32 AUGUST 2025 By Sherry Sklar Xavier Prep Crew, a year-long sports program, concluded its 25th season with a thrilling achievement: eighth, 14th, and 17th- place finishes at the 2025 USRowing Youth National Championships in Sarasota, Florida. To reach that level, Xavier rowers had to qualify at the Southwest Youth Championships, one of the country’s most challenging regional regattas. Unlike large club teams, Xavier is a true high school program. Every athlete comes from the same school and earns her spot through dedication and drive. Head Coach Geoffrey Stricklin, joined by coaching assistants Chase Hoyt, Essence, Johnson, and Kevin Boyle, credit the team’s success to a culture of self-sacrifice, team spirit, and hard work. “It’s an exciting time. The culture’s changed – it’s now a team that’s competitive and respectful – and we’re just getting started,” he stated. Xavier Crew trains year-round, six days a week, balancing land workouts with early morning rows on Tempe Town Lake. The team launches from a modest enclosure tucked beneath the 202 freeway at Mill Avenue, which they refer to as their boathouse. Coaches follow in small motorboats, calling instructions through megaphones as rowers loop along the lake’s 3,000-meter stretch. It’s this level of preparation that helped carry them to Nationals. Although not all athletes who helped qualify could attend, each played a crucial role. A scheduling conflict resulted in last-minute lineup changes and boat swaps. Through it all, the team remained unified and supportive. Lauren Aldrete, who sat in the stroke seat of the U16 coxed quad that placed first at Regionals, started rowing a little over a year ago. Since then, she said it’s become one of the most enjoyable parts of her school career. “I love all of my teammates and enjoy the early mornings and long afternoons with them. Rowing has brought structure to my daily routine. Being consistent and building trust are two of the many lessons rowing has taught me,” she said. “It felt unreal having an opportunity to compete at Regionals. My goal this year is to succeed in both academics and athletics, while continuously improving my skills for both,” teammate Ava Yparraguirre, a first-year rower and coxswain of the U16 quad, said. Stricklin explained that “the competition at the regional and national levels is extraordinary.” “The fitness, strength, and technique that these kids develop over the course of a year are remarkable. And then to compete and be considered among the top in a region or country…It’s a major thing,” he said. To focus on fair competition, junior rowing racing categories have shifted mainly from traditional weight-based groups, such as lightweight and heavyweight, to age-based classifications. Designations include U16 (under 16) and U17 (under 17). The highlight of the season was certainly the championship effort of the U16 quad, including coxswain Ava Yparraguirre and rowers Lauren Aldrete, Emma Perry, Madison Minnitti and Olivia Moshiri. Finishing strongly in the time trials and heats, this group ran away with the championship, winning the event by over a boat length and bringing home the trophy to Xavier. Winning at Regionals was a first in Xavier history. At nationals, the team faced unexpected challenges. The unpredictable Gulf Coast weather brought heavy storms, causing delays and forcing compressed competition schedules. Despite technical setbacks and a challenging time trial, U17 doubles partners Sophie Robaina and Ella Boyle won the C final, overtaking the competition in the final 200 meters for the victory. Three boats earned spots in Sarasota: Izzy Castro and Olivia Moshiri, U17 Double (8th place); Cara Boyle, Julia Green, Emma Perry and Sienna Goforth, U17 Quad (14th place); and Sophie Robaina and Ella Boyle, U17 Double (17th place). Now entering his third year as program head, Stricklin, a theology teacher at Xavier, is helping gain real momentum, with athletes and families responding to a renewed sense of unity, accountability, and pride. Stricklin brings the perspective of a seasoned college rower. As a student-athlete at Loyola Marymount, he competed in the IRA Championships in Syracuse and knows the level of athleticism needed to succeed. He first joined Xavier Crew as an assistant coach in 2022 and assumed the role of head coach in 2023, leading the program with a vision to elevate its standing. Strong recruiting and increased program visibility fueled significant growth, allowing the team to enter this year’s competition with twice as many boats as in the previous two years. Stricklin spoke with emotion about the seniors who helped carry the team through its rebuilding years. He also recognized the senior youth quad, who competed at Regionals but didn’t advance to Nationals, as central to the team’s progress. “They showed up every day and modeled consistency, professionalism, and class,” he said. “That group, along with the eight or nine seniors who just graduated, carried this team through the dog days. Our recent success is as much theirs as anyone’s.” That commitment is reflected in the younger rowers who are already making their mark on the program. “I have been rowing for about nine months and have attended both events, in Regionals competing in the U16 category, and Nationals competing in the U17 category. Before crew, I didn’t play any sports, and now it is one of the most important things in my life,” freshman Olivia Moshiri said. “My goals as a student-athlete are to return to Nationals and potentially make it to college rowing.” Coaching at Xavier has helped Stricklin reconnect with the sport he once rowed at the collegiate level. “I rediscovered my love for it,” he reflected. “Being part of this team brought that passion back in a way I didn’t expect.” As he looks ahead, Stricklin hopes to continue building a program that fosters discipline, camaraderie, and opportunity. “It’s about more than winning races. It’s about shaping futures.” Xavier crew charts a new course and a top national finish U16 squad Olivia Moshiri, Madison Minnitti, Ava Yparraguirre, Emma Perry, and Lauren Aldrete. PHOTOS COURTESY OF GEOFF STRICKLIN Under 17 Nationals Quad: Cara Boyle, Julia Green, Emma Perry, and Sienna Goforth.