Meet Your Mentors
Bio:
As a lifelong athlete, Sierra competed in soccer, swimming, track, and dance before walking on to the rowing team at Oregon State University her freshman year. During her five years at Oregon, she made an appearance in the US U23 women’s eight (2021) and won gold.
At Oregon, Sierra studied business management and leadership and focused her thesis on the challenges and opportunities athletes have when they shift out of their sport. Mentorship and leadership have always been important to Sierra as an involved member of clubs and groups including Student Athlete Advisory Committee, Female Empowerment Club, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
After graduating, Sierra spent a year in Philadelphia competing with the Penn AC Rowing Association at the high-performance club level in flat water rowing. While at Penn AC, Sierra earned the opportunity to compete with the US coastal rowing team in endurance and beach sprints at the Coastal World Championships in 2024.
Today, Sierra is studying for her Master of Education for Leadership and Management at Oxford Brookes University in England. She continues to train and compete in flat water with Oxford Brookes.
Specialties:
Sierra specializes in leadership development and confidence-building for performance on and off the field of play. She also specializes in mentoring student athletes who are in a place of transition in their career, whether that means looking toward new opportunities or shifting out of a past or current situation.
Sierra is currently working with student-athletes ages 16 and above.
Superpower:
Enthusiasm
Enthusiasm for participation in many things at the same time. Time and priority management. Creating inclusive relationships with teammates.
Impactful Moment:
As a freshman in college, I was not only living in a new place and on a new team but also competing in a sport I had never played before. On the night before my first race, I was rooming with a senior on the team who was so calm. Meanwhile, I was buzzing with nerves. I asked her what she does to feel ready for race day. She answered that she puts the same socks on she always wears before racing, drinks a full glass of water when she wakes up, and listens to music until she starts the warmup.
This simple routine that prepares her mind and body for racing, during the time when, in reality, there is not much more to do to gain an advantage, changed my perspective on how important it is to set yourself up mentally before competition.
Now, on race day, I have my rituals that include, braiding my hair, wearing the same socks, and laughing before I get to the start line. The venue may be new and the competitors always different, but there are things within my control that comfort me no matter how high the stakes are.
