Leah Brannon Reeves thought her athletic career would be over by now.
The Chandler alum is graduating from the University of Oklahoma this semester, ending her time on the OU women’s rowing team, of which she was team captain. But now, she’s getting the chance to not only extend her rowing career, but potentially represent the U.S. at a higher level.
Reeves has been invited to a training camp for the Under-23 (U23) women’s national rowing team, which will represent the country at the 2026 World Rowing U23 Championships in Duisburg, Germany.
“Last year I got to wear the USA across my chest, and that was a great feeling, but this year it’ll just be, I don’t know, the next step up. It’ll just be incredible to be able to say I am on the national team. I’m representing the United States of America at this race. I’m just super excited,” Reeves said.
It was not an easy feat to get the invitation, and Reeves still has to prove herself at the roughly month-long camp, but she’s ready to take it on.
To be considered, athletes must submit an application which includes ERG times, coach recommendations and a video of them rowing. Reeves said the most important time is the 2000-meter test, and they typically won’t consider anyone unless they have a time under seven minutes.
“I barely hit that this season. I went six minutes and 59 seconds,” she admitted. “I wasn’t really sure I was going to be invited since that’s just barely sub seven.”
However, luck was on her side when she finally received her invitation on the final day of the notification period. She joked that she might be the slowest girl they invited, since she received hers on the last day, but at least she made it.
What lies ahead is four weeks of training and testing. Around 26 athletes, including two coxswains, will attend the camp in Princeton from June 8. They will row together, race together, race against each other, do lactate testing, lifting and more. The rowers will also be evaluated and placed into boats, including an eight-person boat, two four-person boats and possibly a pair, Reeves said.
“It’s either 16 or 18 of us will get placed in the boats and be on the national team, and then the other six to eight of us will get sent home,” Reeves said.
Those who make the team will leave for Germany on July 16 and compete from July 22 to 26. It happens to be the same place where Reeves competed last summer as a member of Team USA for the 2025 FISU World University Games.
There are a lot of factors that go into being good in a boat, and Reeves said that anything could happen. Sometimes, the fastest girls on paper aren’t always the most efficient whentheygetonthewater.
She’s admitted that improving her ERG score isn’t something she is likely to do over the course of the training camp. However, something her coach mentioned is the importance of being vocal in the boat and motivating others. It helps the boat go faster without actually being fit, strong or technical.
“She was telling me that I might, I should really lean into that and try to use that to my advantage. Because even if I am giving everything I have, encouraging my teammates also in my boat can really somehow free up some extra speed,” she said.
This can really come into play in the fourperson boats, which don’t have a coxswain yelling at the rowers. Reeves said they can sometimes get a little quiet, but if one of the rowers is vocal, it can really help lift the spirits of everyone else.
For the next few weeks, she plans to get out on the water and get more experience with sculling -- a form of rowing that involves using two oars. Reeves mostly competed in sweep rowing, which is more common at the collegiate level.
Reeves also plans to keep in shape and work on her own now that the OU rowing season is over. And well, try not to be the slowest girl at camp. She’s also fundraising. It’s not exactly cheap to go to the training camp. She’s trying to raise $4,000 to cover the costs of traveling to the camp, housing, coaching and other costs. As of Monday morning, her GoFundMe has raised about $2,275, or 57 percent of what she needs.
She also hesitates to call this the end of her athletic career.
“Well, I’m going back andforthaboutit.Ithink… I know I keep saying, ‘Oh, I’m going to be done after this next thing.’ And then I get some other kind of opportunity.And then I’m like, ‘Oh, wait, but I really want to do that,’” she said.
However, she said it’s more likely that this is it for her. Once she’s done training and competing, she plans to focus on flying. Reeveshadthechance to possibly keep rowing and compete one more year at OU, but ultimately decided against it.
“I would love to have another year being an athlete, but also I’ve kind of put my flying on hold, and I’m worried that I’m becoming improficient,” she said. “I’m kind of getting out of practice, and also I really am just looking forward to starting my career, and really leaning into that.”
To donate to Leah Brannon Reeve’s GoFundMe, search for “Help Leah Compete for Team USA Rowing” on the fundraising website.