Volume 18 | October 2020
Caspersen Rowing Center Happenings
Providing a venue where athletes of all ages, talents and backgrounds have the opportunity to develop their rowing ability to their highest potential.
Meet the Mercer Junior Boys and Girls Captains for 2020-2021!
Clockwise from left to right: Charvee Dua, Riley Cooper, George Drago, Andrew Griesinger & Audrey Lucerne
In this edition, we are introducing you to the 2020-2021 Mercer Junior Rowing Team captains. We have asked them a series of questions so that you can learn more about these student-athletes. You can link to the full discussion below.

The team captains for Mercer Junior Boys are Andrew Griesinger, a senior at Princeton Day School and George Drago, a senior at Notre Dame High School.

Charvee Dua, a senior at West Windsor Plainsboro High School South, Riley Cooper, a senior at Hunterdon Central High School and Audrey Lucerne, a senior at Council Rock North High School will lead the Mercer girls this year.


A couple of quotes to highlight:
How do you think you will help the team stay motivated given the limited
competition this fall?
Andrew - The easiest way to keep everyone motivated right now is to remind them about the big picture. Better things await us outside of this fall: spring racing, Nationals, Canadian Henley, and future years to come for the younger guys...

Riley - We are always looking forward to what is to come in the future and the possibilities for the spring. These are trying times for the entire rowing community so we are looking towards getting better when every team in the country is going through the same struggles as we are.
Road to Tokyo 2020!!
Onyeka Oguagha - Rowed for Rutgers Scarlet Knights and training for the US Women's National Team
The US Women's National team is back training in small boats at Caspersen Rowing Center on their journey to Tokyo in 2021. Following all State of NJ Covid-19 guidelines. Onyeka Oguagha is just one of the Olympic hopefuls training at Caspersen.

Onyeka let us know what she has been up to~

"I have been training mostly on my own on the erg since the stay at home order was mandated in NJ. I graduated in May with a master's in biomedical science, and I attended my virtual graduation ceremony. I spent the entire summer studying for the DAT, applying to dental schools, and shadowing dentists once the clinics reopened. Fortunately, I have not been severely impacted by the pandemic, but I have been spending time appreciating what I have and prioritizing what is most important. I am back at the Princeton Training Center and I am so happy I get to row again after a 10-month drought!"

Read more about Onyeka in Row2k's June article HERE
VIRTUAL FALL FUNDRAISER
November 22, 2020
We will be holding our annual Silent Auction & Fall Fundraiser virtually.
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Please volunteer!
We need your help to organize and run this year's event!
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Silent auction items needed asap!!
100% of all auction proceeds will go to Mercer Junior Rowing

Volunteers and donations are needed!
Time to get creative!
Thank you!

Contact Katie at Kgardner@rowpnra.org
Mercer Masters ~ A beautiful fall morning on Mercer Lake
Mercer Masters team members
Cass Cohen, Alyson Landers, Julie Antaya & Natasha Gajewski, rowing on a recent morning
Fabulous Movie night in Trenton held in late September!

Thanks to all who joined us for "A Most Beautiful Thing" at our drive-in movie in Trenton, made possible by Mercer County and our sponsors NJM Insurance and J&J Rowing.

Special thanks to Arshay Cooper for joining us in person and to Sam Frisby, Sr, CEO Capital Area Y, for moderating the conversation with Arshay!
With special thanks to our sponsors of
A Most Beautiful Thing!
MERCER JUNIOR ROWERS NAMED TO USROWING 2020-21 SCHOLASTIC HONOR ROLL

Mercer Junior Rowers Theodore Schneider and Devon Reid have been named to USRowing's 2020-2021 Scholastic Honor Role. Schneider, a Pennsbury High School Student is in his third year as a member of the Mercer Junior Rowing Program. Reid, a senior at Rumson Fair Haven Regional High School is in her second year with the Mercer Junior Rowing Program.

Four Mercer Junior Rowers received Honorable Mentions on the Scholastic Honor Role:
  • Charvee Dua, Plainsboro-West Windsor High School South
  • Arianna Mancuso, Plainsboro-West Windsor High School South
  • Kyle Rutter, Plainsboro-West Windsor High School South
  • Arya Sasne, Plainsboro-West Windsor High School South

The Princeton National Rowing Association and Mercer Rowing congratulates these student-athletes on their achievements.
SAVE THE DATE!!
ALL MERCER ATHLETES & FAMILIES WELCOME TO ATTEND THIS
ZOOM TRIVIA NIGHT!!
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28th
7:30pm
Does your employer have a matching gift program?
Check out the Matching Gift finder feature on our website. Click here to find if your employer has a program.
We're all in this together!!
Your support today will make a difference.

Thank you.

A message from the PNRA Board of Directors

The currents of racism and inequality in our country run deep.  Our organization wants to actively break down constructs that allow that current to flow, especially in sport. Furthermore, as rowers, we know that the only way a boat can move forward against an unfair current is if we all pull together as one team. We know that we have to challenge ourselves and our teammates to do better, to be better. We have to hold ourselves and our team accountable. Only through respecting and indeed celebrating our differences can we truly come together as a team and win the fight against racism and discrimination in all its forms.
PNRA is a 501 (c)3 nonprofit corporation. We are grateful to all who support our mission and could not do it without you! We gladly accept gifts of appreciated stock and corporate matching gifts. Have questions? Contact Katie at kgardner@rowPNRA.org
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STAY SAFE!!
Through your support you make a difference at PNRA!