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Kurlycheck Takes A Different Path

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By EDDIE DANIELS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 4, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - Those who truly know Land O' Lakes soccer player Claire Kurlycheck understand that she isn't afraid to try something different. And she is holding true to that reputation.

Kurlycheck, who has played soccer since her pre-teen days, will be attending Fort Lauderdale's Nova Southeastern University on an athletic scholarship. Sounds about right, until you hear the sport in which she will be participating. Rowing.

So how long has she been rowing?

"Not a day in my life," the soccer defender/midfielder said, while laughing.

The subject of rowing was broached at the end of December, while Kurlycheck was at a soccer tournament. Nova Southeastern coach John Gartin was one of several coaches to approach Kurlycheck at the tournament, but he wasn't talking about anything on the pitch. His conversation was purely aquatic.

Sounds like an odd transformation, but Land O' Lakes girls soccer coach Vicky King is convinced Kurlycheck will endure just fine.

"She is hard-working, great work ethic, will do anything you say, makes adjustments, that kind of thing," King said. "She made adjustments for us, being a senior leader on a very freshman-laden team, especially on a freshman defense.

"She was the confidence-builder. ... She's real positive, always upbeat," King said. "Everything will always be OK, so I'm sure she has a positive outlook on this, too."

Once Kurlycheck took her visit to the school, learned about the majors offered and spoke to numerous rowers who also made the switch, she was sold.

"It's a totally different sport than soccer, obviously," Kurlycheck said. "I've gone to see the Nova team row, I've gone to see regattas and I've picked up some information online about rowing, but I still haven't actually rowed. Coach Gartin said he doesn't want me to row until he's there to coach me, so there's no bad habits to break."

For now, it's all about reading up online. In June she will receive the rowing workout packet from Nova and will officially begin her transformation.

Kurlycheck becomes the second Gators soccer player to make the leap into rowing. Natalie Schneider, a 2004 Land O' Lakes grad, walked on at Central Florida, King said.

Gartin has a reputation for recruiting athletes to his squad, which has finished in the top five in the nation the past four seasons. Following the 2006-07 season, the Sharks became the only crew to reach the NCAA Division II Women's Rowing National Championships in its first three seasons.

"I'm real excited," Kurlycheck said, despite learning this will be the toughest physical task she will have faced. "I'm looking forward to it. It's going to be a good experience and a fun adventure."

Leave it to Kurlycheck to be the one to find something a tad off the beaten path.

"Everyone has been really supportive of me," she said. "They're surprised, obviously, that I'm going to school for rowing. They think it's random, but everyone always tells me if anyone were to do anything off the charts it would be me."

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