Dave Stephens is what you might call a natural-born athlete. Back at Nicholson Catholic College in Belleville, he received MVP awards in track and field and cross-country, while also getting his black belt in karate. He also set a new Canadian high school record for indoor rowing.
In fact, his 2000m time (just under 6 minutes and 20 seconds) gave him a ticket to the world championships at the Reggie Lewis Track and Field Center in Boston.
This is where his great progression hit a snag. Due to an age technicality, Dave could not compete in the high school division. Since he was not yet a university student, he also could not compete at the college level. The only division in which he could compete was the open category for professional adult athletes. Rowers reach their peak much later in life than athletes in many other sports, usually in their late twenties.
To everyone’s amazement back home in Belleville, he finished in the top 30 in the world. Had his time been included in the high school division, he would have sloshed the field. The winning lightweight high school rower, Carsten Finderup, finished in 6 minutes 25 seconds, over five seconds apart from Stephens’ time (a world of difference in racing).
There was already some buzz among the U of T crew at the Varsity Blues’ first tournament in September of 2000, held annually in Taiwan. The 19-year-old Stephens was by far the youngest rower sent to race. Yet all of the veteran crew were amazed by the incredible times he rowed. Without ever learning Stephens’ name, everyone began referring to him as “the kid from Belleville who rows a 6:20.” This was shortened to “the kid from Belleville” and eventually to “The Kid.”
Upon meeting “The Kid,” you do not see the type of person you might expect to be a great athlete. First, he has a slim build, uncommon for athletes but necessary in order to compete in his lightweight division. Stephens is also soft-spoken and certainly does not fit the “jock” stereotype. In fact, he is an engineering science student on an admission scholarship.Pulling off engineering science with daily training is dizzying just to think about. But Stephens has developed some coping strategies.
“I learn a lot from the book. And I don’t go to lectures, so it frees up a lot of time,” he says with a smile. “I haven’t been drunk in a long time.”
Despite the lack of social time, Stephens has found that the U
of T crew is a good bunch.
“We’re all really good friends,” he asserts, despite having to wake up at 5 in the morning every day before seeing each other.
“No one likes [the early morning wake-up], and it’s taken a long time to recover. Ever since the rowing season, I haven’t gotten up before noon.”
Stephens has improved even more since training in Toronto, which he credits to coach Tim Taha. As a physiology Ph.D. candidate, Taha has used his expertise to construct a specific training program for Stephens’ abilities.
“Tim is really motivational,” says Stephens, “and he doesn’t put any pressure on.”
In total, he has been able to shave another five seconds off his 2000m indoor time (good enough to break the Canadian university indoor record), and has made the Canadian National Rowing team.
He has brought out the best in his teammates, too. Last
season, he rowed the Varsity Blues coxed fours to first in Ontario, and they pulled off second this past fall. Looking back on his first two years, Stephens has a lot of fond memories, none greater than that first tournament in Taiwan.
“It was a sweet trip,” he reflects. “They make it like the Super Bowl out there, and there’s a huge crowd. They actually don’t know much about rowing, but you get to compete against some good schools like Harvard and Yale. It’s some high-quality racing.”
As for the future, Dave Stephens is unsure where it will lead him.
Next month he will travel to Vancouver for the National Team tests. If he makes the Senior A crew, he will be headed to the World Championships. If he keeps up his training, he will likely also head into Olympic competition, where Canada has had much success in rowing in the past.
Wherever he may go in the future, U of T has definitely left a lasting impact on Stephens. “Still, no one ever calls me by my real name—don’t think they even know it. I’ve even begun referring to myself as The Kid.”
Photograph by Simon Turnbull
