Cafaro named 2009 Athlete of the Year

When Erin Cafaro first tested the sport of rowing eight years ago, she was told she wasn't tall enough. Her arms weren't long enough.

She simply wasn't the right fit.

The response wasn't new to Cafaro.

In fact, it's something she had heard all too many times. Only this time, she was going to make herself fit.

And she has fit in well in the rowing world.

Really well.

On Thursday, USRowing named the Modesto, Calif., native one of its 2009 Athletes of the Year (David Banks was the other winner). An Olympic gold medalist in the women's eight in Beijing, Cafaro won gold medals in both the pair and eight at the 2009 World Rowing Championships in Poznan, Poland. She and boatmate Susan Francia became the first U.S. women's pair to win the world title.

"It's the greatest honor you can receive because it is voted on by your teammates. It's especially gratifying this year when so many people stepped up and performed well," Cafaro said in a news release. "I'm very honored and thankful for all my teammates and coaches. I couldn't have gotten anywhere without them."

But Cafaro's rise to the top of the rowing world only happened after she tried unsuccessfully to make it in other sports and activities.

She spent 12 years of her childhood training as a classical dancer. But as she got older, she found that her height prevented her from becoming an elite dancer. At 5-10, she didn't have the dancer's typical petite body. She wouldn't mesh well with male dancers who were several inches shorter than her.

She wasn't the right fit.

So, she shifted her competitive focus.

She moved on to other sports at Modesto High School, including cross country running, track and field and volleyball, and excelled on the varsity basketball team as a power forward.

When she graduated in 2001, she had hoped for basketball scholarship offers from Division I teams, but only got offers from Division II and Division III teams.

Again, she found a sport that wasn't necessarily her fit.

"I'm never just the right size," Cafaro said. 

But that didn't stop her from finding something else.

During her senior year, she read an article in her local newspaper about Alison Cox, a former high school basketball foe, who was competing for the United States rowing team.

"I thought, 'Well, if Alison can do it, I can do it,'" Cafaro said.

She made the University of California rowing team and found that she stood out among most rowers. She was much shorter.

"From Day One, I've been told I'm not the right size to be a rower," Cafaro said.

But what can be measured in height, can't be measured in grit.

She won a gold medal in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games with the women's eight team. Hers was the first U.S. eight team since 1984 to earn the gold. Her success has continued through this year with a world title.

"It was completely unexpected," Cafaro said. "It just goes to show that a little gumption and a little heart can go a long way."

Cafaro, 26, links her success on the water to her constant competitive drive, fueled by her past experiences in sports and dancing.

She grew up playing with her older brother and his friends, trying to prove herself as an equal among the boys.

"I think that's where I kind of developed that urge to get after it and beat people in any sport or anything that I could. It's fun," Cafaro said. "I tried to dip into everything, and I've taken away a little bit of everything from all the sports I've tried out."

Even as a world-class rower, she still has to deal with some teasing from her teammates for not being the typical fit for the sport. Rowing generally suits taller athletes with longer limbs. Cafaro is considered short among her taller teammates. Francia, for example, is 6-2.

"At first it was really frustrating, but hopefully, I have enough respect from my teammates to know I don't have the size but I make up for it in my competitiveness," Cafaro said. "When I'm in the boat, I feel it's not an issue."

Francia calls Cafaro the strongest pound-for-pound athlete on the team.

"She is just very tough and will go until she dies for a win. I really, really admire that about her," Francia said. "I hate being in the boat racing against her."

Cafaro's late start in the sport has allowed her competitive drive to stay fresh, and her desire to get the best of others is still thriving.

"Rowing is still new and exciting to me," Cafaro said. "You have to learn patience and realize that there is a little bit more to it than just competitiveness. But I think when I line up on the line with somebody, it's not like I have to turn the switch on. It's already on."

Story courtesy Red Line Editorial, Inc. Katy Yeiser is a freelance contributor for teamusa.org. This story was not subject to the approval of the United States Olympic Committee or any National Governing Bodies.