Dear President Cartwright, Terry Mohajir, and Dr. Abigail Wilson,

It has come to the attention of the rowing and UCF alumni communities that head coach Becky Cramer had been put on administrative leave as of February 10th. While we do not know all the details of the leave beyond the cited “safety concerns”, as alumni from the rowing program we wanted to collectively let our voices be heard regarding rowing itself, as well as our personal experiences under Coach Becky's direction.

Because of rowing's specialized nature, there are some things that need to be conveyed to those less familiar with our sport first and foremost.

First, rowing is the quintessential team sport. There are no MVP’s in a boat. It's not like basketball where you can lean into a star player to carry your team. When boats consist of 9 people at a time, everyone must be prepared, together, and trust their teammates. If there is even one weak link in the boat, the whole boat fails. On the flip side, just because someone is considered the best rower from their last team, it doesn't mean that they will blend seamlessly and productively with their new crew. Rowing has many idiosyncrasies, and this is one of them. Interpersonal dynamics can make or break a boat.

Second, the workload in rowing is particularly heavy, especially this time of year while training is happening on the ergometer. So many meters are put in to prepare these athletes to race safely and successfully at the Division I level in the spring. It needs to be understood that there is a reason for this workload on a scientific level to prepare different aspects of aerobic and anaerobic capacities, and all of these workouts are specifically based on the needs of the team. Through data like erg testing, coaches can now provide feedback to their athletes as to where their strengths and weaknesses lie, and what needs to happen for them to contend with other crews of a certain caliber, and the steps needed to prepare the team to meet their speed goals. This is why erg time standards are such an integral part of the training process. They allow coaches and teammates to see that each athlete is invested in their team's success, and provide proof that they are moving together towards their collective goal. This is where leaders emerge and the weak links are exposed. As Craig Groeschel said, “You can make excuses or you can make progress. You can't make both.”

Third, the hard work of rowing is where the magic happens. Krystina Sarff, recent UCF hall of fame inductee, said it best. “You see the absolute best in each other and the absolute worst of each other. When you're rowing with somebody, you see sides of them that nobody else will ever see in their life. You break people down so much in this sport, that is what makes the bond so strong.” THIS is rowing. Beyond the physical load, winter training is often the most mentally challenging part of the calendar for rowing athletes. Ergs are the window to the soul, uncovering their fears and weaknesses. It can be unnerving, but it's also where athletes learn about themselves. As mentioned, relationships in rowing are vital. It is in these most difficult workouts where the rowers are barely able to pull the last stroke on the erg, when they look over and discover their teammates in the same exact condition they are in. Do you know what else she is learning? She is also learning which teammates didn't give up once during that workout, and which stayed on their erg numbers consistently. These are the teammates she can trust to give a continuous effort in front or behind her in a boat on the water. She is now sure they are in this together. This is where all fast boats are born and truly one of the most beautiful parts of the sport.

We gather, based on the timing of the leave, that this may be related to the erg standards being set and also not being met by athletes. If this is the case, as you evaluate the claim made against Coach Becky, we urge you to make an educated and informed decision by contacting USRowing, our sport's governing body. Discuss the type of training regiment they prescribe for their collegiate athletes and what they see regularly in collegiate Division I programs across the country. Learn about the mental load of winter training and common mental responses to erg testing. You will find this training is essential to entering racing season physically and mentally prepared. 

Coach Becky has a proven track record with this program and is knowledgeable about what is needed for future success. Most importantly, she cares deeply about her athletes. Not just for what they can bring to the team, but for them as individuals. She cared, and still cares, about each one of us. She has worked tirelessly to cultivate a positive culture on her squad. She is a kind and supportive spirit. She is an inspirational leader who has continually raised the standards for her squad, providing attainable goals and the plan to reach them. She challenges her athletes, but isn't overbearing. She is positive when many other coaches would give up. We have never witnessed Becky ever put someone's safety or health at risk. She is the woman that taught us to believe in our abilities before we did ourselves, helped us learn from our mistakes, and celebrated our wins alongside us.

We also wanted to note, that if the university removes Becky from her post based on the complaints of individuals that do not understand the sacrifices and challenges of being a Division I athlete, it could set a challenging precedent. It may enforce a concerning but growing pattern of student athletes and parents dictating the course of athletic programs, instead of the knowledgeable coaches carefully selected by the school to do that very job. This puts coaches in the impossible position of choosing between what is best for their team and what will be most accepted by their athletes. Furthermore, removing Becky and/or watering down the erg standards will do a great disservice to the current and future athletes in the program. If we thought that Becky was mentally abusive, physically abusive, or destructive in some way, we would not be writing this letter to support her. You will see signatures on this letter from student-athletes from various years, various levels of experience, and from those of us who are parents, etc. We have thrived personally and professionally because of the foundation that Becky created as our head coach.

Remember - by taking away the hard parts of rowing, you also take away the best parts, too. Character building, perseverance in the face of hardship, trust in their teammates, long lasting friendships, and discipline, just to name a few. Please do not rob these young women of the opportunity to learn these valuable life lessons. These lessons transformed us into the confident and resilient women we are today, and another reason we look back so fondly on our rowing experience at UCF.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about rowing and our positive, first hand experiences as student-athletes under Coach Becky. We encourage you to listen to all voices and sides in this investigation so you can make an educated decision in the matter.

Sincerely,

The former student-athletes of Coach Becky Cramer