Like a lot of college seniors, Kayla Yraceburu doesn’t know where life will take her in the next year.
But she does know how she will spend part of her summer. Yraceburu was selected to the women’s rowing team that will represent the United States at the World University Games in South Korea.
This is just the latest twist for an athlete who grew up swimming competitively and did not begin rowing until fall of her senior year at Camas High School for the Vancouver Lake Crew.
The tryout for the World University Games were hosted by Oklahoma City University, where Yraceburu is preparing for her final college season and completing her nursing degree. Coaching the World University Games women’s rowing team is OCU coach Liza Dickson.
The tryouts happened Jan. 16-19, and included rowing and racing on the water for the first time since the fall.
“We knew everybody was going into this whole thing real, real rusty,” Yraceburu said.
Adding to the challenge were gusty winds that created choppy water.
Yraceburu called the tryouts weekend “exhausting but fun.” She enjoyed meeting rowers from around the country, even while competing with them for a spot on the team.
Yraceburu is one of three heavyweight scullers who was named to the team. Her best friend at college, Liz Mathews, also made the team.
“Kayla is dedicated to her improvement as a rower,” Dickson said. “She fights to get even just a tiny bit faster every day at practice. It’s this consistent effort over time that has helped her gain the speed necessary to represent the USA.”
At 5-foot-7 and 190 pounds, Yraceburu does not have the ideal body type for high level rowing. Taller rowers can keep their oar in the water longer, generating more speed. Most of her teammates are at least 4 inches taller than her.
Yraceburu’s competitive instincts — in the training room and on the water — have served her well.
“She is a tenacious racer, and is able to keep perspective on her racing and results. I believe this balance is also key to her success,” Dickson said.
In her time at Oklahoma City University, Yraceburu has traveled to some of the country’s biggest competitions, including the 80-year-old Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia. The last two years, Yraceburu tried out for the USA Rowing Under-23 national team but did not make that roster. The World University Games will be her first international competition.
Yraceburu said she is debating if she will pursue competitive rowing — and possible national team selection — after college. With one more spring rowing season in front of her in college, she realizes that rowing might soon become a secondary focus in her life.
“Getting a job seems like a logical thing to do,” she said. Yraceburu is interested in a career as an emergency room or ICU nurse.
The uncertainty reminds her of her senior year at Camas High School, when some quick success in rowing changed the direction of her life — and of how her faith and dedication led to a memorable college experience.
“I couldn’t ask for more,” Yraceburu said. “When I start to feel overwhelmed about what my post-July life will look like, I remember what God did for me four years ago. I’m confident that wherever I end up and whatever I’m doing, it will be beautiful.”
