With the physique of a tall, athletic-looking woman, senior Kristen Bartges was lured to women's open crew at Dillon gym her freshman year.
Originally, she thought she'd just check things out. Four years later — three of which have been spent on the varsity eight boat — she's still making the trek down to Lake Carnegie.
"As soon as you get down there, you're hooked," Bartges says.
Bartges is a crew success story. Starting freshman year without an ounce of experience, she began on the novice team. She credits her rapid improvement her first season to the considerable amount of time she spent on the erg machines.
"I think it all had to do with being on the erg all the time," Bartges says. "It's the best way for people starting out to get better."
In fact, she trained so vigorously both on the erg and on the water that she made the varsity eight boat her sophomore year — an impressive feat for a second-year rower.
Though that year was overshadowed by a difficult fifth-place finish in the Eastern Sprints championships and a disappointing result at nationals, she believes that the experience was critical in motivating her to develop.
"Being the youngest [in the boat], I had another chance to take my revenge," Bartges says.
She took that revenge her junior year, a season filled with noteworthy performances.
"We had some great wins," Bartges says. "We beat Virginia, who was ranked No. 2. I was pretty proud of that season."
Synergy
Compounding her strong sentiments for her junior season was her affinity for the seniors.
"Most of my closest friends were in the senior class last year," Bartges says. "And a lot of role models came out of that class."
This year, as co-captain of a strong yet fairly young Princeton squad, Bartges is now one of the paragons, especially for the younger members of the varsity eight boat.
"She's definitely a terrific team leader," senior Kristen Barthelson says. "She looks out for everybody. She's extremely dedicated."
One of the many things Bartges can teach some of her younger teammates is the importance of tenacity.
"She's an extremely hard working woman," head coach Lori Dauphiny says.
"She's one-hundred percent there every day," Barthelson says. "It's a daily thing. She's upbeat. She's one of the people you look forward to seeing at the boathouse."
And Bartges uses this perseverance each time she gets into the boat for a race.
"You know that from start to finish, she's going to put in everything she's got," Barthelson says. "We have an advantage over all other teams because of her."
Hard core
This drive can be seen both in season and during the off-season. The crew team, unlike most varsity sports, trains for the entire school year. As if this isn't enough, Bartges takes her training one step further by diligently practicing during the summer.
"My brother and I have contests about how long we can stay in the gym for," Bartges says.
In addition to her long stints at the gym, Bartges participated in the Canadian Henleys and was invited to the Pre-Elite Camp at the ARCO Olympic Training Center last summer.
Though she refers to the Training Center experience as physically demanding, she believes her interactions with tough competitors has made her that much stronger going into her senior year.
Confident in her team and in her own abilities, Bartges feels that the 2000 season is the time to take women's open rowing to a national championship win.
"I think we've worked hard this year, and I want to see it pay off," Bartges says. "I'm at the point now where this is it. I want to win it all."
Knowing Bartges' doggedness, she just might get what she wants.
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