USRowCon23: Sandra Cardillo, Watuppa Rowing Center

Charlotte Pierce (00:00): --the flow. Sandra Cardillo (00:01): Sure. Like I love having conversations, especially about rowing. Charlotte Pierce (00:05): I know, I know. Yeah. We are here live at the US Rowing Convention 2023 with Sandra Cardillo. Sandra Cardillo (00:14): Cardil-lo Charlotte Pierce (00:15): Cardil-lo. Sandra Cardillo (00:15): Yeah. Charlotte Pierce (00:17): Of the Watuppa Rowing Center. She's the rowing director and--no--rowing head coach and director of rowing. Sandra Cardillo (00:26): Yes. Yes. Charlotte Pierce (00:27): I got it. But it's a, it's a relatively new club, isn't it? Sandra Cardillo (00:32): Yeah. So the club started in 2018, and it was just around in the summer-- Charlotte Pierce (00:39): Mm-hmm. Sandra Cardillo (00:39): --and it was in a technically or a function hall that was gonna be demolished, so we kind, like, rescue it. Charlotte Pierce (00:47): Okay. Sandra Cardillo (00:47): And we cleared the section. Charlotte Pierce (00:48): This is Full-- Sandra Cardillo (00:49): This is in Full River, Massachusetts. Charlotte Pierce (00:51): Mm-hmm. Sandra Cardillo (00:52): And we kind like revamped the entire building. We cleaned the area; we put a dock. There was nothing there. The, technically the space was gonna be demolished. Charlotte Pierce (01:01): And you do have a building. Sandra Cardillo (01:02): We do have a boathouse. Charlotte Pierce (01:04): Right. Sandra Cardillo (01:04): And it's fantastic. It's very big. Yeah. So we are very, like, fortunately we have a we have a boathouse for the Boat Bay, and we have a fitness room, so we can have winter training where we are right now. This is our second year with winter programming with heating . So, and AC. Charlotte Pierce (01:24): You don't make them just get warm on their own? Sandra Cardillo (01:26): Oh, no, no, no. Which we did, the first year I was just--I'm a trooper, so I'm like, let's talk it through. Charlotte Pierce (01:32): Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (01:33): And I start working at Watuppa in 2020. In--technically was just very small. There was nearly almost nothing. And we, little by little we have building it up what it is right now. Charlotte Pierce (01:49): Mm-hmm. Sandra Cardillo (01:50): And we have two amazing programs running, and we are planning to start hopefully another, our next one. So the main focus and emphasis is youth programs. Charlotte Pierce (02:02): Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (02:03): And bring the sport of rowing to, to the youth. Charlotte Pierce (02:06): Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (02:07): For free. So all our youth programs are completely free. We trying to keep it as free for us as long as we can. So we are fundraising that, Charlotte Pierce (02:15): That's what I was gonna ask you. Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (02:16): And we do a lot of grant writing as much as we can. So any kid any technically any kid who like to learn how to row can come to the boathouse Charlotte Pierce (02:25): Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (02:25): And learn how to row and fall in love with the sports. (02:29): So let's, and getting back to your, your background. I know you from community rowing-- (02:39): Yes. Charlotte Pierce (02:40): And I was so happy to see you here at the convention. I just, I didn't know you were here or just, you know, like, you don't know. There's 300 people here, so-- Sandra Cardillo (02:48): I kinda like disappear from the Boston scene. Charlotte Pierce (02:51): Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (02:51): When I started working in Full River. Charlotte Pierce (02:52): That's understandable. Sandra Cardillo (02:53): You know, like was COVID times, so everybody kinda like get out of the way. Charlotte Pierce (02:57): Mm-hmm. Sandra Cardillo (02:57): And I just jumped into like this, starting a new club-- Charlotte Pierce (03:00): Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (03:00): --during the biggest pandemic in the world, but-- Charlotte Pierce (03:02): Right. Sandra Cardillo (03:03): Yeah. I work at CRI for about nine years-- Charlotte Pierce (03:07): Wow. Sandra Cardillo (03:08): --and I was I coached Row Boston, which is the inner city program. I was the coach of the novice boys coach, and I help build and recruit the boys's side of Row Boston. Charlotte Pierce (03:25): Mm-hmm. Sandra Cardillo (03:25): Formally known as G-Row. So girls rowing, it was only a girls-- Charlotte Pierce (03:29): I remember that. Sandra Cardillo (03:30): So it was only a girls rowing team. Okay. And that is when I learned row. In 2000, I move to the states December, 