Name: Sasha Bailey
Were you club or varsity or both: Varsity
Years you rowed at UB: 4 years on the team. Ended my rowing career after Junior year with a lower back injury, stayed on as Team Captain. Observing practices in that final year from the launch is what shaped my desire to become a Coach.
Walk-on or experienced: 3 years prior experience, recruited from West Side Rowing Club.
Favorite rowing memory/ies: Favorite memories include racing and putting everything on the line everytime we had the chance, knowing the countless miles of training we put in on the Tonawanda Creek is what we'd fall back on on race day. Being surrounded by so many like minded teammates that were competitive and fought for it every day and every race.
-Winning the 2010 CAA Conference Championship, and the Team Points trophy at the Dad Vail Regatta for multiple years.
What rowing accomplishment are you most proud of: Gold at the 2008 US Club Nationals in the Intermediate 8+ (U23) in the summer season at WSRC. 4/9 people in that boat were UB rowers.
Major: Health & Human Services- Community Mental Health
Current Occupation: Spent the last 10 years of my career as a full time Coach, until recently. Coached at both the collegiate and junior level, and worked in sports based non-profit.
Currently, I coach Adaptive/Para rowers at the West Side Rowing Club. In 2019, I coached the PR2 Women's Single at the World Championships in Linz, Austria. I'm looking to grow an adaptive presence in our sport within our community, while working to create more opportunities for communities which are underrepresented in the sport. I serve on the Community Engagement Committee at the West Side Rowing Club. I would say the biggest accomplishment of my coaching career is the ability to work with individuals and make an impact. Teaching the lessons of the sport is what drives me in my passion for coaching.
Advice to current Rowers:
The sport is all about the lessons you're taking out of it everyday. Too often we get caught up in the grind of the training and forget the purpose of it all. Find the time on a regular basis to reflect on what the sport is teaching you, and what you can learn from it. Your time as a rower is short lived, but the impact it has on you is long lasting.