After taking a few deep breaths with her teammates, Laila Weedman (’26) clears her mind in preparation to launch her boat across the water. Once she hears the word “attention,” she tenses, focusing on her boat’s starting sequence. When the race director says “go,” she’s off, working hard to keep her strokes consistent and predictable, allowing everyone on the boat to function together. 

Weedman, the captain of the girls’ crew team, first became interested in rowing when the team visited Thoreau Middle School. She later went to an interest meeting her freshman year, and noticed a strong bond between the girls, which was an important aspect of the team that really drew her in. 

“They all just seemed really close and they were so welcoming and sweet to me,” Weedman said.

Fast forward a few years and Weedman is now one of the captains on the team. She has learned a lot in her position as captain, but a key takeaway for her has been not to compare herself to others on the team.

“I think the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that you really can’t compare yourself to others if you want to be a supportive leader; you instead need to focus on what you can control, which is your own personal growth,” Weedman said. “I’ve realized that everyone is at different levels and I’ve learned to take pride in my own progress while also applauding my  teammates’ progress, even if it looks completely different from mine.”

Weedman’s leadership style is optimistic and encouraging, which is one of the main reasons her teammates gravitate to her so much. Elena Gecan (’27), a rower on the team, expresses her appreciation for Weedman’s encouraging leadership style.

“She’s really motivating and happy, and I like to sit next to her when I row because she just pushes me to be better,” said Gecan.

Sarah Williams (’26), Weedman’s co-captain, highlights Weedman’s positivity, even during hard practices, which lifts up the team and helps them perform even better.

“I would say she’s definitely like a flashlight in the dark. She’s such a bright person on the team and she always, even during the toughest workouts, brings a sense of calmness to it.”

Similar to the girls who welcomed Weedman when she first started, Weedman also happily greets new additions to the team, which her teammates notice and appreciate.

“She’s always very positive about everything,” Williams said. “I think she’s also a really good leader because not only is she positive, but she’s also really kind and welcoming to the new people on the team.” 

Weedman’s positive and encouraging leadership style is not only seen by teammates, but also the team’s head coach, who appreciates her energy, even when she doesn’t enjoy certain activities.

“I think one of the strongest things about Laila is that she really leads by example,” head coach Dane Underwood said. “There are definitely things that she isn’t the most enthusiastic person about doing, but she’s always very motivating and always does it, and understands that part of her role as a leader is always leading the way by example.” 

Off the water, Weedman and her co-captain help organize spirit days and buddy gifts while also sending out reminders for the team. 

“My co-captain and I designed a t-shirt for winter conditioning to encourage attendance as well as make buddy groups for people to do buddy gift exchanges during regattas,” Weedman said. “We also send out lots of reminders and things to the girls and in the spring we plan spirit days on Fridays–just a lot of random stuff.”

Her workload often gets overwhelming, but Weedman has developed strategies to balance out her time, like evening out her class schedule and limiting distractions.

“I have a lot of things to do in my schedule, and I think a few of the things that have really helped me balance my academics with that very demanding schedule is not having social media,” Weedman said. “Another thing that has really helped me is taking manageable classes for myself.”

Overall, Weedman’s positive and energetic leadership style has allowed the team to grow and find success.

“Last year is proof to me that it’s possible to excel in my academics and be a determined, dedicated athlete at the same time,” Weedman said.