The 2024 Green Racing Project Olympic Team
For the first time in the history of our program, we are sending current Green Racing Project athletes to the Olympic Games. And not only that, but there’s six of them! Emily Delleman, Grace Joyce, Daisy Mazzio-Manson, Jacob Plihal, Em Froehlich, and Alexander Hedge will represent our team and community in Paris.
It’s been a long road of qualification over the past year and a half, with speed orders, boat races, World Champs selections or not selections, Pan Am Games, trials, ups and downs, wins and losses, and the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta. But now here we are, with six of our own athletes in Paris, right now, preparing to race races that are in some ways so similar to what they’ve always done, and in some ways a step beyond.
We’re proud of them, we believe in them, and we want you to get to know them. So we reached out to Steve Hap Whelpley, the GRP coach, and the athletes themselves to get some thoughts about where their journeys have already been and where they are going. Read on and cheer on! Thank you for your support.
Grace Joyce
Photo by Phil Belena
Coach’s thoughts: “Grace is extremely determined and a tough self-critic. In a short time, Grace has experienced two Olympics Trials across two different disciplines. While open weights drop down to compete as a lightweight when possible, not many lightweights take the chance of rowing openweight. Grace did and fought all the way to Paris.”
In her own words:
What are you most proud of from your journey to the Olympics?
“I’m proud of my belief in myself. Sometimes it wavered around expectations but I always found my way back. I’m very grateful for my teammates, sports psychologist and all who support me on that front. Self-confidence and mental performance aren’t things that are usually prioritized, this year I realized it’s very important.”
What are you most looking forward to in Paris?
“Racing! Duh. We had a great lead up to Final Olympic & Paralympic Qualification Regatta (FOPQR) and I’m looking forward to seeing how we are able to execute in the next stage.”
What is a highlight from your time on the GRP? / How has Craftsbury influenced your rowing career?
“A highlight was most definitely my year on the U23 squad right before I joined GRP. We had a close team, like family. I look back on 2020 summer as one of the most fun, most productive times of my rowing life. I miss it a lot haha. However, I find pieces of it everyday in Vermont with our current team. : ) Craftsbury’s a beautiful place with beautiful people. The space has allowed me to grow into the athlete I am today, preparing to line up in Paris with some of those same teammates.”
First race: July 27 at 6:50am EST - W4x heats start
Daisy Mazzio-Manson
Photo by Phil Belena
Coach’s thoughts: “Daisy is a game changer and loves playing games and racing. I dare you to play hockey against her and watch as her eyes light up as she carves by you with the puck. Some may underestimate her, but she will change the pace of a boat for the better right in front of them.”
In her own words:
What are you most proud of from your journey to the Olympics?
“I am most proud of the way that I proved determination and resiliency to myself. The past four years have had a lot of ups and downs and I am proud of the way I have taken all of those in stride. In a lot of ways I feel as though making this team is a reflection of all the support I have received over the years, and I feel a lot of pride in knowing that by competing here I can represent all those who have helped me become the athlete and person that I am today.”
What are you most looking forward to in Paris?
“I am looking forward to the cultural experience. I’m excited to walk through the dining hall or around the race course and hear all different languages and accents.”
What is a highlight from your time on the GRP? / How has Craftsbury influenced your rowing career?
“Being a member of the GRP has brought so much joy to my life. I graduated college and was determined to become an elite rower. As soon as I started on this journey I realized that on the whole, elite rowing feels nothing like being on a college team. Suddenly I had no team around me to pull for when things got tough and I had a much smaller support system. As soon as I arrived at Craftsbury I knew this place was different. The community both on the GRP and at the Outdoor Center made me love what I was doing once again. I had a team again, I had teammates who I could wholeheartedly root for and who wholeheartedly rooted for me. Outside of the GRP, I found a community who saw me as more than just a rower, as a nature walker, food deliverer, ski race timer, gardener, coach and so much more. When I got to Craftsbury I felt like a whole person.”
