Forever Pirates -- Marissa Bonnefin

Our first of two Forever Pirate features this week comes from Marissa Bonnefin, a rower who attended Coast from 2014-16 and was a key rower on a Pirate boat that finished ranked No. 2 in the nation. 

I had grown up always being a member of some sort of sports team, and eventually settled into committing to basketball throughout my middle and high school years. I grew to love the all-encompassing experience of being on a team. I learned that you get to share in the losses and victories with other people and have an agreed-upon goal as a team. Not only do you receive coaching but mentorship as well, and form friendships that would last long after you were no longer a member of that team. These were all reasons that kept me coming back to a team sport year after year.

During my senior year of high school, I slowly began to realize that my years of basketball were nearing an end as I had not set my college focus on playing sports, but rather was focused on my career and studies (I would eventually discover that you can do both). So I continued on to attend the University of Nevada Las Vegas, where I studied biology for one semester. Outside circumstances prevented me from continuing college there and after some time off of school, I found myself in California researching community colleges. I had family in California that was familiar with the area and schools. As we looked up the pros and cons of these colleges, I started noticing different sports teams that each college offered and realized that I had been sincerely missing being a part of a team.

My aunt had rowed for several different teams throughout her life and had tried to get me into rowing when I was younger, but I had no idea what rowing was, and at the time, was so focused on basketball. As we were ranking colleges based solely on the academics, it eventually came down to deciding between two schools. My aunt brought up rowing one more time and I decided that that was what I needed back in my life -- a team and something new to commit to learning (in addition to the numerous classes I would enroll in).

I signed up for classes at Orange Coast College and as I sat on my computer feeling relieved and excited that I was starting a new chapter in my life, I realized that I knew absolutely nothing about rowing. After some freaking out, I started looking up information about rowing online, watching YouTube videos and getting as many stories from my aunt as I could. It was completely intimidating, so I decided that I would start classes, get familiar with the campus and then get in contact with the rowing coach. That plan worked for a few days, until I was walking through campus and noticed a huge boat setup on the grass with a table surrounded by a lot of tall people. I continued walking to class when I was approached by one of those tall people who introduced herself and convinced me to attend the next practice and meet the coaches.

I showed up the next day in Newport Beach having no idea what to expect other than where to be and what time to be there. I got out of my car, dressed in a massive hoodie and basketball shorts and walked over to the boathouse. I saw everyone dressed in trou (what most rowers wear in the boat or erg - similar to spandex) and immediately turned around to go back to my car. Shortly after I turned around, one of the females in trou came running over to me asking if I was there for rowing practice.

I never imagined in a million years that in a matter of weeks, I would be able to sit in a boat that was barely wide enough for a person to sit in and light enough to carry on 8 people's shoulders and row stroke after stroke in perfect (or close to perfect) synchrony with every other girl in that boat. I never imagined that I would be okay with (even learn to love and need) a tiny human in the boat screaming at us every second of every race -- no matter the length. And I never imagined that my very first rowing coaches would prove to be some of the most influential, helpful, and important people in my life.

I rowed at Orange Coast College from 2014-2016 and Coach Laura "Mama" Behr and Coach Steve Guentz took myself and many other girls that had never touched an oar in their life and turned us into a cohesive and successful team of rowers. We didn't win every race, but we won more than I can remember. Regardless, I was fortunate enough to have been a part of something that made a positive impact on myself, my team, and the successful reputation that OCC rowing had made for itself. Starting a brand-new sport at a college and actually getting to race/play is such a rare situation, but each year, I learned that the incredibly consistent knowledge, communication, and trust (and honestly, patience) that was demonstrated by Coach Behr and Steve was just part of the culture of OCC rowing.

During my varsity/sophomore year of rowing at OCC, I was applying for an officer program with the U.S. Coast Guard called CSPI (College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative) that would allow me to attend a four-year university to obtain my bachelor's degree and attend Officer Candidate School once I received my degree. I had asked Coach Behr if she would be willing to write a letter of recommendation for my application. As part of the application process, an interview on a board of four Coast Guard officers was required, and one of the first things we discussed was the letter of recommendation from Coach Behr.

Long story short ... within the recommendation was her ability to not only see me as one of her rowers and speak about the impact I had on the team, but also to see me as a person and the impact the team had on me. The personal level that Coach Behr was able to notice and communicate in that recommendation reached deep levels of myself that to this very day, I had no idea anyone at the time was even paying attention to. I now realize that this wasn't just one unique circumstance ... it's the way that Pirates are. It's a community that truly cares about one another and not just for what you can bring to the team. To me, "Forever a Pirate" means that you are a lifelong member of a community that is genuinely always there for you and cares about you as an individual. 

Anyway, that interview was a success (much thanks to Coach Behr and Steve -... and not telling me that basketball practice was on campus after I'd shown up to rowing practice in basketball gear) and allowed me to continue my rowing and academic career at University of California Santa Barbara, commission as a military officer, attend Flight School and now fly helicopters for the United States Coast Guard! 

Forever a Pirate, 

Marissa Bonnefin