Chase Shepley, natural rower, to row for national team

CRYSTAL LAKE - After her final exams ended Wednesday, Chase Shepley's schedule didn't open up much.

Unlike most students her age, this Crystal Lake Central sophomore didn't relax. Instead, she replaced studying, schoolwork and athletics with extra helpings of strength training, cardio and mental preparation.

That's because Shepley has been selected by USRowing for its Junior National Women's High Performance rowing team and has less than two weeks to prepare for a three-week development camp at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn., where she will join 28 other rowers from around the country. At the camp's conclusion, eight rowers will be chosen to represent the U.S. at the CanAmMex Regatta and the rest will compete at the U.S. Club National Championships.

"I'm really, really excited, because I know it's just going to be one of those things where you just go and you're just going to learn so much just in that month's span," Shepley said. "Either way, you're representing your country, which is really cool to wear that red, white and blue and kind of row for the U.S."

While Shepley has taken the news in stride, those around her stand in awe of the 16-year-old's success. The longtime swimmer started rowing less than a year ago on a whim, and the sport has taken hold of her.

"I've been doing swim camps in Wisconsin for a really long time, and I thought, 'this looks fun,' " Shepley says of the University of Wisconsin rowing camp, where she first learned about the sport. "... I dragged my sister along, and we went to the camp, and it was a great experience. We loved it."

Shepley's sister, Madison, walked on as a rower at Wisconsin. Their parents supported the sisters at every turn, and they continue to support each other.

"We watched just a transformation of a regular kid who had participated ... in athletics, transform into someone who is obsessive about [athletics]," Regan Schepley, Madison and Chase's mother, said. "... You have competitive people, and then you have athletic people who aren't competitive. She's both athletic and competitive."

In March, Shepley attended one of ten national identification camps in Skokie. These provide coaches and recruiters with a look at prospective rowers, but earning a selection to the national team wasn't on Shepley's radar.

"I said 'I'm going to go to this and use it as a learning experience maybe,' " Shepley said. "I went to the camp, and I just kind of amazed myself. I pulled out a best time out of nowhere."

Crystal Lake Rowing Club coach Andy Prodoehl coached Shepley during the fall and spring. He immediately recognized her talent.

"She was an obvious athlete when she started rowing and picked it up pretty quick," Prodoehl said. "Her first race, she was in the varsity boat, so she stood out right away."

Prodoehl said that while Shepley's technique isn't yet perfect, she's stronger than all of her peers at the CLRC, boys included.

And although Shepley noted that the prospect of a college scholarship was a motivator in getting into rowing, she gets the most satisfaction from the team-based nature of the sport.

"Swim camp was really cliquey, and when we get to rowing camp, we all sit together," Shepley said. "We do everything together. We go places together. You feel that sense of family."

Her mother has her own theory on what drives Shepley.

"If it was easy everybody would be doing it, and that kind of inspires her."