Morgan Boot is on track to be one of Canada's future Olympians in a sport she started training in only a few months ago.
The 17-year-old Bow Valley High School basketball player and Calgary Spartans trackster was selected to begin training as an elite rower, setting a course to possibly qualify for the Western Canada Games and then eventually the Olympics, if all goes to plan.
Boot earned the opportunity when she participated in a session of RBC Training Ground held last year in Cochrane. The event, designed to scout future Olympic talent, put attending athletes through a variety of drills to test their speed, power, strength and endurance, with an aim to link participants with a sport where they might excel.
Boot's accomplishment is impressive on its own, but even more so considering the competition she was up against. Across the country in 2018, more than 3,182 athletes were tested. Of those, 588 were invited for additional testing by a national sport organization or invited to a regional final. She was part of a select group of 30 who were awarded funding to accelerate their Olympic journey.
"I wasn't expecting to win. I was absolutely amazed and shocked," she said.
However, according to the RBC Training Ground report, Boot's performance and stature caught Rowing Canada's eye immediately. She reached several elite developmental bench marks and was one of the only athletes with a wingspan - 183 cm - that exceeded her height. The combination prompted Rowing Canada to shortlist Boot for its program.
While rowing might not have previously been on her radar, Boot has always been a determined athlete with a drive to win and playing for Team Canada is something that has never been far from her mind.
"It's been a goal of mine ever since I was a little girl," she said, adding she has time to work toward that goal. "Usually, rowers don't qualify for the Olympics until they are much older than I am."
Since being chosen, Boot has entered an intensive development program with the Calgary Rowing Club that has included daily training and some races and her performance has not disappointed.
"I am one of the fastest girls in my club, which is good for only training for a couple of months," she said, and for a sport that involves a lot of technique.
The funding from RBC Training Ground will aid in travel, attending international competitions, coaching and nutrition. Over the past three years, the program has awarded $1.3 million in support to 87 identified athletes.
This will be the fourth year the program will scour the country for new recruits between 14 and 25 years of age. Participants are welcome to attend the testing regardless of sport background.
Since 2015, RBC Training Ground has tested 5,500 athletes at 71 free local events in 35 different communities across 10 provinces.
Visit RBCtrainingground.ca for local event information and a complete calendar for 2019, which includes 35 communities nationwide.
Participating sport organizations include Speed Skating Canada, Athletics Canada, Freestyle Ski Canada, Canoe Kayak Canada, Cycling Canada and Rowing Canada.
