Jason Ni ‘23 | Matt Limaye ‘25
Will Konopka ‘22 is known for his rowing prowess but also for his leadership and personability.
Konopka explains, “I was always around rowing from a young age since my family has deep roots in the sport, but I never really tried it until middle school.” He adds, “Every summer in Middle School, I attended the EA Learn-To-Row camp which runs during the first couple weeks of June. This was the first time I ever touched an oar or got in a boat.” As Konopka’s passion for rowing expanded, he began to row for the Fairmount Rowing Association. “The first time I joined a competitive team was the summer before freshman year when I rowed for Fairmount Rowing Association. That summer I really embraced the sport and my connection to rowing has grown ever since.”
Photo courtesy of Will Konopka ’22
Konopka has had a very successful rowing career. He won the City Championship in the Varsity Single as a freshman, achieved third place at the City Championship, and won the SRAA Nationals as the stroke seat of the Varsity Four. He also placed second at the US Rowing Summer National Championship as the stroke seat of the Men’s Under-19 Four with Arya Venugopalan ‘21 and Chrisitan Mandeville ‘22.
Christian Mandeville ‘22, one of Konopka’s teammates is quick to comment on his technique, stating, “Will is the best technical rower I think I have ever seen. He rows in a way that he does everything right and is always working on his form, making sure he is doing everything in the way that he is supposed to.”
On the boat, Konopka plays a vital role and shoulders a lot of responsibility as the stroke seat. Will Antczak ‘22 states, “Will is a fantastic leader and excels as a stroke seat. His form is perfect, and I could not think of anyone better to lead the Varsity 4+.”
Mandeville agrees, explaining, “Will’s our stroke seat so he’s our leader. He’s the first one in the boat. He’s setting the pace for everyone. Everyone’s following him.”
Molly Konopka, Upper and Middle School Latin teacher and head coach of the EA rowing team, echoes Mandeville’s and Antzack’s sentiments, saying, “He is in very good shape and loves being on a team. He strokes the boat which requires a very particular sense of rhythm and feel.” Mandeville adds, “He does not have as much power as the bigger guys but he makes up for it with the form and consistent beat he has a stroke seat. Without him, the boat would fall apart.”
Everyday, whether it is on the river or in the tanks, Will Konopka leads by example. As Molly Konopka notes, “He is very demanding of himself and encourages others to be their best. He is a smart leader and doesn’t alienate people. He leads the runs and pushes people to be better in a kind way.” She adds, “He loves to win and he sees that as the highest standard ever.”
Mandeville adds, “You look at him and you know what you’re supposed to be doing. His patience, his attitude, his ability to just stick with you the whole time even if you’re having a bad day, he’s still there with you and supporting you.”
One of Will Konopka’s favorite rowing memories was the 2021 Scholastic Nationals. “Two weeks prior to nationals,” he recounts, “we got knocked out in the semis during the Stotesbury and that was a really frustrating experience. The practice after Stotesbury we all showed up ready to work and had two amazing weeks of training. We showed up and won nationals, which was a huge rebound for our crew and a testament to all the work we put in.”
Another sentimental memory of his was the last practice before school closed the first time for COVID-19. He states, “We had a really promising boat going into that season and were hoping to make an impact against larger schools such as St. Joe’s Prep and Gonzaga. In the end, that season was cut short due to circumstances we couldn’t control and that was the last time I’ve seen some of those seniors. This memory is particularly special to me because it just reminds me of what could have been and how there really are no guarantees in this sport. Every day could be your last time rowing with some of your friends, so you need to embrace it to the fullest.”
Will Konopka is extremely thankful to his coaches and teammates for guiding him to persevere throughout his rowing journey and helping him become a competitive athlete at a collegiate level. He will continue his rowing career on the lightweight rowing team at Yale University.
As Will Konopka embarks on his final season rowing for EA, he reflects on his years here. He says, “My favorite part about rowing for EA is the emphasis on team chemistry that is necessary for scholastic rowing. Instead of trying to get the fastest people, victory in scholastic rowing is decided by how well we row together and how much we’re willing to hurt for each other. I think because of this chemistry aspect, EA rowing forms bonds that last a lifetime.”