Name: Naomi Grace Carlson
Year in School: Sophomore
High School: Kenny Lake School; Kent Prep School
Other Sports Played: Hockey,Volleyball, Basketball, Softball, Baseball
Clubs/Extracurricullar Activities: Rowing, FCA
Major: Public Health
Brothers/Sisters: Sarah, Hannah, Isaiah, Mary, Leah, Sam
Describe Family Life in Alaska:
I am really blessed with the family I have. Growing up with 6 other brothers and sisters, everyday there was always so many things in store. I can honestly say that I could always find something to do, even where I grew up in Kenny Lake Alaska, out in the middle of nowhere. Just to paint a vivid picture on where I lived, literally the closest mall, McDonalds, Movie Theater etc… is 5 hours away, so my family and I spent the beginning of every month loading up in our 15 passenger van and road tripping to the grocery stores and “civilization” to store up for the next month.
My dad was the principal of the K-12 school in our community. There were no more than 150 kids in the whole entire school. Our town was a hockey town where skating was right alongside breathing. I was four years old when I began skating. I grew up with frost bitten feet, hands, and the passion and love for the game of hockey. I played hockey my whole life. Along with my twin sister Mary, I played on a boy’s varsity high school team and on my comp U16 and U19 Team Alaska hockey team. Playing hockey was my first love and passion but I also grew up playing many other sports such as volleyball, baseball, and softball. I received many MVP and Player of the Game medals in my years playing volleyball and learned how to be a better athlete with baseball and softball.
Growing up in Alaska I have experienced such a different world. It’s normal for my family to go out hunting for a weekend to try to shoot a moose or a caribou for our meat for the rest of the year. It's normal for our electricity to just go off because of how much snow we had or how cold it was outside. It’s not considered weird to go running in the middle of the night in the summer because it stays light all summer long. My parents always would take all of us, 7 kids, up mountains on 2 four wheelers to go crystal mining, to go camping, and just to get outside in the beautiful Alaska tundra.
My family would sing at our church a lot of Sunday mornings, and we would all be really involved in the school events since my dad was the principal. My family made up a hockey team, and we would go late at night and play against each other, as we braved the bitter cold nights in Alaska. My entire family, except for my mom that is, is competitive, so you can just imagine the games we played or the things we did together were always that much more intense. I was always told to work hard at whatever I do which I still believe and feel that that is a part of my character. My family really pushed me to be who I am today, and the reason I work as hard as I do.
What was the biggest transition coming from rural Alaska to the States?
The biggest transition for me coming from rural Alaska to Syracuse New York would have to be the busyness of every day life and going from a life of living on storing food, and shopping every couple months to being thrown into a society where I can go to the stores, shop for clothes, and be in the hustle and bustle of city life everyday. I was ready for a change from my home town life in Alaska and was, surprisingly enough, pretty adaptable to the new lifestyle that the east coast represents.
How did you “find” rowing?
During my junior summer, my twin sister and I was offered a very large scholarship to go to a boarding school on the other side of the country called Kent School in Kent, Connecticut. I took this new step in my life, a chance to learn and experience new opportunities that I might never be offered again. I went to Kent primarily to play ice hockey for their program but in the spring after hockey season decided to row for Kent as well. It was at Kent that both my twin sister and I fell in love with crew. I am thrilled to be able to row for Syracuse University.
How did you end up at Syracuse?
My Freshman Coach Alicea Kochis came and watched me row at Kent and offered me a scholarship to row for Syracuse University. After that I came to look at Syracuse to see if I felt if it was a fit for me and I fell in love with the area.
Describe what it takes to be a Syracuse University Rower.
Dedication and the drive to be the best you can be. Also you have to have this toughness that I have never had to have in any of my other sports I played. You also have to love it. Waking up at 6 am is not something you do unless you can truly say you love it. I come to practice with an attitude to want to work hard and know that yeah, sure its hard and man there are days when I wish I could sleep in, but I get up because of the love of the sport and my team.
What are your individual goals for rowing?
To become the best athlete I can through the training I do every morning and afternoon every day. I want to make the Varsity 8 as well.
What are the team goals for rowing and why do you think you will get there?
To be a faster and better team from what we were last season. As a team we come to practice with a mindset to be the fastest we can possibly be. Since that is our goal as a team, we all are making our team fast, which will help us reach NCAAs at the end of the season.
What do you want to be when you grow up? In a perfect world, what would you be doing 20 years from now?
I hope to be married and be raising a family. I hope to be working a job that will allow me to be the best mom and wife I can be. I want to be working with teenagers and possible be coaching a team.
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