Reily White

June 2024 Issue

by Lesley Kyle
Photography by
Lindsay Pettinicchi Photography, LLC

 

Grass doesn’t grow under Reily White’s feet.

Reily is the only female from the State of South Carolina, age 19 and under, invited to attend the U.S. Crew Olympic Development Camp in Chattanooga, Tennessee,
this month.

Born and raised on Hilton Head Island, 17-year-old Reily maintains a rigorous schedule that will make any over-achiever blush. About to enter her senior year, Reily is the youngest of three children. Her older brother rowed on a crew team for a couple of years, and the team needed someone to fill the last spot just one week before a race. At the tender age of 11, Reily, a fifth grader, jumped right in. “I didn’t know what it was,” recalled Reily, “but I said sure! I’ll try it!”

Little did anyone know the magnitude of the splash Reily would make with that “jump” in years to come. The team placed third in the race, and Reily was hooked. Athletic as a child, Reily played golf, and tennis, and even swam on the high school freshman/sophomore swim team as an elementary school kid. “It became too much pressure for a young girl,” said Reily’s mom, Michelle. She was participating in golf and crew seven days a week, and it was a grueling schedule. “We asked Reily to choose one sport, and she chose crew.”

The next season, sixth grader Reily was named to the varsity team. Student team leaders, Hannah and Kaitlin, served as Reily’s earliest crew teachers and role models. Now the team’s captain, Reily serves as a role model to the younger girls who follow in her footsteps. Her leadership role on the team, however, sometimes forces her to address conflicts between teammates. “Middle school girls are insecure, and rather than work out their disagreements amongst themselves, they’ll vent to me,” said Reily. “I remind them that we need to work together as a team. Work out your issues with your teammate.”

Rising early each day, Reily heads to her part-time job at Discover Specific Chiropractic by 7 a.m. where she works 30 hours a week as an assistant to the doctor. Her role there began when she was in the eighth grade. She later heads to a three-hour crew practice which begins at 4:30 p.m. After dinner and a shower, she crashes into bed. Reily trains five days a week, including Saturdays, and if the team competes during any given week, they may train a sixth day. Schoolwork is completed around her other responsibilities. The team trains and competes from January to May and again during the summer after a brief respite. Training and competition resume in September through the end of November, and the team conducts land training through December when the water is too cold.

In February, Reily received an email from U.S. Rowing inviting her to try out for the national team’s Olympic Development Program (ODP). The regional tryouts in Chattanooga tested the 30 male and female contestants’ flexibility and endurance. Several weeks later, Reily learned she had been accepted to participate in the prestigious Crew Olympic Development Camp this month. “I’m excited and nervous,” said Reily. During the intense two-week program, competitors will row nearly every day and meet with recruiters from colleges and Olympic coaches. Monitoring of each competitor will help U.S. Rowing officials determine which candidates have the potential to row for the U.S. Olympic Team that will head to the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Recently Reily learned she was being monitored long before she headed to the trials in Chattanooga. U.S. Rowing officials have been watching her progress at races throughout the region. Now that she knows who to look for, she sees them at competitions. “They study how you interact with your team, how you carry yourself, and even what you eat,” said Reily.

Hilton Head Crew Club Coach, Chuck Yocum, reflected on Reily’s talent, skills, and experience. “Reily’s the most tenured of our rowers, and in the last two years, she’s really come into her own. She’s on our fastest boat, the women’s double, for two seasons—a remarkable achievement.” But Reily’s leadership skills are equally impressive. “Reily has a leadership role on and off the water,” Coach Chuck revealed. “She helps her teammates by coaching them on rowing skills and preparing them for practice.”

Reily’s not sure what the future holds, but an exciting journey lies ahead. “I would like to coach the Hilton Head Crew Club at some point, but my dream job is to be a mom,” said Reily. She’s also interested in a medical field job once she finishes high school. In the meantime, Reily enjoys spending time with her team and rowing partner, Megan.

“Crew is the hardest sport I’ve ever competed in mentally and physically,” said Reily. “But at the same time, it's so beautiful to watch the wildlife and the sunsets here on the island from my boat.”