michigan state graduate student Ella Kuvas Although she has played just about every sport under the sun, she decided to pursue a master's degree in financial planning, wealth management, and rowing, one of the fastest growing women's college sports. It became Sparta.
Kubas was obsessed with sports throughout his childhood.
“I was really involved in everything as a kid: highland dance, football, soccer, volleyball, basketball, track and field, cross country, triathlons, and I’m really grateful for that opportunity,” Kubas says. . “But I got busy. There were days when I would wake up at 6 a.m. and go swimming before school, and then go for a run or bike ride during lunch break at school. There would be a volleyball game after school, then track and field. I was practicing.”
There are moments when she looks back at her busy schedule and wonders if she might have done that. Too But she always enjoyed it and it was what she wanted to do at the time.
“She was never burnt out,” said Kubas' mother, Carolyn. “She worked hard and was dedicated, and it was quality and quantity. She just kept going, and when we said, 'I have to get up for practice,' or 'I have to go to practice,' ” was never said. not even once. Sometimes I had to say, “I need to take a break from practice.''
Kubas grew up in Milton, Ontario, surrounded by an athletic family. Her mother is involved in basketball and club football, and her father played football in college.
“I come from a sports background and athleticism has always been in my blood,” Kubas said.
Kubas participated in her first triathlon when she was 6 years old.
“My parents signed me and my brother to a contract because we had so much energy that we didn't know what to do with it,” Kubas said.
She ended up riding her bike the wrong way in her first race, but she still enjoyed it and remembered the experience for the rest of her life.
“She was riding this pink, fluffy bike, and she was as happy as a shellfish being returned,” Kubas' mother said. “She didn't care. She was like, 'Yeah, it's okay.' And she just kept going. ”
Kubas was thinking of traveling to another town to participate in a training program when he grew up, so his mother decided to start a triathlon club.
Kubas attended Milton Area High School and was a varsity athlete in cross country, track and field, and volleyball. During this time, she placed 12th at the 2018 Pan American Championships, finished in the top three at the Ontario Provincial Championships two years in a row, and was named Triathlon Ontario's 2018 Junior Athlete of the Year.
Kubas took a gap year after graduation to further her triathlon training and figure out what she wanted to do.
“International tuition fees were expensive, so I kind of knew I needed some kind of assistance to study here,” Kubas said.
She was recruited by the University of South Dakota and allowed to come to the United States to continue her academic and athletic career.
“I flew in for the visit and the team really felt like a family and it was a really good fit. I loved being able to juggle sports and school at the same time. I don’t think I could.”
She took first place at the national tournament, earned All-America First Team honors and was a member of the All-West Regional team for the 2022 South Dakota Tournament. She also placed fourth overall at the NCAA Triathlon Championships, which was her last race.
“An unforgettable moment was when she was selected for the national triathlon team and was able to participate in an international event,” Kubas' mother said. “I was very happy to represent Canada as an underdog at the Summer Olympics. Thanks to the resilience between her and her teammates, it was one of the most exciting races I have ever seen. It could have been one. It's not a medal, it's a moment.”
Midway through her junior year, she became interested in rowing and wanted to pursue another degree. Kubas will graduate in December 2022, and in January 2023 she will enroll at MSU.
“I spent two weeks going through all the international visa formalities. It was honestly really scary at the time because you were leaving everything you were comfortable with and starting something new. Learning a new sport, making new teammates. There were times when I felt like I was throwing myself out the window by meeting everyone, but I think it was for the best.”
Before coming to MSU, Kubas had never rowed seriously, but that didn't stop her from taking on new challenges.
“This is one of the most mentally difficult sports I've ever experienced,” Kubas said.
Rowing is different from most of the sports Kvass played before.
“For me, highland dancing and volleyball were more skill-based. Rowing is similar to that in some ways, but it's also very mental. Especially on the erg machine, it's more about you and the screen. The screen reacts to every movement you make, so you have to be able to handle that. A triathlon race used to be an hour long, but now it's a 7 minute boat ride. 1 hour. It's not seven minutes of pain, but seven minutes of pain, but that doesn't make it any better.”
Kuba's future goal is to earn a spot on Team Canada for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. She was recently selected as RBC Training Ground's “Future Olympian” to provide financial support for her Olympic training.
“That kid can go to the Olympics,” Kubas' teammate and roommate said. lizzie johnston Said. “She's a really great athlete and deserves everything she's earned. She's just working hard. I'm being honest with everyone, so she's probably frustrated with me.” “She will, but I'm like, 'She's going to be an Olympian, she's going to do it right now.'”
Kubas feels that attending two different universities gave him the best experience twice. Her new opportunities at MSU have allowed her to grow.
“Ella's drive, competitive spirit and aggressiveness. She was one of the people on the team that I felt had similar values to me,” Johnston said. “Not only is she physically strong, but she's also very strong mentally. You can't let anything tear her down. Our rowing team has been through a lot of adversity in the past, but she's very strong mentally. I had never experienced that before.”
She learned to take what she learned from sports into her next actions in life, and this has given her great confidence throughout her journey so far.
“One thing I've tried to instill in her as a parent is not to let anything define you,” says Carolyn Kubas. “We feel that sports taught her a lot about her life and learned that things don't always work out for her.”
Kubas' plans after college are to consider part-time opportunities in financial services, but she still hopes to continue rowing.
“I have ambitions for the national team, so I want to see if it's achievable.'' You won't know until you try, and I'm still a beginner, so I don't know what's going to happen, so I thought, “Just do it.'' It's a little scary to think, “Let's take a look,'' but I'm the same way. You're still young and there's plenty of support and opportunities, so let's do it while we can. ”
Johnston added: “The fact that she's only been in this sport for a little over a year and now she's captain, and her speed is already insane.”