2003-- Charlotte Pierce (03:40): Mm-hmm. Sandra Cardillo (03:41): --and I start rowing with G-Row, Row Boston now in March, 2004. Charlotte Pierce (03:48): Right. Sandra Cardillo (03:48): When I was just technically fresh off the boat. Didn't speak a word of English. Charlotte Pierce (03:52): No way. Sandra Cardillo (03:52): I have Ellen Mitzner-- Charlotte Pierce (03:54): Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (03:55): --was my coach. And-- Charlotte Pierce (03:56): She was there. Sandra Cardillo (03:57): She was my head coach. And I remember she knew some words in Spanish, so she screamed like "turo (sp?) with the legs", like piernas, Charlotte Pierce (04:06): That's turo (sp?) is push. Sandra Cardillo (04:07): Right. Push is is like hard. Charlotte Pierce (04:09): Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (04:10): And I thought she was crazy. Charlotte Pierce (04:13): Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (04:13): And I loved it. I loved the intensity of it. I, I was an athlete at home. Charlotte Pierce (04:18): Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (04:18): I was looking for a challenge. Charlotte Pierce (04:20): Wow. Sandra Cardillo (04:20): And this-- Charlotte Pierce (04:20): Where's home? Sandra Cardillo (04:20): I'm from Guatemala. Charlotte Pierce (04:23): Guatemala, Okay. Sandra Cardillo (04:24): Sì. Charlotte Pierce (04:24): Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (04:25): Yeah. So that is where I I was born and raised. And moved to the States when I was 15. Charlotte Pierce (04:30): Wow. Sandra Cardillo (04:30): Yeah. So. Charlotte Pierce (04:31): On your own or with your family? Sandra Cardillo (04:32): We moved with my family. Charlotte Pierce (04:33): Yeah. Right. Sandra Cardillo (04:34): Yeah. So, Charlotte Pierce (04:35): Well, and so rowing, it's, it that's kind of unusual. Sandra Cardillo (04:38): It, it's very unusual. Charlotte Pierce (04:40): And you're, and you're not tall, so, Sandra Cardillo (04:42): Nope. I am almost five feet tall. I'm five feet tall with shoes. Charlotte Pierce (04:47): With shoes. Sandra Cardillo (04:48): Yeah. We put it that way. Charlotte Pierce (04:49): Got it. Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (04:50): Yeah. So I was 110 pounds and muscle. Right. I was like a-- Charlotte Pierce (04:55): Love it. Sandra Cardillo (04:56): --spitfire. Yeah. And I wanted to do a, a sport that had nothing to do with the school, that was challenging. And, and I found it rewarding. And I found this by almost by, by accident, by chance. And I found it interesting by a poster. Charlotte Pierce (05:13): Mm-hmm. Sandra Cardillo (05:14): And then I ask around and I find out that there was a rowing team that didn't row at the school, but they pick up girls at the school. And I went to find out, and I talked to a senior with my broken English. I just went there and asked her, like, me, you want to row? I practiced those three words in a post. Charlotte Pierce (05:37): Were people good to you or did you get some, like, "what the heck are you talking about?" Sandra Cardillo (05:42): Sort of. So the, the amazing thing about G-Row it was already an inner city program. Charlotte Pierce (05:48): All right. Okay. Sandra Cardillo (05:49): So we have it was very diverse team-- Charlotte Pierce (05:54): Mm-hmm. Sandra Cardillo (05:54): --from, from the beginning. It was coach and lead by, by women, which is unheard of in my world. Right. Coming from a terrible country with old coaches are male. Charlotte Pierce (06:04): Mm-hmm. Sandra Cardillo (06:04): So that was like a culture shock from the beginning. And then, but I was the only person in entire team that did not speak English. So everybody in the team, they were like African Americans, or they were like Spanish, but they were born here, came very young. So they knew the language. But I was technically for a while, was the only one who did not speak English. And Charlotte Pierce (06:29): Was that stressful for you? Sandra Cardillo (06:31): I think my type of personality didn't allow me to-- Charlotte Pierce (06:35): Yeah. You seem fearless Sandra Cardillo (06:36): --think about it. Charlotte Pierce (06:37): Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (06:37): I just don't think about things. Charlotte Pierce (06:39): Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (06:39): I just jump into the deep end without knowing it. Charlotte Pierce (06:42): You have the goal and you wanna get there. Sandra Cardillo (06:44): And I just, I just don't think, I just do, which is a great thing, but also a curse because then you are like, in the deep end-- Charlotte Pierce (06:50): You have to, Sandra Cardillo (06:52): --and then you're like, oh, damn. Right. Yeah. like now what can I do? Yeah. So it's just when you sink and-- Charlotte Pierce (07:00): Right. Sandra Cardillo (07:01): So most of the time you feel like you're sinking. Right. But you just try to keep your air. And I was a little, like, again, I'm a little crazy and my, like, I don't think about, I just do, do, yeah. I'm Charlotte Pierce (07:14): Sort of the same way, like solo producer for, Sandra Cardillo (07:17): And, and I think that it comes from, from my mom and my grandmother. Charlotte Pierce (07:22): Mm-hmm. Sandra Cardillo (07:22): Right. They're just go getter women- Charlotte Pierce (07:24): Strong women Sandra Cardillo (07:25): --and strong women who-- Charlotte Pierce (07:26): Wow, Sandra Cardillo (07:27): --they did what they need to do. Charlotte Pierce (07:28): Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (07:28): When my father was the same, but the same way. Right. So I have really good role models. Charlotte Pierce (07:34): Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (07:34): And they never told me that I should limit myself. Charlotte Pierce (07:38): Right. Sandra Cardillo (07:38): Right? I was, had to be respectful with authority, right? But I could do what I wanted to do and was capable to do anything. So I had great role models. And when come to the states, I just tried something new and I stick to it. And I enjoyed the challenge. And six months, like from starting the team, I was starting to speak English. It sound like, like I had a hot, hot potato in my mouth and little by little I started understanding more. Charlotte Pierce (08:09): And that's rewarding in itself, you know? Sandra Cardillo (08:12): Yes! Charlotte Pierce (08:13): But do you, do you find out--we'll talk about that--there's a lot of new immigrants that came into the program? Sandra Cardillo (08:19): Yes. So the amazing thing about, like, even Full River and Watuppa itself, it's--Full River is a town of immigrants, especially for Portuguese in in, in some like in, and there's a lot of like Spanish, like and African-Americans in that town. So even our team from the beginning, it is already a little diverse. Charlotte Pierce (08:40): Mm-hmm. Sandra Cardillo (08:41): And one of our goals and, and missions is to make sure our team or boathouse in, in general is represented of, of the town in the area that we, we are located. Charlotte Pierce (08:53): Mm-hmm. Sandra Cardillo (08:54): We have, we next to New Bedford in, in some other towns. And most in all the area has been underserved for a lot of time. Like, you know about the Cape and you know about Providence and, but for some reason, like nothing in Full River. So it's time, it's about time. We have about four acres of water of our pond. Charlotte Pierce (09:15): Yeah. I was, was surprised how nice the setting is. Sandra Cardillo (09:19): Yeah. And it's a pond, which I sometimes I laugh when I say that because it's four acres of water. Charlotte Pierce (09:28): Mm-hmm. Sandra Cardillo (09:28): We have a over 4,000 meters in a straight line that we can row with nothing in between. Charlotte Pierce (09:34): Not all clubs have that. No, I know. CRI Sandra Cardillo (09:37): Like they held on the Charles and Charlotte Pierce (09:40): It's nice length, but it's, Sandra Cardillo (09:41): But it's wavy. Like you can do, Charlotte Pierce (09:43): You must do some serious pieces out there. Sandra Cardillo (09:45): When we, when we can, when we can. I, I like to, we call it the Finger. So you go all the way up-- Charlotte Pierce (09:51): Okay. Sandra Cardillo (09:51): --on the pond. And it has a little like tiny little channel that's kind like a warmup and then we line up. Charlotte Pierce (09:56): Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (09:57): And we just do like straight, I just send the two, three boats next to each other, and I don't have to worry about it. It's great for practicing just straight pieces. You don't have to worry about bridges and hitting anything. Charlotte Pierce (10:09): Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (10:09): It's just a straight shot for like 4,000 meters. So I like-- it's amazing. Charlotte Pierce (10:15): I really need to come down and, and visit you. But I --- Sandra Cardillo (10:19): Please come! Charlotte Pierce (10:20): Do you allow guest rowers? Sandra Cardillo (10:22): Yes. We can get, we allow guest rowers or Charlotte Pierce (10:24): I'll come right on the launch here or something. Sandra Cardillo (10:26): Some, I have some people riding in the launch with me. Okay. I have some [sound cut out for a second] master here for like a day. Can I go run home with your programs? They're like, yes, these