Listen to the Letters to the Herd podcast with Seamus O'Brien and J.J. Duke

Dear Stags,
 
My name is Seamus O'Brien, and I am senior and captain of the Men's Rowing team at Fairfield University. As you may know or will come to learn, being a Stag is more than being a student or a student-athlete; being a Stag means being a part of a family. This community and family is why I chose Fairfield University. This past spring break, I was also fortunate to finish my undergrad experience on campus with my rowing family.

Part of being a rower is accepting and understanding that most people know very little about our sport. We are constantly tasked as educators and ambassadors for a sport that most people would initially see as unappealing and a waste of time and effort; but in fact, rowing is actually beautiful. We wake up at 5am for practice to row tens of miles in consistent pain before a full day of courses, knowing full well that our days don't end as early as most other students.

One daily practice is not enough in order to reach the level of becoming the first boat to cross the finish line in May. Yet, we train all year accumulating three thousand miles per season that consists of merely a half dozen six-minute races that decide our collegiate athletic careers. However, as a Stag, endless hours on the water perfecting our craft never felt as terrible as most would imagine because I was never alone. This is where being a Stag comes in. Pushing myself to the limit everyday was almost natural because I did it for my teammates, my Stag family.

In rowing you cannot go straight unless your teammate behind you puts in the same time and effort as you do. We are dependent on our teammates' successes and failures. Whether it be two, five, or nine people in a boat, on the water we become one, making this the ultimate team sport. I am unable to write this letter without referring to my team because I am nothing without them. My Stag family sacrificed everything and trusted in me every step of the way as their captain. We have been through coaching changes, program growing pains, and now the most recent cancellation of the spring season due to Covid-19. Hearing the news together during spring break, which was meant to be the most intense training week of the year, was disappointing. However, in that moment, we truly realized how lucky we were to have had the time to become a Stag family thus far.

Being a Stag means being a jack of all trades which closely connects to the Jesuit value "Cura Personalis." Fairfield is one of the unique places in the country where you can be a successful Division I athlete while also having a social, spiritual, and academic life. This made it an easy choice for me to join the herd in the fall of 2016. Even though you have the tight-knit team and athletics community, you can still have experiences with those outside of your sport like most college students. I had been a part of one of the biggest high school rowing programs in the country and I wanted to make sure I expanded my horizons in college, Fairfield offered that opportunity.

In my time at Fairfield, I was able to gain internships, start my own company, get heavily involved in Campus Ministry, excel in the classroom and still compete for national rankings with the rowing program. I recognized in learning the news over spring break all of these experiences outside of athletics played a vital role in my position as a teammate and two-time captain of the team. All of these tools as a student, athlete, and member of the community helped me be a better teammate and leader that I hope will translate during the next chapter of my life.

The culture of growth that Men's Rowing has built in the past year has been truly special. Over my four years, the Rowing program has taken great strides thanks to the new leadership of Coach Fuller and my teammates sacrificing for its betterment. While I came from a successful program and had multiple accolades, prior to Fairfield I had always been viewed as undersized and few expected me to be successful at the collegiate level. It is not typical for rowers to be 5' 10" and only 140lbs. However, my fellow Stags trusted in me and pushed me to be more. They put me in a top boat in my freshman year and I never looked back. Having that trust from my coaches and upperclassmen teammates meant the world to me. This belief in me only continued to grow and fuel me sophomore year as I was informed I would be captain of the team the following year. I knew it was my responsibility now to set standards for the team that could not have been imagined two years before.

These new standards for growth within the team were no simple tasks. The difficulties seemed to hit their peak as our previous head coach stepped down before the beginning of our spring season of 2019. The team could have naturally treaded water the rest of the season and made excuses for our results, but that is not what Fairfield and being Stag is all about. The Rowing Program lives by Jesuit values that push us to adapt and give ourselves fully no matter the result on race day. Coach Casey Fuller -a Stag and former teammate of mine- stepped into the vacant role and pushed us past beyond our perceived limits. By the end of the season, myself along with the rest of the Heavyweight 8 became the fastest boat in team history. This record-breaking accomplishment came out of a difficult situation, but as Stags we adapted and let it fuel our team ambition.

My advice for current and incoming Stags lies in these stories. No matter how much you are counted out or how difficult the task may be, if you trust in your fellow Stags and give everything you have every day, you will succeed. After barely being recruited, I succeeded with my team and became a two-year captain. This year we were thrown into a season ending situation with a team that had more trust, speed, and talent than the previous year. I know for a fact this will lead to more success next year because this struggle will push them to be closer and work harder than ever.

College is an amazing yet limited opportunity not only to receive a degree but to grow from one's experiences. In my four years I got involved in so many areas, I encourage all Stags to make the most of every day and adapt to the challenges thrown at you. Stay involved, learn from others, and excel in your sport. If you give everything you have every day, you will be proud and live with no regret on the water, field, or classroom.
 
Stag Country has been the best community I have ever been a part of. Thank you to the whole Fairfield family because you all made an impact on my life.
 
Seamus O'Brien III '20