Name: Matt Carlsen
Major/Minor: Marketing/ Decision Sciences
Year in School: Senior
Hometown: Cleveland, OH
Involvement on Campus: Rowing Captain, Club Sports Marketing Internship
HC: How did you first get involved with Club Sports at Miami?
MC: I came into Miami knowing I wanted to row since I rowed all 4 years in high school. Since rowing is only a club sport here, I had no choice.
The Miami Club Rowing team has about 70 members and rows against varsity collegiette teams in regatta’s all over the country, including Head of the Charles in Boston, MA.
HC: What do you like best about rowing?
MC: Being on the water. Being able to go down to Hueston Woods everyday and just getting away from everything for 2-3 hours a day and not really thinking about anything.
The Men’s Rowing Team travels to Lake Acton at Hueston Woods to practice 5 days a week. Practices vary between drills, timed sets, distance sets.
HC: Tell us about your experience at the World Championships.
MC: Coolest experience of my entire life. I went to worlds 2 years ago for the first time in Ontario, Canada. Then this past summer, I was asked by a team from the Netherlands to come to Worlds in Poland this past September, so I obviously couldn’t say no. It was a blast racing with Germans, Englishmen, Spanish, French, Australians, etc.
Matt won his first race at World Championships in Ontario, Canada. Even though he didn’t win this past summer, he said he had an amazing experience.
HC: What is one of the most important things you’ve learned from your involvement in club sports?
MC: Never turn down an opportunity. Opportunities are constantly being tossed my way, and if I were to turn one down who knows what I could be missing out on.
HC: What are some of your responsibilities with the sports marketing internship?
MC: I am Director of Social Media and Team Relations for all of club sports. I work on the Facebook page, Twitter page, go to events to take pictures and interview students from different sports.
HC: What are some of the challenges of your position?
MC: Finding time to go to events and interview people. School and practice times for rowing really take up my entire life.
HC: What are you looking forward to in the future of club sports?
MC: Hopefully seeing some of my ideas come to life. I want to see a hall of fame of graduated athletes established in Withrow. I also want to see record boards for each individual team being made so people have a goal to get their name up there shining in lights.
HC: Would you recommend new students get involved with club sports at Miami? Why?
MC: Yes I would. Club sports really has impacted my life. The friends you make from joining a team here, you will have for the rest of your life. It is an amazing feeling knowing that you have 70 people watching your back at all times.