The profound impact that participating in a sport can have on a woman comes through clearly in Ginny Gilder’s memoir of her life in rowing. She was introduced to and fell in love with the sport as a freshman at Yale in 1975, when Title IX was beginning to introduce new opportunities for women athletes. Her stubbornness eventually helped land her a spot on the US Olympic crew that won a silver medal in 1984. Along the way the character she honed as a rower has helped her address various personal challenges, including that of her sexual identity. Today she is an investment business founder and co-owner of the Seattle Storm women’s pro basketball team.
Here’s an excerpt from Course Correction:
“All eights are crews, but a mighty eight can become a sisterhood. You learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses. You coax out each other’s self-confidence, confront and overcome obstacles together, challenge and compete with each other. It is often messy. Not everyone likes each other. You put each other down. You pull each other up. You gossip, argue and debate, needle and incite, protect and cover for each other. You develop trust and earn respect. Nine women combine in myriad ways to develop connections, consistent with their own styles and personalities. The result is a synergy composed of a pattern unique to you.”
