Chase Navellier works out on his ‘erg’ rowing machine at his Manalapan home.
Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
By Rich Pollack
When Chase Navellier first began rowing during his freshman year in high school, his knowledge of the sports was fairly limited.
“I didn’t know if you rowed [facing] forwards or backwards,” says Chase, 15, of Manalapan.
Although he now rows backward — facing the stern of the boat like the rest of his teammates — Chase’s reputation as a high-school rowing powerhouse is moving forward, and quickly.
With less than two years of rowing experience, the incoming junior at Pine Crest High School in Fort Lauderdale already has a collection of medals that would make many athletes proud.
He and his rowing partner, Ryan Pristo of Fort Lauderdale, also have a few titles — and some bragging rights — to their names.
In April, rowing for their school team, the two took first place in the Florida Scholastic Rowing Association Sculling Championships in Sarasota, rowing in the doubles category for high school juniors and younger.
And last month, they each collected two gold medals in the USRowing Club National Championships in Camden, N.J., — one medal as part of a four-man crew and one medal as part of an eight-man crew.
While Chase’s 6-foot and 160-pound frame, and his smarts — he has a 4.5 grade point average in a school packed with overachievers — have helped in his quest for medals, his work ethic and his love of competition are what set him apart.
“Chase is really driven and really committed to being the best at the sport,” says his coach, Steven Casey, also the director of Pine Crest’s rowing program. “He has the makings to be able to do whatever he wants with rowing. He has the drive and the mental capacity.”
Teamed up by Casey while in a summer rowing program, Chase and Ryan are similar in build and personality but a little different in attitude.
“Chase is like a pit bull and Ryan is like a Labrador retriever,” Casey says.
That combination, Ryan says, works well for the two rowing partners.
“He pushes me to be more aggressive and I push him to take it down a notch,” Ryan says. “We really know how to work well together and we both like to win.”
To understand just how competitive Chase is, all you have to do is listen to him talk about the joy he gets from leading other boats through a 1,500-meter course.
“I love the feeling of being able to see the other teams behind you as you cross the finish line,” he says.
In addition to his strong fundamentals and technique, Chase’s dedication and determination help him stand out from the rowing crowd.
“Both Chase and Ryan are willing to do what it takes to excel and they’re both easy to coach,” Casey said.
To get in as much time on the water as they need to learn and develop, both Chase and Ryan make it a point to be at the boathouse when Casey arrives at 6 a.m. For Chase, that means getting up long before the sun rises and being on the road by 5:15 a.m.
That’s not a problem for the young man who has discovered a sport where his potential is unlimited.
“When you get into rowing as much as I have, it becomes a part of your life,” he says.
Both Chase and Ryan see themselves rowing in college; and who knows what the future holds — there may even be a few more medals for the taking at the 2016 summer Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro.
Ryan Pristo (left) and Chase Navellier took first place in the Florida Scholastic Rowing Association Sculling Championships and received two gold medals in the USRowing Club National Championships. Photo provided
Comments