A pair of recent Swampscott High School graduates have embarked on a new challenge on their college campus, and they are using their chemistry and respective talents to navigate a pathway – or waterway – to success.
Being at in different grade levels Anna LoGiudice and Pilar Young didn’t cross paths often during their time as students at Swampscott High School. After graduating, they happened to attend the same college and then both happened to join the same team, Connecticut College’s women’s rowing program.
Now, they participate on the same boat and are even positioned very close to each other. Neither had rowed before college, but both have been integral to the success of their boat and team, according to their Head Coach Eva Kovach.
When LoGiudice arrived in New London at Connecticut College as a freshman, Kovach taught one of her classes.
“I found rowing because a girl on my floor was talking about joining, and me and my roommate thought ‘Why not?’” said LoGiudice. “I also met Coach Eva early on because she taught one of my classes. She was super inviting and made me so excited to try out.”
LoGiudice made the team.
The next semester, she happened to run into Young, who was still a senior at Swampscott at the time, touring the campus. LoGiudice told Young about her positive experience so far at Connecticut College, and Young eventually decided to attend the school as well.
“I’ve always thought rowing was a super cool sport,” said Young. “I did sailing in Marblehead, and I’ve grown up around the water, so a sport like rowing seemed like a good fit. I knew Anna was on the team so I asked her what it was like and how I could get in touch with (Kovach.)”
In very little time, LoGiudice and Young had gone from just sharing a hometown to sharing a boat on the rowing team at the same small college in Connecticut.
Today, Young serves as the coxswain on the boat, which means she is responsible for leading the way for the eight rowers on the boat, directing and guiding the rowers through the water. LoGiudice sits just two people in front of Young.
“Although our jobs are very different, we do work super close and wouldn’t be able to do it without each other,” said LoGiudice.
Young said the pair gets along really well off of the boat, which helps them compete alongside each other on the boat.
“It can get pretty nerve racking on the water so I’m glad to have someone like Anna in the boat who I know will keep her cool,” Young said.
The pair spent the spring competing in 2,000-meter races, rowing and guiding up and down rivers. Kovach said their boat was one of the more successful boats in the program.
Through strenuous races and early practices six days each week, working together as teammates has helped bloom the bond between the two Big Blue graduates from companions to friends.
“We also have similar majors so we have been able to help each other through all of the struggles,” said LoGiudice. “It’s also been amazing to have someone so consistently in my life whether that be at school or at home. I know I can always talk to her about anything.”
Kovach said both have been amazing additions to the rowing program, leaving an impact both on the boat and off of it.
“Both women are super intuitive and they always listen,” said Kovach. “They have a great grasp on what they need to do to make a boat go faster or to help a teammate in need.”
Kovach noted that with Young serving as coxswain and LoGiudice coaching the sport during the summer, both are curious about the sport and are always striving to get better.
“Having those two in there has helped with the maturity of the crew, helped with the camaraderie,” said Kovach. “Having that pair together was essential.”
Kovach said that rowing is not an easy thing to commit to, especially with other responsibilities as a college student.
“Whatever Swampscott High School is doing, they got something going right there,” said Kovach. “There aren’t many young women around the country that do this. The school is preparing them to do something that is extremely challenging.”
