THE RIGHT CALL: Princeton High senior Daisy Wu calls the shots in action this spring for the Mercer Junior Rowing Club (MJRC). Wu, who made an early transition from rowing to being a cox, is heading to her second straight USRowing Youth National Championships where she will be piloting the MJRC women’s varsity 4. In addition to Wu’s boat, the MJRC is also sending a women’s pair, a women’s lightweight 8, and a men’s open 8 to the competition that will take place from June 8-10 on Melton Hill Lake in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

When Daisy Wu first tried her hand at crew, things didn’t go too well.

“Over the summer before high school, I attended the pre-high camp [held by the Mercer Junior Rowing Club (MJRC)],” recalled Wu.

“At first I started rowing but I was the one who caught the crabs (a bad stroke where a rower is unable to timely remove or release the oar blade from the water) every time.”

As a result, the coaches suggested that Wu try a different role in the boat.

“They said why don’t we put you in the coxswain seat,” said Wu. “They were like you can steer straight, you should try out for the team as a cox.”

Wu made the transition to coxswain and now the Princeton High senior is headed to her second straight USRowing Youth National Championships where she will be piloting the MJRC women’s varsity 4.

In addition to Wu’s boat, the MJRC is also sending a women’s pair, a women’s lightweight 8, and a men’s open 8 to the competition that will take place from June 8-10 on Melton Hill Lake in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Wu took an important step on her journey to the nationals in the fall of her freshman year when she started to grasp the nuances of being a cox.

“I guess the biggest challenge is figuring out that it is not just sitting there and yelling,” said Wu.

“You have to figure out what to say and what gets people going. You have to become friends with the people on your boat quickly since you are all from different schools and put together quickly.”

Last spring, Wu relished the challenge of nationals as she guided a youthful men’s varsity 8 at the competition.

“They were all underclassmen, sophomore or freshmen, and it was them just learning the ropes for what they were going to do the next year,” said Wu. “They are pretty fast this year; they have all been learning. It wasn’t overwhelming for me; it was a great experience.”

As a senior, Wu has had the experience of leading the MJRC girls’ team, serving as captain along with PHS classmate Reina Gabai.

“It felt really cool because Reina was the other captain and she is my best friend,” said Wu.

“It was a big honor to do it with her. Reina was the one who could lead by example because she rows. I was more the motivational backbone for everyone. I wrote speeches; we set up team workshops. We had a lot of psyche parties. I loved it. I thought Reina and I did a pretty good job.”

The work of Wu and Gabai has resulted in a special chemistry around the MJRC boathouse.

“The team this year is great; we became one united front; we weren’t segregated by what boat we were in or how we did,” said Wu.

“We were one really strong team and we just really cared for each other which is why this year has been so great.”

In Wu’s view, the varsity 4 heading to the nationals exemplifies that spirit.

“The athletes are really, really strong and they want it which is really important, that is the biggest thing,” said Wu of the boat that also includes Laura Foster of WW/P-S, Emily Goodman of PHS, Samantha Woo of WW/P-S, and Vicki Jorgensen of WW/P-N.

“It is also because we all click well together. Our personalities are compatible; we want to do it for each other, which is the biggest thing.”

The group, which was put together midway through the season, showed how well they could do as they won the Mid-Atlantic Regional championship regatta on its home course at Mercer Lake in mid-May to qualify for the nationals.

“Our heat was Friday night and the plan was don’t over exhaust yourself,” said Wu.

“Play it smart, if you are in first great. If you are in second, don’t fight it. We were in first during heat and there was a boat next to us battling over the last 250 and we let them have it. We had a pretty good final. We had open water and the boat that was first in the semis, we didn’t even know where they were in the final.”

As the boat heads into the nationals, Wu has her sights set on making another final.

“We ultimately want to get into the A final; that is a big deal,” said Wu, referring to the grand final which features the top six boats in the division.

“The competition is really tough so if we can get into the A final at nationals, that would be a pretty darn good way to end it, even if we don’t win.”

That won’t be the end for Wu and her boat, however, as they will be competing later in the summer at the Henley Royal Regatta in England.

“We have the potential to do well at Henley,” asserted Wu. “We just have to keep working for it. We have the idea that we could go overseas to race and do well.”