2026 STANFORD LIGHTS SENIOR REFLECTION
Brooke Ruszkiewicz ‘26
Driving through the dark streets of San Diego this past November, our team was heading back to the hotel after a pre-race dinner when a song came on. As soon as the recognizable piano notes came through the speakers, the laughter died down in the van and quieted to prepare to sing the opening words: “I wish somebody would have told me babe, that someday these would be the good old days”. In the starry night, we sang the nostalgic words of Macklemore’s “Good Old Days”, and tears streamed down our faces as we were struck with the significance of this moment and how few of them we would have in our lives. No number or combination of words I can string together will ever express the extent of what being a Stanford Light has meant to me. However, in reflection of my time here, I would like to express my appreciation of our growth and resilience through adversity.
This group of women is constantly growing to respect and trust the process of achieving success. This has been a pivotal area of change during my time here. Stanford lightweight rowing attracts the most driven, hardworking student-athletes; athletes who are addicted to the metrics of improvement yet cursed in a sport that competes so few times a year. Additionally, our team has seen a lot of coaching changes that have demanded us to rise to a high standard of self-certainty. We have found strong autonomy in a team culture focused on the process, independent of coach influence. It has been exciting to find joy in the everyday battles: every session with side-by-side boats became an opportunity for battle paddle, the windy mornings were preparation for Worcester, and if bodies felt fatigued during Saturday morning pieces, we knew we would feel great on IRA Championship Sunday. This team emphasis on the joy of our process has been the cornerstone to our successful season and a teamwide success that speaks to the future direction of our program.
Gratitude has been another considerable strength for this team. Within my personal recruitment journey, I was committed to Stanford when the team got cut in July 2020 due to COVID budget cuts. This was devastating news and I spent my senior year committed to an openweight program close to home. The team thankfully was reinstated mere months before I was to leave for college, and I was offered a spot to join after a gap year. This experience, while terrible in the moment, provided an immense amount of gratitude throughout even the most challenging of times here. I have a great appreciation for the opportunity to sit in any seat of any boat or erg and pull as hard as I can.
The team found a similar catalyst this past summer with a sudden shift in our roster, where the rest of our skilled senior class decided to step away from the team. Navigating this loss of speed, depth, and leadership was initially challenging, but ultimately lent itself to building a profound depth of gratitude. The team rose to this challenge and reflected inwardly. This resulted in a clarity where every woman steps into each boat with intention and a clear desire to be there. All athletes who started rowing this 2025/2026 season finished the season. This success means that next year’s 2026/2027 season will field the largest Stanford lightweight roster since 2021. The gratitude amongst this crew has been contagious and has fostered a community of resilient women who are the future of this program.
I implore my fellow teammates to extend this gratitude to my nostalgic, Macklemore-induced realization that never again will they be on a team of hard-working women who love and support them like the Stanford Lights. The most fitting way to end is with a phrase our team repeated often this past year. Regardless of the occasion, whether it was a celebration or a challenge, you’d hear the Stanford lightweights say: “Smiling through it all, I cannot believe this is my life.”
With gratitude,
Brooke Ruszkiewic
