Lily Fauver ’17 is a two sport-varsity athlete, competing for the Deerfield girls basketball and crew teams. So far this season, Fauver has been a key contributor to the crew team’s three first-place finishes. Next year, Fauver will continue rowing for Dartmouth College.
Fauver’s beginnings in crew started with former Coach Eve Goldberg’s interest in her 6’1” height. Although she had never encountered the sport, Fauver decided to try it as a sophomore. She attended the crew pre-season trip at Jacksonville, Florida in 2015 after finding herself without a spring sport. During her first day on the water, she remembers feeling “terrified because the other boat got swamped and basically sunk.” However, even after that experience, Fauver grew to appreciate the sport.
Lily Fauver ’17 in a regatta.
Now, two years later, Fauver leads the team as a crucial member. College advisor and head coach Melanie Onufrieff said, “Lily’s leadership is tied to her ability to stay calm under pressure and in the face of setback. She tackles obstacles with poise and without complaint, and as a coach I am very grateful to have Lily as the model of a strong and resilient teammate.”
In addition to helping lead the first boat, Fauver sets an example for the novice rowers. Ella Holowesko ’20 described Fauver as someone who “is undoubtedly a leader giving everything from warm ups to races.” Holowesko also noted how supportive Fauver is and how devoted she is to the improvement of her teammates.
Fauver attributes much of her success to the different coaches she has had, as well as the seniors from her first year with the sport. She recalls a particularly memorable moment: “There was one practice where there were two ergs, and we each had to row for a minute. We had to see who could go farther, and whoever won stayed on. I was on an erg with Claire Collins ’15 and Paige Cleary ’17, and Claire was going so hard that she didn’t get off the entire time. She won every single piece, and she was pulling so hard that she was crying at the end.” This memory inspired Fauver during her crew career.
With the New England Championships and the Youth National Championships fast approaching, Fauver and the crew team hope to maintain their longheld tradition of success.