Chelsea, MI. – Ava Woodard has been involved in sports for most of her life and she wanted to continue that at the next level after she graduates High School in June of 2022. She has been playing field hockey and she throws shot put and discus in track and field. She was in the process of recruiting for field hockey but the opportunities were not looking well for her as she wanted to go to a Big Ten school because of the size and atmosphere with academics and athletics. So she thought she would take a different venture to achieve her dream and began to reach out to coaches of other sports at major colleges.
“I emailed the novice coach of the rowing team at Michigan State University (MSU) and it was an instant hit,” Woodard explained. “They were very interested in me because I’m an athlete with a very good reputation even though I have never rowed before. But they are giving me the opportunity and I’m very blessed and excited.”
Woodard chose rowing because it’s a sport that she can be very involved in. Being an athlete has been a huge part of her life and ending her athletic career after High School was not something she wanted to happen. Woodard loved playing her favorite sport, field hockey because she loves the competitiveness of it. It also is very mesmerizing to her, “clean and pretty”, as she describes it.
“I chose Michigan State because my mom’s side of my family has a big history there,” Woodard said.
Woodard is really looking forward to her collegiate career with much excitement. She is looking forward to going to the MSU sporting events and actually getting to sit in the student section and enjoy herself.
“I was blessed to be in the Chelsea High School band throughout my 4 years at High School so I’m really excited to be a part of the team and learn new things and meet new people,” she stated.
She is the drum major in the High school band and loves it and will definitely miss it when she goes to college but she’s very happy she has got to do it.
She is unsure of what she wants to study yet but is leaning towards either elementary education or kinesiology.
Her parents, Miles and Robin Woodard, and family and friends have been the most major influences in her life as they all have pushed her and motivated her to push herself to do a new sport which is very important to her.
“I want to mention a few of my friends in particular because they have pushed me and supported me in my decision to do this and that means a lot to me,” Woodard said. “I’m so excited and I can’t wait!”