First race: Sunday, July 28 at 6:30am EST - W4- heats start
Jacob Plihal
Photo by Phil Belena
Author’s thoughts: Okay, so I’m going to add something here because I got to actually sit down with Jacob and interview him in Craftsbury before he left for the Olympic pre-camp in Italy. And it’s this: from what I gather, Jacob shocked a lot of people, and probably even himself by qualifying the first US men’s single for the Olympics since 2012. He was an underdog. He hadn’t qualified for last year’s World Champs. He had gotten cut from quad camp, his main goal for this year. But then he won US trials in the single, went to the FOQR, won his heat, quarterfinal, and semifinal, then placed 2nd in the final to qualify for the Olympics after the announcers didn’t even give him a hint of attention before the race started. But Jacob loves sports and he loves competing and proving people wrong. If you had looked at any of his results from this year you probably wouldn’t have thought he could qualify in the single. “I probably didn’t even think that I could,” he said. “But we went there and we did it. And that’s sport. And that’s probably one of my favorite things about sport. No one was expecting that about me. That’s one of the cool things about sculling, is you can turn expectations upside down.” Keep doing that, Jacob!
Coach’s thoughts: “Jacob is loud in action and quiet in words. If you believe in Jacob and give him the avenue to believe in himself, then his potential knows no bounds. Teammate Alexander Hedge was one of the first to recognize this and unlock it. Jacob doesn't want to take the assumed path or follow the assumed route. He doesn't mean to rock the boat either. Rather, he wants to find his way forward to his best race with the support of his friends and family.”
In his own words:
How has Craftsbury influenced your rowing career?
“A big thing up here is community. I think having a community up here of not only rowers I’m friends with but the biathletes and skiers is pretty huge and it’s made enjoying the sport a lot easier.”
What’s it like to do a sport where you’re facing backwards?
“Unlike other sports, you get to see your competition when you’re in the lead.”
What is your favorite quote?
“The only true disability in life is a bad attitude.” - Blake Leeper (400 and 200m silver and bronze medalist from 2012 Paralympic games)
“That was something that I revisited after getting cut from the quad camp this year. Yeah, this sucks, that was my goal, but there are opportunities ahead and I can let this bad attitude be my downfall or I can recognize that there are still other avenues to pursue. Let’s go do that and put the best foot forward.”
First race: July 27 at 3:00am EST - M1x heats start
Emily Delleman
Photo by Phil Belena
Coach’s thoughts: “Delly is a rare individual who can be both competitive and kind at the same time. Delly came into this quadrennial with a wealth of rowing accomplishments. I don't know if she knew what the transition to the senior team would look like from all her junior, U23, and collegiate success. She had some ups and downs as all athletic careers do, but in the end, she focused in and found her best way to move forward and make it.”
About:
Emily, a two-time U23 National Team athlete was a part of the USA’s women’s quad that finished 9th at the World Championships last year. She hails from Davenport, Iowa and rowed at Stanford University where she studied Human Biology, graduating in 2020. She joined the Green Racing Project fresh out of college and has fully embraced the Vermonter lifestyle. She can often be found baking, exploring thrift shops, gardening, enjoying the natural beauty of the Green Mountains or eating dairy free Ben and Jerries.
First race: July 27 at 6:50am EST - W4x heats start
Em Froehlich
Coach’s thoughts: “Em is a believer and optimistic culture creator. Em came in and out of this sport in unique ways. While the sport has challenged her, I think she returns to it and excels at it because she believes in what the process can bring her. Em has added immediate cultural value to the women's team with her attitude that has helped her and boatmates gain speed.”
In her own words:
What are you most proud of from your journey to the Olympics?
