Me in 500 words: More Than Muscle

Photo: Drew Sanchez

Media day photos for High Point University Rowing Team September 3, 2025

 When The Body Quits The Mind Decides 

You would probably think I’m crazy if I told you that my skin once formed a heart. And if I told my ten-year-old self that I would be here today, I would be in complete awe and disbelief. Sports have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. They were the one thing that made me feel like I fit in when everything else around me was constantly changing. I moved to different counties growing up, and I was always the new girl—the one who felt like she had something to prove.

The adrenaline and passion that sports gave me felt natural, almost like second nature. Because change was inevitable in my childhood, I learned to embrace it. I was impulsive in the best way, always wanting to try something new—roller skating one day, attempting to surf on a random summer afternoon the next. Looking back, it wasn’t just my body that pushed me forward. It was my mind. The curiosity, the drive, and the need to test my limits were always stronger than fear.

After losing my passion for track, I randomly tried out for the rowing team one day without knowing how much it would change my life. I fell in love with the quiet of the lake, the discipline of early mornings rewarded with a sunrise, and most importantly, the feeling of belonging. For the first time, I felt like I had a home—a second family. High school was the only time in my life when I wasn’t constantly moving, and rowing gave me something steady to hold onto. I found a powerful, welcoming community of women who pushed me to be better, both physically and mentally.

Growing up wasn’t easy. I was diagnosed with tinea versicolor at ten years old, a tropical skin condition that caused light patches on my skin that couldn’t produce melanin in the sun. It made me stand out in ways I didn’t want to. I was treated differently because I looked different, and it made doing what I loved even harder.

Those moments taught me resilience, patience, and self belief, shaping my perspective on struggle, strength, and growth, and reminding me that discomfort is often the beginning of real transformation.

But those struggles shaped me. They reminded me where I came from and gave me a story I want to share so others don’t feel as alone as I once did.

Through my athletic career, I’ve faced countless mental challenges. There are moments when my body feels empty, when there’s nothing left in the tank. But that’s when my mind steps in. My mind decides for the little girl who never felt like she belonged. It decides for the version of me who needed a purpose. Every day, I prove her wrong. Because when the body wants to quit, it’s always the mind that decides to keep going—and where the mind goes, the body will follow.