When people think of rowing, generally two extremes come to mind. The first negative viewpoint of this sport is that it is a boring, repetitive action. The other viewpoint is that doing rowing requires extreme determination and perseverance. The undeniable truth of the matter is that rowing requires a lot of time and effort. This effort is shown through hours upon hours of intense training, both on the water and on land. The negative viewpoint comes partly from ignorance. Why be a rower if you can become a footballer or a rugby player after all? Famous athletes in these fields, such as Christiano Ronaldo or Johnny Wilkinson have built up a reputation for these sports. Rowing is unfortunately, simply misunderstood. For some of the most prestigious universities in the UK, such as Oxford or Cambridge, rowing is a highly sought after sport. The aspect of the determination required for rowing is seen as favourable by many universities, looking good on one’s application. Doing rowing, no matter how difficult or boring it may seem to be, will undoubtedly improve on qualities which will be helpful for future life, and will also provide an expression to employers or universities of these sought after characteristics. The sport of rowing is definitely a sport worthy of admiration and respect. Few other sports teaches teamwork in the way rowing does. In the words of the late Henry Ford: “Coming tougher is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is a success.”