are practice times. Just let me know which day and we can inspect you and put you in stroke seat. You know. Charlotte Pierce (10:41): And we, beforehand we were talking a little bit about kind of a regional group that you're trying to put together, rowing clubs. Is that something you're able to talk about? Sandra Cardillo (10:51): One of the, I think one of the things about the beautiful thing about rowing, and especially with the, with the area that we are, because we are so new and we are trying to grow, and one of our, one of, at least one of my goals is to expose the sport. To grow it. Charlotte Pierce (11:05): Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (11:05): To diversify it, to make it open to everybody, anybody. Charlotte Pierce (11:09): Mm-hmm. Sandra Cardillo (11:10): Right. So we are doing a little like partnership work with a New Bedford Rowing Club. So they are like, they have a big master's program there, and they're like building the junior side. Charlotte Pierce (11:23): Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (11:23): We are also like, you know, building our junior side and we have a small master's. Charlotte Pierce (11:28): And how close are they to you? Sandra Cardillo (11:30): About like an hour. Charlotte Pierce (11:32): Okay. Sandra Cardillo (11:32): Give or take. Charlotte Pierce (11:33): So it's not like you're competing for members necessarily? Sandra Cardillo (11:36): Oh, no, I don't. Yeah, because people usually go to the club that is the closest. Charlotte Pierce (11:41): Yes, of course. Sandra Cardillo (11:41): Right. So, and even though we are like, the towns are next to each other, they're like good hour and a half apart. Charlotte Pierce (11:47): They're big towns, but Sandra Cardillo (11:48): And a half. Yes. And and right now we are building a, a military program. Wow. So specifically only for military service-- Charlotte Pierce (11:59): Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (11:59): --members. Like, we, like, veterans, retire, active service, Coast Guard, like any, anybody like that. So they currently they row for free at the club. Right, they don't pay anything. Charlotte Pierce (12:10): And this, you had experience with the military program when it started at CRI, right? Sandra Cardillo (12:15): Yes. So again, I start coaching at cCRIra I think it was 2011 or 2012. Charlotte Pierce (12:21): Mm-hmm. Sandra Cardillo (12:22): And I started coaching the, in the Boys Row Boston. Charlotte Pierce (12:26): Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (12:27): But then I started coaching the military program on, on Sunday on the weekends. Charlotte Pierce (12:32): Mm-hmm. Sandra Cardillo (12:32): --the sculling practice, and I loved it. And then I started coaching the, in, during the week, the sweep in the sweep team for the military program at Sierra Ride. Charlotte Pierce (12:41): Amazing experience for what you're doing now. Sandra Cardillo (12:43): Amazing. Yeah. Right. And being over there and Sierra has a lot of everything and-- Charlotte Pierce (12:49): Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (12:49): --because the place is just big and I just, I don't know. Like I said, I like to jump into the deep end. Charlotte Pierce (12:56): Yes. Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (12:56): And I start like coaching para-rowing. Yeah. Also, so there's people and, and again, I work with people like with intellectual disabilities as well as physical disabilities. Charlotte Pierce (13:08): Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (13:08): So I have been coaching military and para-rowing and juniors row for the past, I don't know, since two, since 2010, 11-ish. Right. And, and is being amazing. Very successful. And I like what CRI does, and I want to do the same thing in, in Watuppa. Right. We are building it. And I want to be more or less like an outreach, like club, right. When anybody-- Charlotte Pierce (13:38): Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (13:39): --who wants to learn or just curious about this sport, they can come and and check it out and try it out. Charlotte Pierce (13:45): Mm-hmm. Sandra Cardillo (13:45): Right. It's nothing. What is the worst thing that happen when you try? You liked it? Or like, if you don't like it-- Charlotte Pierce (13:51): You're not going to die. Sandra Cardillo (13:52): Right. You not going to die. Right. Like, like I said, like the worst thing can happen is that you actually gonna like it. Charlotte Pierce (13:57): Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (13:57): Right. And the worst thing is like, oh, that was enough for me. Charlotte Pierce (14:00): It'll take up all your time. Like it does