Courtesy of Dallas Rowing Club

Senior Sydney Crews will be training at the Dallas Regatta Rowing Club before attending SMU for rowing.

Throughout her high school career, she spent countless hours in the water, but in college graduate Sydney Crews will be spending her time on the water as a rower at Southern Methodist University.

As a Leopard, Crews stood out as an accomplished swimmer. She made state in 2012 as a member of the 200 medley relay, 200 freestyle relay and 200 freestyle relay teams. In 2013, she made state in the 100 backstroke.

This standout swimmer however is about to take on a new water challenge as she goes to Southern Methodist University on a rowing scholarship. Funny thing though, Crews has never rowed before in her life.

“I got 50 percent athletic aid for rowing basically for my athleticism,” Crews said. “Although I have never rowed before, I have swam for 13 years. The coach contacted me in January after finding me on berecruited.com. While I first heard from him in January, I did not pick SMU until March after talking to both the swimming and rowing coach.”

Along with having the physical attributes of a rower, this 6’1” standout appealed to SMU Rowing coach Doug Wright, for her attitude.

“Sydney is a great example of the kind of student and athlete we’re looking for in our program,” Wright said. “She is a natural team leader, great student and a tremendous athlete. We’re excited about her joining our team and look forward to her development as a top level rower at SMU.”

Crews’ parents agree that her sportsmanship and attitude greatly attributed to her getting this opportunity.

“I believe Sydney was given this opportunity because she has had a focus and dedication to the sport of swimming from a very young age, competitively swimming since the age of 4. She has always been self-driven and dedicated to her pursuits. Her regimented training schedule and dedication from such a young age has carried over through all her pursuits,” Crews’ mother Kay Crews said. “I believe her college coach captured this question best stating ‘Sydney is a great example of the kind of student and athlete we’re looking for in our program. She is a natural team leader, great student and a tremendous athlete. We’re excited about her joining our team and look forward to her development as a top level rower at SMU.’”

To prepare for this new chapter in her life, Crews will begin training this summer.

“I will start on the Dallas Regatta team this summer,” Crews said. “I’ll be cross training between crossfit and swimming.”

Rowing has opened up doors for Crews that would have never before been possible.

“Sydney has been given a tremendous opportunity to compete at a Division I school in athletics and attend one of the top ranked private schools in the country,” Kay said. “SMU is a school that was never considered because of the cost of attendance. When the Rowing coach began recruiting her, it opened doors to an opportunity that would have otherwise been unreachable.”

Although she has yet to row, Crews isn’t fazed by her inexperience especially since it will save her financially.

“Because of rowing I have my schooling paid for,” Sydney said. “That probably the biggest way that it affects my future is that it helps to pay for college.”