Cole O’Connor: An Interior Athlete’s Success Story

Cole O’Connor: An Interior Athlete’s Success Story

Cole O’Connor’s journey into rowing began at the 2022 BC Summer Games in Prince George where he received a Silver Medal in the U17 Men’s 2x for his Zone 2 – Thompson-Okanagan Team. Introduced to the sport through his connection with Glen Stiven, his cross-country skiing coach at Sovereign Lake Nordic Club, Cole initially took up rowing to enhance his fitness and aerobic base for skiing. Despite being a novice, Cole showed remarkable enthusiasm and quickly developed his skills.

After a substantial growth spurt, Cole’s commitment to rowing also grew last Summer. He attended the 2024 Lap the Lake Regatta and Rowing BC Interior Development Camp, hosted by Rowing BC and the Vernon Rowing and Dragon Boating Club in Vernon, BC last June.

With the support of Glen and the coaches at the Vernon Rowing and Dragon Boat Club, Cole competed in the 2024 BC Championships Regatta last July, reaching the F Final of the Men’s 1x event and finishing 33rd overall. He persevered, and with his father Kevin’s encouragement, he continued rowing, later competing at the Burnaby Lake Small Boat Regatta in October, where he placed 12th overall.

Cole’s continued commitment was evident when he attended the Rowing BC Junior Performance Camp at Elk Lake in November, followed by another Rowing BC Junior Performance Camp co-hosted with UBC, St. Georges, and Thunder in Vancouver in December. At each event, Cole demonstrated consistent improvement and a willingness to seize every opportunity. He particularly enjoyed the chance to train alongside athletes from other clubs and experience rowing in larger boats like the 4x and 8+.

We recently saw Cole again at the Beat the Beast Indoor Rowing Regatta in February, followed by his participation in Rowing BC’s Junior Performance Camp at Elk Lake in March. At the Shawnigan Lake Regatta in May, he achieved 3rd place in the U19 Men’s 1x event. It was during this weekend that we learned of Cole’s acceptance to the University of Victoria, where he will join the Vikes Men’s program in the fall. Vikes Men’s Coach, Aalbert Van Schothorst, had this to say about Cole: “We really like his attitude and effort and we think he will be a great fit for our culture. We look forward to the impact we think he will be able to make.”

Cole is an excellent example of what can be possible when an interested athlete and a dedicated support team work together towards a shared goal. Take the next step in your own journey as a coach or athlete by exploring what type of support Rowing BC has available, or can create, for you.

Find out more about the coach pathway HERE, performance athlete pathway HERE, and Rowing BC’s upcoming Junior/U23 and Masters Development Camps in Vernon HERE and HERE.