La Vega High School rowing team makes their competitive debut

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - Months of training finally came to a close on Sunday when two La Vega High School students competed at the second annual Waco Rowing Regatta.

”It was really cool to be out on the water and work together and figure out how to row for the first time,” La Vega junior Meghan Celeste Allen said.

Celeste Allen and William Rodrick Elizondo, also a junior at La Vega, took to the Brazos River for their first ever rowing regatta.

Their coach, Marqus Brown, said he was proud to see them cross the finish line together in the mixed double race.

”It was one of those things that’s like this is why you work hard to have these opportunities and experiences,” Brown said.

They competed under the Waco Rowing Club team, a new initiative meant to give students of low socioeconomic backgrounds a chance at rowing. All of the team’s uniforms, boats, paddles and transportation to competitions are provided to student athletes for free.

”I joined rowing because I thought it was something unique that I could do,” Celeste Allen said.

Although the team finished in last place, they said they can only go up from here.

”I hope to get better by just giving 110% because that’s all you really can do,” Rodrick Elizondo said.

All of the proceeds from the rowing regatta will go back to the Waco Rowing Club team.

”It’ll just go toward travel expenses,” Brown said. “We have a really great fleet of boats and make sure that we continue to maintain those.”

The team will continue practicing in the spring, with the hopes of competing in more races in the future.

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