This weekend, while the University of Virginia celebrated graduation, we were in Oak Ridge, TN watching something even more powerful unfold.
Our son, Philip Chadwell, and the UVA Men’s Rowing 1V boat won gold at the ACRA national championships—the top finish for collegiate club teams across the country.
Philip’s journey to that podium was anything but linear.
He first picked up an oar at Brunswick School in Connecticut, where another parent once quipped, “Good thing they have sports like rowing for kids who aren’t that athletic.” (Take a look at the photo below and decide for yourself.)
Later, he spent three years in Montana—without access to water—training daily on an erg and in the gym, staying focused on one goal: joining a college rowing team. Along the way, he battled concussions, muscle strains, early mornings, and cold rainy practices, often sacrificing social life for the discipline of rowing.
These athletes are not recruited or paid. They make hard choices—trading free time and study hours for the irreplaceable experience of community, teamwork, and pushing themselves beyond what seems possible.
And none of this would have happened without the other seven rowers and cox Celia Cheng in that boat—and Coach Frank Biller, whose calm, thoughtful leadership shapes not just athletes, but whole people. Frank doesn’t yell. He trains minds and builds trust. When race day comes, it feels like any other day—because the work has already been done.
What I witnessed this weekend was grit, resilience, and the power of showing up—together.
Congratulations to Philip, his teammates, and Coach Biller. What a way to graduate.
#ACRAs #UVARowing #Resilience #Teamwork #StudentAthletes #Leadership #Grit #Graduation
