Seamus Labrum did choose Washington and the Huskies freshman has had one heck of an inaugural season with the nationally ranked crew program. Labrum was the coxswain when the Freshman 8 - nicknamed the Grunties - took the prestigious IRA Championship held June 5 on the 2,000-meter Cooper River course. The win, which completed a perfect season for the freshmen, opened the door for another life-changing event: getting invited to the Henley Regatta.
"It really came as a great surprise," Labrum said of the invitation to participate on London's famed Thames River.
The freshman boat will compete for the Temple Cup on June 30 and then return, hopefully, a few days later.
"I was getting ready to go home when I found out," Labrum said. "I won't get home until after the Fourth of July but this is worth it."
"The guys are fired up to go there," freshman coach Luke McGee said. "I think they're all incredibly excited. It's a big accomplishment for us.
"We try to do things like this that make a student-athlete's experience over 4 years enjoyable."
Enjoyable is an understatement if you ask Labrum.
As a junior at Holy Spirit in Absecon, the 5-7 Labrum took to rowing with a passion and set out to find a suitable college.
Through an endless Internet search, he came upon Washington and he put the same focus on becoming a Huskie that he had in winning countless races as an ideal coxswain.
"I have a ton of responsibility in the boat," Labrum said. "No. 1, I'm in charge of safety. That can be understated. No. 2, obviously I have to steer and keep the boat straight and, No. 3, I'm the coach in the boat.
"Before each race, I go over our strategy with coach [McGee]. All the rowers have a good idea of what we want to do but it's my job to execute our plan. There is a lot of pressure, but I enjoy the challenge."
