A week-long “bubble” life
Sacred Heart Hamilton are very focused to get the best Maadi results. Their rowers are staying away from their parents’ tent, in what they call a “bubble”.
Every day of Maadi, Hamilton Sacred Heart rowing team spends their spare time in their “bubble” to keep them focused.
During the day, they stay at a lakeside spot away from their parents’ tent. At night they stay at the Mystery Creek Lodge, out of Cambridge.
They call it a bubble because the shield surrounds them, girls stay united and don’t worry about the outside.
Squad manager Kathryn Numa, 46, said: “The girls have trained six months for it, and we don’t want them to leave anything to chance.
“We do that to keep the team together, to build on the team unity and spirit,” Numa said.
To keep the girls focused the manager makes sure they stay off the phones.
“They hand their phones in before they go to bed and get them back after the last race at the end of the day,” Numa said.
Sacred Heart cox Kaitlyn Shields, 15, says being off on their own helps her staying focused on rowing.
“I like being in a bubble, because I like being with everyone from rowing. It’s a really cool environment,” said Shields.
When at the day-base or at the lodge, to keep themselves busy the girls do their homework, watch movies, play games and do puzzles.
Supporters and squad parents only get to catch up with the girls once during the Maadi week.
Parents dropped their girls on Saturday before Maadi, and they see them for the barbecue on Tuesday night, and on Saturday after the finals.
