� even some Paralympic athletes 鈥� who then suggested I try rowing. I鈥檓 kind of an oddity; there aren鈥檛 many other blind people that are my height and athletic.

After that, I approached a local crew club, but they wouldn鈥檛 bring me on because I was blind. So I just tried another team. On the first day, I went up to the coach and I told him that I鈥檓 visually impaired and I wanted to row. He just said, 鈥淕reat! You won鈥檛 look out of the boat.鈥� He let me do everything; he even put me in a single 鈥� one person, rowing by herself. You wouldn鈥檛 normally put the person who can鈥檛 see in a single and send them off, but you know, I鈥檝e only hit one buoy, and some coxswains can鈥檛 say that.

Why did you choose to attend the 天美影视传媒?

I chose the UW for the disability resources for students. When I was looking at colleges during high school, I found that some universities wouldn鈥檛 even consider having Braille services. But here at the UW, the Disability Resources for Students staff hit every accommodation I might ever need to succeed. Additionally, I wanted high academics and high-level rowing, so it really was the perfect fit.

The summer between high school and college, you competed in the 2012 Paralympic Games in London. Tell us about your experiences there.

There were so many cool people I met. Since I鈥檇 rowed the past couple of years, I got to see a lot of other athletes from different countries that I knew, and I loved being in the Olympic Village and watching events with them. After our racing was over, I stayed in London to watch the rest of the games and take part in the closing ceremonies. I got back right before I came to the UW, so I didn鈥檛 even have time to pack my own bags for college, my mom had them ready to go.

But honestly some of the best things to come out of London were the stories about Briggs. He has better stories than me! A camera crew met each team off the plane, and they ignored all the rowers and went straight for Briggs. He was definitely the star of the show.

After the games, you got to go to the White House and meet President Obama. What was that like?

They have really good cookies! Oatmeal. Originally, President Obama wasn鈥檛 going to stay long, but he ended up hanging around and meeting everyone, shaking our hands. I even secretly took a selfie with him in the background that somehow lined up, since I couldn鈥檛 actually see the screen. But Briggs was the real star. The president saw him and said, 鈥淥h, who鈥檚 our little friend?鈥� Briggs also got a belly rub from Michelle Obama.

You鈥檝e rowed for the Huskies since you walked onto the team your freshman year. What do you think sets UW rowing apart?

I think what really sets us apart is our heart. I鈥檝e rowed with a lot of people, and I鈥檝e never been around such determined and driven athletes. We are a group of fighters who want to get better and push on every day. Every single person on the team works their butt off to push themselves and everyone around them. No spot is set or reserved, you have to fight constantly to earn your seat. We also know that we鈥檙e more than athletes, and there is a huge amount of support for each other off the water.

My favorite thing about the team is that we have fun, though. We鈥檙e spunky and goofy and it鈥檚 absolutely great. I鈥檓 going to miss our pre-practice dance competitions and spontaneous cheers on the water. It鈥檚 really hard to describe our team right now, but it鈥檚 honestly the most passionate, competitive and supportive group of strong young women I have ever had the privilege to be with.

What was your favorite race at Washington?

One of my favorite races was my first race for the UW: the San Diego Crew Classic. I was in the freshman eight, and we won by 0.16 seconds. We went undefeated for the rest of the season. Our mentality was, 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to win, whatever it takes, and then we鈥檙e going to win as much as we can.鈥� That points to how amazing the team is right now, because that mentality carried on through the years.

The UW has a history of being open to walk-ons, so that freshman eight boat was pretty evenly split between new and experienced rowers. Despite our different experience levels, we all brought an unwavering mentality that we should win everything, and we did.

After you graduate in June, what鈥檚 next?

I鈥檓 majoring in information systems. It鈥檚 a really exciting field with a lot of potential, and I actually just got into the Foster School of Business鈥� Master of Science in Information Systems program, so I鈥檒l be sticking around for a bit longer, going to grad school and working.

I鈥檒l keep watching UW crew races, but I probably won鈥檛 come to practice. I鈥檝e been rowing for eight years, and I think it鈥檚 time I retired. Through crew, I鈥檝e made some of the best friends of my life. My graduating class is really tight and goofy 鈥� very goofy 鈥� and we鈥檝e made it through a lot together, so it鈥檚 bittersweet graduating and thinking I won鈥檛 see them every day.

What would you say to other athletes with disabilities?

Failing鈥檚 not the worst thing in the world; it鈥檚 better to just try. The way I grew up, I didn鈥檛 have many limits put on me. [Stargardt] was never made into a 鈥渂ig thing鈥� in my family. My parents would say, 鈥淪he鈥檚 a kid, let her go snowboarding, let her go mountain biking, just get a guide.鈥� That鈥檚 something I was very lucky in; not everyone is fortunate to grow up in an environment like that.

I鈥檝e only ever felt limits other people have tried to put on me. I鈥檝e fallen into the trap of thinking to myself, 鈥淲ell if they don鈥檛 think I can, then I guess I can鈥檛.鈥� Pushing past that is hard to do, but you can. When other people put limits on you, ignore them. So what if you fail, at least you can say you tried. Honestly, that鈥檚 just kind of what I鈥檝e done, and more often than not, you succeed.

Read more of Englert鈥檚 story in a with UW Athletics.

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