Slice of sporting life: Taylor Abbott is determined

by Madison Leslie

A groan filled the dorm room as Taylor Abbott sat up to her alarm and glanced at the clock which read 5:45 a.m. “I can’t even practice,” she thought to herself as she got up for Rowing practice. She has had multiple knee surgeries and there was yet another complication over the summer that left her in a knee brace and on the sidelines. Even though she resented due the early morning, she wanted to be there for her team.

(Photo: From Taylor Abbott)

Taylor is down by Pearly Pond at 6:15 a.m. covered from head to toe to make sure that she stays warm from the bisque breeze off the Pearly waters. “I wish I could practice “, she said to herself as she set up the equipment.

The air was filled with the smell of the trees and misty water. It was a crisp morning, like most morning practice for the rowing team. The was water rippling in the wind to create small waves that crashed against the rowing team’s boats.

Taylor sat on a boat with her coach and shivered in the cold as she squinted to attempt to see through the fog. Taylor’s role was to cheer on her teammates and to take videos. “I’ll be out there soon,” she whispered to herself.