It's quite fascinating how a person comes to find their calling in life. Take Lucy McCarron for example. A few years back, she was rowing and living in the United Kingdom. However an injury and an opportunity for her husband brought her across the Atlantic Ocean to Fairfield University and a position as assistant coach with the Fairfield University men's rowing program.
You see, McCarron was doing quite well as a rower, starting as a freshman at Newcastle University, helping them capture the British Universities novice championship title in her first year. Over her next two years on the senior team she went on to win medals at the British University Championships Regatta and BUCS head races as a lightweight sculler and in open weight sweep boats including the championship VIII which went on to win silver at the European University Championships.
After graduation from Newcastle, she continued her academic and rowing career at Durham University where she studied for two years and rowed on their varsity team. Here she attended GB senior team trials as a lightweight rower, was in the IM1 pennant winning crew at The Women's Head Of The River Race and won medals at the British University Championship Regatta, again qualifying for the European regatta. Durham secured consecutive Victor Ludorum (VL) titles at BUCS Regatta, making them the top university rowing program in the country. She served as Durham University Boat Club President in her second year which is also the year she started to coach
An injury sidetracked her efforts to compete and took her off the water in her last summer at Durham and so did not get the chance race at FISU. Rather than end her association, she continued as a volunteer coach at Durham, specifically with the freshmen rowers and was already working at Durham School where she coached the senior boys team.
At Durham School, she was responsible for writing and delivering the training plan for the boys team both on land and on water. The team was successful during her stay, qualifying for Henley Royal Regatta in 2013. She also spent time at a junior rowing coach at Tees Rowing Club in Stockton (U.K.) where she trained and coached junior rowers.
McCarron came to this country when her husband received a post-doctoral research position at Yale, which presented her with the unique opportunity to experience rowing in the United States. She began coaching at the Maritime Rowing Club in Norwalk, where once again, opportunity presented itself to McCarron.
“Some of the Fairfield rowers help out at Maritime (Rowing Club) so I got to know a few of the rowers when they were there,” McCarron said. “I met up with Dave and he offered me a position at Fairfield. I did some volunteer coaching last spring so I did get to meet some of the team during those sessions.”
During her time with the team, she found that the Stags are on the cusp of great things and with their work ethic, the team may be ready to go to that next level.
“The team is very enthusiastic so they will be an interesting group to coach,” McCarron said. “They really want to succeed and are desperate to get better and improve. I look forward to working with them and being part of Fairfield University rowing.”
She has already taken a liking to the Fairfield University campus and community as the area brings back fond memories.
“It's a fantastic campus because it is a lot like the Universities at home,” McCarron said. “Everything is together and all the people that I have met have been very kind. It seems like a warm school and I'm happy to be part of the community.”
As delighted as she is, Director of Fairfield University Rowing David Patterson is just as happy to have someone of McCarron's caliber on staff.
“I am looking forward to working with Lucy,” Patterson said. “She has the experience and the knowledge that can help make a difference with the men's program. This is the first time we lost so many seniors to graduation. This year's challenge is to look forward to see what we are able to accomplish and Lucy will have an impact of that process.”
