For Henry Terry, rowing is no leisurely activity. A sophomore at Friends’ Central School, Terry, a resident of Wayne, is a devoted rower. He rows almost daily in lieu of participating in a traditional, school-sponsored athletic team. Recently, his hard work payed off when he was invited to, and then participated in, the Boston-based Head of the Charles regatta (rowing competition). This regatta, the largest two-day regatta worldwide, assembles the top rowing talent from around the world. 

Henry explains how he was picked for this regatta. “[Participation in the regatta] is based on a rower’s results from the last year, and from a lottery, clubs and teams get entries in. It was a big deal for my club to get entries. Considering that there are only two boats per clubs that get entries, and I was picked as a rower in one of them. It’s a really big deal for me as a sophomore.”

Terry says his favorite aspect of being in the regatta was “the actual course. It was really cool because you row by Harvard, under beautiful, old bridges, and pass the really intense, beautiful boathouses. It was also really neat to be able to race with the best [rowers] from all over the world.”

Though Henry is passionate about rowing, being able to participate in this regatta came with a boatload of preparation, practice, and commitment. Every Tuesday through Saturday, Henry practices at Conshohocken’s Whitemarsh Boat Club on the Schuylkill river for hours on end. Plus, he explains, in the weeks leading up to this regatta, he had to, even more than usual, “eat right, practice hard, and work hard. I had to keep up with my sleep, my nutrition, and all of that stuff. It’s all about keeping myself healthy.”

The rower’s lifestyle is not a new thing for Henry, as he’s been on a similar 6-day per week rowing schedule since he was in seventh grade. He shares how he got his rowing start. “My sister, who is a couple of years older than me, was a coxswain for Agnes Irwin. [The coxswain] is the small person who sits and steers the boat. Then, a couple of years later when I got to the age where I could start, she recommended I give it a try. I tried it, and fell in love.”

Henry loves rowing because “it’s a constant in my life. Every day, I can look forward to seeing some of my best friends at practice. I can just go there and do what I love.” He also notes, “Rowing doesn’t require a lot of skill. However, one’s technique in the boat is important. It’s an endurance sport, just like running or swimming, or anything like that. All of these sports are all about fitness.”

The courses on which Henry rows can be colossal. When asked about his approach when he lacks the perseverance and/or energy to finish a course, he says, “[stopping mid-course] isn’t really an option. I can’t just stop in the middle of the race. Crew has changed my life because it helps with my mental fortitude so much. Even just with homework and stuff, I get there, and I can’t quit. I can’t just stop. It’s something crew has hard-wired into me. I’m really grateful for that.

As far as the next step in his career, or better yet, the next stroke in his career, Henry says, “I’m going to try to keep getting bigger, stronger, and doing better in the races. I didn’t do well in the Charles, obviously. There were a lot of 19-year-olds who were racing in the same race. But, it was a big deal to go. Hopefully in next year’s race, I will be able to perform well."