SRA Stories: Kenzie Waltar

Waltar rowing as a junior on the SRA Junior Girls team

Gretchen Frederick, the former Executive Director of Sammamish Rowing Association, spotted a young Kenzie Waltar with her sister, Shelley, at church one morning. She approached Waltar, who was then a high school basketball player, and said, “Hey, you're tall! You should try rowing!” Whether it was divine intervention or a stroke of luck, this fateful interaction led Waltar down to the Hod Fowler Boathouse for a Row for a Day session. Ever since then, she was hooked. 

Rowing was a completely different experience for Waltar. She credits the tough training for making her the person she is today. With cold weather, gloomy skies, and sometimes rough water, you would think a high schooler would easily choose an indoor sport over rowing, but Waltar truly enjoyed the whole new level of challenge. On top of that, Waltar admired the junior and senior girls who she said were kind, smart, strong, and incredible leaders and teammates.

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A great example of the challenges Waltar faced came on a day where she had to stay on land due to there not being enough seats in the boats for a water practice. That meant she was joining the boys team for their land training. Waltar said, “they were erging, so I erged with them.  It was a partner erg, and I was partnered up with Sam Goertz (who later became a teammate of mine at the University of Washington and a fellow 5am coach at SRA!) and he pushed me to be at a 2:00 split or below. At that point in my career, a 2:00 flat was unheard of, but when he pushed me, I did it! I think it was that day that first taught me that I am capable of more!”

Following her time on the Junior Girls Team at SRA, Waltar joined the women’s team at the University of Washington. “It was my time at UW that taught me to love hard work, how to trust my teammates, and how to push beyond my limits,” she said. “As we say often on the team, we learned how to ‘embrace the grind.’” She put that phrase to the test when during her Sophomore year, she was cut from the team due to the decision to decrease the roster size by the current coach at the time. She was crushed. “It was at that moment I felt like my whole identity was ripped away from me,” Waltar admitted. “If I wasn't "Kenzie the rower," who was I?”

Waltar, stroke seat, rowing at the University of Washington

Waltar said that the period following her cut from the UW women’s team was a dark time in her life. She added, “I started training at Seattle Rowing Center (SRC) because I wanted to make it back on the team. Practices were early, dark, and brutal, but I just didn't think my time on the team was over. I wanted to fight for it. When my motivation was low and I didn't think I could do another early practice or hard workout, I relied on my faith. That gave me strength. And it reminded me that no matter if I make it back on the team or not, I am more than just ‘Kenzie the rower’."

After months of training, Waltar’s erg scores finally met the standards for her to return back to the team. “I came back not only stronger and grittier,” she said, “but more grateful and humble. I knew the work it took to get on such an incredible team, and I knew it was a gift to be there. I didn't race in any top boats that year, but it didn't matter. Being cut from the team was both the worst thing to ever happen to me and also the best thing.”

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Waltar holding an NCAA trophy

Shortly after, a coaching change was made and Yaz Farooq became the head coach of the University of Washington Women’s Rowing Team. Farooq transformed the team for the better and Waltar experienced some of the best moments of her rowing career. “The environment she [Farooq] created was intense, but empowering and awesome,” Waltar said, reminiscing on her junior and senior year. “That year (2017) our team went on to sweep both PAC-12s and NCAAs which still brings tears to my eyes. Then in my senior year, I had the opportunity to bow the 2x at the Head of the Charles Regatta (HOCR) and honestly this was the highlight of my career. Yes, we won--by a tight margin! After graduation, I got to race another bucket-list regatta— Henley Royal Regatta!  This was a race I had never even dreamt of, but it was a very cool experience. The atmosphere over there was absolutely wild.”

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Waltar providing some coaching wisdom to her crew

While winning gold in the 2x at HOCR was Waltar’s favorite competitive accomplishment, she felt that the experience of rowing itself has been a greater overall achievement in her life. “I am really proud of how I am able to use my experience in this sport to bring others joy and to teach them to love hard work. Rowing has changed my life and I get to be a part of that for so many people,” she said. 

Following her collegiate career, Kenzie became a coach at SRA for the 5am team, an assistant coach at Seattle Pacific University (SPU), and still does the occasional private lesson at SRA. She was recently promoted to the Head Coach position at SPU. “I'm loving my job,” she added. “I've always felt a calling to mentor the next generation and this is such a special way to do that. I have been blessed by my predecessor, Caitlin McClain, who is not only a coaching legend, but a mentor and true friend of mine. The culture she has built on this team is something that I am excited to step into as Head Coach.”

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While Waltar has admitted to feeling both excited and overwhelmed to be in a head coaching position before the age of 30, she feels confident in receiving support from the community around her. Waltar has not been a stranger to self doubt. During her early days of coaching, she often felt unsure of her abilities as she struggled to translate what she felt as an athlete in the boat to the rowers she was coaching. Additionally, coaching masters, many of whom were her parents' age, felt weird and led to further feeling like an imposter. With time, faith, and support, she has honed her coaching skills and proven her abilities time and time again.

Speaking of coaching masters, Waltar had the opportunity to coach her parents! Suzy and Steve Waltar began rowing after Kenzie and her sister joined the junior team. They thought it looked cool (we agree!) and since then they have become one of the many beloved rowing families at the boathouse. They even have their name on some SRA boats and took the Waltar Legacy 4+ out for a fun family row. “I've gotten to row with my sister, coach my parents, and race the parent/child 2x at HOCR with my dad. Rowing definitely keeps us close!”

Waltar and her Atlas Free climbing crew celebrating a recent summit

It seems impossible to be more impressed with Kenzie Waltar, but her story doesn’t end here. When she isn’t coaching, Waltar is climbing and hiking to fight sex trafficking. It began in 2021 with an invite to hike the Enchantments and fundraise for Atlas Free. “I didn't know much about the injustice of sex trafficking or the organization, but I knew I liked hiking and I figured it was a good enough cause,” Waltar said about Atlas Free. “Since then, I've fallen in love with the community of adventure philanthropists who do hard things to fight for freedom! In total, I've through-hiked the Enchantments four times, summited Adams, Baker, and, most recently, Rainier, and I have raised over $15,000 to fight human trafficking and sexual exploitation. I firmly believe we are all made to be free and if this is how I can make a difference, I will continue to fight!”

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We could keep telling her story, but chances are, Kenzie would love to tell you herself over a cup of coffee, during a hike, or after a good practice on the lake. Her dedication to the sport and seemingly endless positive energy make her an incredible rower, coach, and friend to have. We feel blessed to have her as part of our community at Sammamish Rowing Association and look forward to everything she will accomplish. As we finished the interview, she said, “This club taught me how to row, how to coach, and I am so grateful for this community!” Kenzie— we are so grateful for you!