Senior Kylie LaBeau constantly pushes herself, even when there are setbacks, like a busy schedule or major injuries. Through it all, she continues work hard and inspire those around her to break through their imaginary walls that hold them back and to not only survive but to thrive.

As a fourth-year rower and a captain of the team, Kylie has been dedicated to crew for all of her high school career. Her long journey with the crew team through many obstacles clearly shown strength, perseverance, and her love for the team.

“[As a captain], you have this responsibility to make sure that you are not negative,” Kylie said. “You have to try your best to stay positive, even if you don’t like the workout or you don’t like doing a specific thing on the water.”

Throughout high school, Kylie herself has had many difficult setbacks, starting with her freshman year. In her freshman year, Kylie had an injury in her trapezius that made it difficult to row during the season. Keeping the boat balanced and the workouts would make her arms go weak and numb; this injury would determine her future with crew.

“Even though rowing is mostly in the legs when you finish a stroke, it will irritate [Kylie’s shoulder],” sophomore and teammate Krystal Koski said. “So, pushing through that pain adds an extra layer of perseverance that you need to go through.”

With both indoor and outdoor crew seasons, Kylie would have more barriers and seasons to face than usual. However, even in and indoor workout, Kylie continues to fight and never give up.

“She did very well this [past] weekend and in past seasons as well,” Krystal said, “[especially with] pushing through the pain with her shoulder. She does go above and beyond.”

Besides going physically “above and beyond,” Kylie mentality works hard using the team to motivate her to push past physical obstacles. Using her own story as an example, Kylie hopes to inspire her teammates by showing them that they can overcome their own obstacles as well.

“[Crew] is a sport where it’s not just for your own personal gain. You’re doing what you’re doing for the rest of the team and your boat,” Kylie said. “I kind of use that [to motivate me and others] because I went to all different kinds of doctors, and they just can’t find anything [to help my shoulder]. They just tell me to keep going. There are people who stop if they can’t breathe, and I try to be the person that is there for the team to show them that it’s possible to continue.”

Because of her drive to help everyone around her, Kylie has earned her spot as a captain of the crew team, and she has inspired many of other rowers, like Krystal.

“One thing I always say is you create your own limits, and you have to push past [walls],” Krystal said. “Kylie is a prime example of breaking that wall down and keeping going, and I think that a lot of people look up to her for that. She is our team captain for a reason, and I think that is a great reason to look up to her because she keeps pushing, no matter how hard or how much it hurts.”

As a freshman, Kylie heard about crew and thought that it would interesting and different. She decided to try it and ended up loving the atmosphere of being on a boat with her team. After a couple practices, she fell in love with the sport and the crew family.

“[What I love most about crew is] the bond with everybody because you become so close,” Kylie said. “Crying together and pushing [each other] just brings everybody so much closer as a team and a family”.

As her years as a rower come to an end, it’s bittersweet, but it’s not over quite yet. The rowing season ends in early June, which is after the seniors will graduate. For Kylie, the graduation in May won’t feel quite real until the crew season wraps up. Over the years, she has made lifelong friends, as well as unforgettable memories.

“I’ll miss the hard workouts because that’s when you really get to know each other better,” Kylie said. “You see each other at your lowest points when everybody is crying, but people still hug you [because] this team doesn’t really hold back.”

Kylie’s message and final advice for the novice rowers, the underclassman, and the future captains of the crew team is to carry on the legacy of FHC, as they should stay inspired and determined to push past anything holding them back.

“Push yourself farther than you think you can because there have been times when I push myself and I thought it was the limit, and then I realized I could push myself a little bit further than that,” Kylie said. “The pain is temporary, but you can constantly get better if you keep pushing yourself.”