Growing up, Isabelle Young-Smith participated in many different sports. Among them: Dance, gymnastics, soccer, swimming, lacrosse and basketball.
But when she entered Wakefield High School as a freshman and took up another — crew — it significantly changed her interest in athletics and, in some ways, life as well.
Young-Smith quickly became a standout rower, and recently capped her high-school career as a four-time state champion on eight shells, the last three on the varsity eight.
“I cycled through a lot of different sports until I found rowing,” Young-Smith told ARLnow. “I found a new sport at an older age. I really like the community and the culture of crew. It’s all so enthusiastic and encouraging.”
According to the Wakefield crew coach Russell Topp, Young-Smith is the only member of the Wakefield team to go undefeated in terms of state championships during her career.
A rower in the middle of the shell, Young-Smith also helped the Wakefield eight finish fourth this season in a national high-school regatta.
Young-Smith said she initially didn’t know anything about crew, but became interested in the sport because her older sister was a member of the Wakefield team.
“I saw how much fun she was having, and that made an impact on me,” Young-Smith said. “I love how rewarding the sport is, and how hard work pays off. I’m lucky to be surrounded by other girls who give their all.”
When Young-Smith was a member of the girls freshman eight that won a state championship, she gave no thought that the title would be the first of three more to come.
“That was so much fun, when that happened I knew I wanted to do this again,” said Young-Smith, who in May received a $5,000 college scholarship from the Northern Virginia Athletic Directors, Administrators and Coaches Association organization. “After we won states on the varsity eight when I was a sophomore, that’s when I realized this was a really big deal.”
In addition to crew, Young-Smith also was a member of Wakefield’s girls swimming and diving team for four years. She was one of the team’s top swimmers and was chosen all-district.
During the summer, Young-Smith was an all-star swimmer on the Dowden Terrace team of the Northern Virginia Swimming League.
Young-Smith will attend college at Indiana University. She is considering an attempt to make the crew team as a walk-on.