“I'm most proud of the people who have walked with me along this journey. I've had a unique experience trying to make this 2024 Olympic team, having been cut from the team twice in 2021 and 2022, making the women's 8 in 2023, cut from the Olympic team and then asked to be the women's alternate this year. The people who have been supporting me, my family, close friends, and prayer partners have witnessed first hand how emotionally difficult the last several years have been. And while I'm personally experiencing the daily ups, downs, and heartache, these supporters in my life only get to watch. I've realized it's easier to be in my position because I can always adjust my approach and change my mode of attack to "do better next time" while all the supporters don't get the luxury of making those adjustments. To all of those people in my life, thank you! I'm so proud of you for walking with me through it all.”
What are you most looking forward to in Paris?
“I'm most looking forward to people from so many different countries congregating in one physical location at the same time. There is no other event in history, literally, that brings such diversity together. And if you know me, you know I love chatting with strangers.”
What's one way you've grown as a person through sport that you believe helped you make the Olympic team?
“There are too many...a few include: being disciplined in all areas of life, making sure to do the small things right, and relying more on the full team (not just the individual).”
First race: alternate
Alexander Hedge
Photo by Phil Belena
Coach’s thoughts: “Hedge is continual improvement. Given the runway, the guidance, and the support, he launches himself to new levels. As a result of how big his steps have been, he has repeatedly thrust himself at new challenges over this quadrennial. Like Em, he's a massive supporter of team culture.”
In his own words:
What are you most proud of from your journey to the Olympics?
“I feel proud that despite numerous setbacks, injuries, and failures I always kept trying to learn and improve. There have been a few races or erg pieces that I can look at and say "that was pretty darn impressive", but ultimately it was the active decision to continue to pursue improvement that makes me feel pride to be here in Paris.”
What's one way you've grown as a person through sport that you believe helped you make the Olympic team?
“I believe that reframing failures as "learning opportunities" has been my biggest mindset growth over the past four years.”
What is a highlight from your time on the GRP? / How has Craftsbury influenced your rowing career?
“My highlight still has to be winning Senior World Trials in 2021 with my teammate, Jacob Plihal! It was my first sculling race, but that race really gave me the belief that consistent effort and focus can generate great results. Additionally, I was incredibly proud to win alongside one of the classiest athletes in the sport.”
What 3 words would you use to describe yourself as an athlete? What 3 words would you use to describe yourself as a person?
Persistent, open-minded, engine; curious, driven, authentic
First race: alternate
Coach Steve Hap Whelpley
What does it mean to you to have 6 GRP athletes heading to Paris?
”It is sometimes hard for me to realize how special it is. As an athlete and a coach, I just stay in process mode most of the time. Whether it's training or a race, I look to execute what is necessary to the best of my abilities. When that step is finished, I move right onto the next one. If I take my head out of the sand, I realize we had 6 sprigs make it to the highest level in our sport just as it gets more and more competitive with each passing quadrennial.
In the modern era, the number of seats available at the Olympics has regularly shifted as the IOC looks to improve universality within our sport, equity across genders, and push more accreditations to sports that are more widely viewed. Between this and the fact that the sport has continually gotten more professionalized, I can say it's very impressive to have these athletes head to Paris.”
What are some of the key factors that you think contributed to the GRP's success throughout Olympic qualification?
“Our situation at Craftsbury coupled with the new leadership at USRowing had our athletes well-positioned to do their best. Craftsbury provides support not only in the form of tangible resources like equipment, housing, food, and coaching, but also in the sense of a supportive community with an open mind where they can be unique, driven individuals both on and off the water. Meanwhile, USRowing and Josy Verdonkschot put an emphasis on small boat results and erg scores that helped a lot of our athletes put their best feet forward.”
What are you most looking forward to for these athletes in Paris?
“My biggest hope is my biggest concern as well. It has two parts. First, I hope the athletes can take one deep breath either on land or on the water with no thought but an appreciative one for the present moment. A big inhale that embodies an appreciation for the unique position they are in and all the unique steps that lead to it. One big breath of oxygen not for the sake of turning out an effort, but just for the sake of taking a breath in a special moment. You know what? Maybe I'll leave it at that. The races will take care of themselves, but the appreciation of the moment will only happen if its given its due reverence.”