Name: Margaret “Peggy” Donnelly
Sport: Crew
Hometown: Cooperstown, N.Y.
High School: Cooperstown Central High School
School/Year: SFS ’05
Major: Culture and Politics
GU Highlights: 2004: First place, Head of the Occoquan Regatta . First place, Philadelphia Frostbite Regatta . Big East second finalist . Individual third place, Mid-Atlantic Erg Sprints. 2003: First place, Head of the Schuylkill Regatta . Individual third place, Mid-Atlantic Erg Sprints. 2001: Big East third finalist.
When did you first start rowing crew? I started fall of freshman year. I was a novice rower. You know, they have the boat out on the lawn at orientation – I just saw that and was curious about that. I was a swimmer in high school and thought I’d want to try something else in terms of sports.
Who’s your biggest rival? Probably George Washington over all the years, partly because we share the same boathouse. We have been back and forth with them over the years over which team is stronger.
Who on the team do you rely on the most? I don’t know. I guess there is such a team dynamic that you have to rely on everyone else. You are all stuck on the boat together.
What was the best moment in your career so far? The one that sticks in my mind is – I don’t know if you’d call it the best moment of my career – but a few weeks ago at the Kanecht Regatta, we were disappointed we didn’t make it to the grand final, but in the second final we pulled it together and had the best race of season so far.
What is the hardest part about crew practice? I would just say there isn’t really an offseason. It is all year long. Every season has something difficult about it. The fall is long-endurance training, winter is inside on the rowing machines and the spring is our main racing reason. That is when you take out all the stops.
If you could change one thing about crew what would it be? Maybe I’d make the Potomac cleaner, because it is really disgusting.
What do you do to get psyched for a regatta? Well on the bus ride on the way there I listen to some music. When I get there I try to relax a little bit and talk to my teammates. I think about how it is going to feel when we cross the finish line.
Do you have any superstitions? Not for racing. For really hard erg workouts I wear the same shirt.
What was the last song you were listening to? Last night I was listening to Coldplay. “The Scientist” or something like that.
If you could be great at any other sport or event besides crew, what would it be? Why? Well, I used to swim and I really enjoyed it. Sort of like crew, it is all physical. The way you win is just to get to the finish line before the other person. I liked the simplicity to it.
Anything you want to do before you graduate? I’ve run out of time there. Our last race is a week before graduation, so I’d like to have a good final race as the end of my Georgetown rowing career.
Your most embarrassing moment? I have no idea. I don’t know. I’ll come back to that if I think about anything.
Who in your life inspires you the most? I don’t know if I am the inspired type. I’ll come back to that one, too, if I think of something. Someone who always made me want to row faster was my freshman year coach, Hilary Gehman. She was just in the Olympics last summer.
What do you consider to be your biggest fear? I guess I have always been afraid to do something to mess up in the middle of the race, like catching a crab [when the rower loses control of the oar, which can sometimes knock the rower out of the boat]. But it’s never happened to me.
Favorite Georgetown restaurant? The Tombs. I like nachos there.
What one word do people use to describe you? aybe “focused.” I wouldn’t really know what people say about me.
What do you miss the most about home? I miss the quiet. I am from a small town, so it is a lot different.
What is your dream job? Well, next year I am going into the Peace Corps, so I am pretty excited about that. That is as far as I can think in terms of jobs. I am supposed to leave at the end of the summer.
Favorite TV show? I watch the Simpsons. It’s the only thing I really watch.
Favorite movie? We keep talking about how before a race we have to watch the movie Miracle. We watched it once before a race last year and got all psyched up because of it.
Freshman Dorm? Village C West. I didn’t have an RA on my floor, so that made for some interesting times when I had to get up early for practice. My freshman roommate was from Tennessee. I don’t see her anymore. I don’t know what happened to her.
Favorite course at Georgetown? Probably anything that doesn’t have to do with economics.
If you could be anywhere in the world, where would be and why? I have been planning to go on a trip out west this summer. I have never been out west before. I want to see the rest of the country before I go out into the Peace Corps.
Any advice for anyone who wants to join crew? I would say it is definitely something that if you are the kind of person who can dedicate themselves to something it’s worth doing. It is a lot of hard work, but there are a few moments where it is all worth it. There are moments when the boat becomes more than the eight people in it. It doesn’t happen all the time, but it is worthwhile.
What do you plan to do this summer? Mostly goofing off, maybe a little rowing. I haven’t decided yet. My last summer of freedom.
What will you miss the most about crew at Georgetown? I will definitely miss the companionship and the team camaraderie.
Booey’s or Wisey’s? Booey’s for breakfast, Wisey’s for lunch.