FEATURE: STINGERS’ CAPTAINSREOCWTIIOE NW HEEBASDTEERR TREADING ABOVE THE REST SPORT HEALTH’S JORDEN MERRILEES SPOKE TO ROWIE together study or work and being an elite WEBSTER, CAPTAIN OF THE STINGERS, AUSTRALIA’S athlete tends to be the best, both in sport and post-sporting career.” WOMEN’S WATER POLO TEAM AND HOW HER COMPETITIVE Sacrifices are always spoken about with NATURE HAS TAKEN HER ALL OVER THE WORLD. elite sports. Athletes sacrifice an aspect of socialising that many are able to enjoy, such as music festivals or dinner with Rowie Webster, captain of the drinks during the week. However, typical Australian Women’s Water of Rowie and her attitude towards it all, Polo Team is no stranger to she calls those sacrifices, ‘choices’. competition and the heat of battle. Growing up the youngest of “The choices are all worth it. Missing four, the now veteran leader of the the birthday parties, the holidays, the team continues to compete daily celebrations— all because of a dream because no matter how many years you had at five years old, which eventually and days you’ve put into the pool becomes a reality twelve years later.” there are no guarantees in sport. She said that ‘sacrifices’ are too negative However, Rowie will tell you “age makes a way to look at something you love you just a little wiser and diligent when doing and that it’s really just about it comes to the workload.” doing something you love more than other things. Competing with her siblings throughout her childhood led “To stick at something for so long Rowie to travel across the Pacific and experience the challenges and the to Arizona State University to successes, it really does tell you about play water polo and study. In yourself and you find out what really an effort to strip the sense drives you. of “being someone’s little sister,” she flung herself “I never sacrificed anything because into the ultra-crowded it was all a choice. I choose to do certain and hyper-competitive things and not do others because I chose environment of to play and do a sport I love.” American college sports; a system Water polo was the sport that combined notorious for chewing the best of all the sports Rowie loved as up and spitting out a kid. many talented athletes across all sports. “I grew up loving to watch basketball, surf lifesaving, so the ball aspect of basketball This was a challenge and the water aspect of surf lifesaving for Webster, but the were combined, and it was really the opportunity to study while best of both worlds.” playing the sport she loved proved a huge motivator. It’s other elements of the sport that have kept Rowie in the national line up “I’m a huge believer in the well-rounded for 11 years, while stockpiling over 250 athlete. The athlete that can piece games for her country. VOLUME 36 • ISSUE 3 2018 15 nworB_ttaM/segamiytteg