have the rest of us. Sandra Cardillo (14:03): And, but it, it is, I think it's something amazing about the sport that even though it's is challenging, and it's very mentally and physically demanding Charlotte Pierce (14:11): Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (14:12): But it's also so rewarding and the people that it, it is surrounding of the sport, they're kind, they're welcoming. Right. And they, they are helpful. Yep. And they're always, always willing to help the next person. And Charlotte Pierce (14:26): I hope it stays that way, Sandra Cardillo (14:27): But, and I, I hope too Charlotte Pierce (14:29): I think it will. Sandra Cardillo (14:30): I think it will. Charlotte Pierce (14:30): It's kind of got enough-- Sandra Cardillo (14:32): --women Charlotte Pierce (14:34): --critical mass. Yeah. That, yeah. So before we wrap up for someone who's starting a club, what's your best advice or two pieces of advice if you need to have two? Sandra Cardillo (14:48): Be patient and take one step at a time. Okay. I think what, that's one of my things is even though we are doing great and Charlotte Pierce (14:56): Mm-hmm. Sandra Cardillo (14:56): I'm always, I think in my head I'm like six months, a year ahead. Where I, what I'm going to like, okay, so I gotta be with 30 kids and I gotta be with 60 kids, right? Charlotte Pierce (15:08): Mm-hmm. Sandra Cardillo (15:08): So, and then I, I look where we are right now and it's like, oh, but I only have, well, I want 60, but I only have 30. Right. So I had to remind myself like, this is my second year. Right, with a youth program full year, like program with summer, winter, spring, fall with racing. Right. So having 30 kids in a regular season, 15 kids in the winter. Charlotte Pierce (15:37): Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (15:37): Who, which kid wants to like, prac--, like go in the boathouse and just pull crazy, be on the erg, no one. Right. So the fact that we have 15 kids who have never heard about rowing or touch an oar give this life two for-- Charlotte Pierce (15:54): A thousand percent more than was there before. Exactly. Don't bite it off more than you can chew. Sandra Cardillo (15:58): Yes. So, and Charlotte Pierce (15:59): Make it good what you're doing, but not-- Sandra Cardillo (16:02): Exactly. So right now, just like building it and creating this amazing culture of like welcoming and, and in it, it, at least this is what I like to teach. It's just like everybody's different no matter like what, like height, ethnicity or like where you're from, or even if you look alike or not, there is some way, something different. Right. And that it changes. It can be big or can be small. Right. It's like you have a nose, I have a nose , right. Are they the same? No, but we also have it. So it's kind of like the way that I, I, I think about things also. I think Charlotte Pierce (16:39): That's, you have really inspired a lot of people and I remember seeing you at 5:30 in the morning at Sierra, but thank you so much for coming by. Sandra Cardillo (16:49): Oh no, thank you. Thank you for inviting me to speak with you, Charlotte Pierce (16:52): And let me come down and do a spotlight on your club. Sandra Cardillo (16:56): I would love that. I would love that. So you can come and see the boathouse. Charlotte Pierce (16:59): I would love that. Sandra Cardillo (17:00): And the body of water that we have. Meet some our juniors, which I believe they're like the stars of the entire program. Charlotte Pierce (17:07): Yeah. Sandra Cardillo (17:08): And hopefully coming up our, our military program and potentially even para-athletes coming soon. Charlotte Pierce (17:15): I know you're gonna do it. Sandra Cardillo (17:16): Oh yes. Charlotte Pierce (17:16): I know. Sandra Cardillo (17:17): We are gonna do it just one step at a time and I need to be patience. Yeah. Charlotte Pierce (17:21): And tell yourself-- Sandra Cardillo (17:22): Need to be tell myself to like, we are like, we are doing fantastic from where we were a year ago or now. Love it. Yeah. Yeah. So, Charlotte Pierce (17:30): Well thank you so much for, for coming by and, and we will, we'll be following your progress. Sandra Cardillo (17:34): Well thank you very much and it's a pleasure to speak with you. Charlotte Pierce (17:38): Likewise, Sandra Cardillo (17:38): We like getting contact. Haven't seen you for forever. Charlotte Pierce (17:42): I know, I know. It's just, it's so nice to be at the US Rowing Convention and see people like Sandra in real life. It's indescribably wonderful. So please tune in and let us know what you think of the broadcasts. Thank you. Bye. Bye. Are we, oh, we, we never know when it actually-- [recording stops].