In 2002, Lindsay Dare Shoop reluctantly walked-on at the University of Virginia. Within a year she became an NCAA Division I All American. In four years she broke a world record and earned her first World Championship. Within six years her hard work manifested a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Today she seeks to help others remove self-imposed limitations. This Fall, 20 years after it all began, the author of Better Great Than Never returns to UVA as an assistant coach, paying it forward. 

This thought-provoking conversation considers serendipity, struggle, pressures on student athletes, walk-ons, team-building, rowing for life, Head of the Charles (and being coxed by Mary Whipple), and a whole lot more.

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QUICK LOOK

00:00 - Intro

04:50 - How 9/11 indirectly led to Lindsay walking on at the University of Virginia

07:38 - When Rachel met Lindsay at Steeringuwright / Endeavor Racing Alliance Camp; coaching rowers to consider the long timeline

11:30 - The Huddle

12:48 - Coaching CrossFit coaches and developing an indoor rowing curriculum with USRowing

15:31 - Rowing Week

16:00 - Preparing for HOCR, being coxed by 3-time Olympic medalist Mary Whipple

18:14 - Beijing teammate Anna Mickelson on savoring the moment

19:30 - The Hot Seat Q&A

23:23 - Growing up on a farm in Virginia, playing with boys, and trying “all the sports”

25:19 - Early Olympic dreams and the notion of “not being a real athlete”

27:40 - Losing her athletic self and finding it again at the University of Virginia

32:44 - The waning prevalence of collegiate walk-ons, the importance of novice rowing, and optimizing movement patterns

38:48 - How social media, NILs, and the prospect of financial contracts  have put additional pressure on college athletes

43:15 - Beyond erg scores: intangibles that make for positive team culture

46:19 - Better Great Than Never, inspiring others, “catching up with the things your parents always said,” and taking it one day at a time

50:49 - “Team” as the tribes of today; and the importance of paying attention, getting and staying connected with people

53:00 - Winning gold in Beijing and the weight of the moment she was handed a medal from Anita DeFrantz

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To see photos of Lindsay and get links to the people, clubs, and events mentioned in this episode, check out the show notes on our website.

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This episode was made possible in part by Barb, Breakwater Realty, Concept2, EB5 Investors, RowSource, and our Patrons.