LONE TREE

Vivian Zaruba has made it to Drake University’s famed Blue Oval in high school state track.

She’s a starter at Lone Tree High School in basketball and softball.

She runs cross country with her younger sister, Abby, and for her mom, Ashley, who is the team’s head coach.

But last week, when she signed an athletic letter-of-intent with Kansas University, the sport was not track. Not softball. Not basketball. It’s rowing.

Rowing?

Now, having gone to school at KU in Lawrence, Kansas, and having lived in Kansas City after landing my first job at the Kansas City Star, I can tell you the only time water came up in a conversation was when it involved Oceans of Fun, a watery amusement park located next to Worlds of Fun, KC’s biggest amusement and roller coaster park.

And that’s just so short sighted and bland. Forgive me.

The Kansas River flows right through Lawrence on the way to meeting up with the Missouri River in Kansas City. Clinton Lake, a large reservoir located just southwest of Lawrence, has 35 square miles of water and land. And then there’s the iconic Potter Lake which sits in the midst of campus not far from a football and track stadium that is currently undergoing a major $340 million remodel.

Rowing? In Kansas? Why not?

The KU Rowing Team was one of the collegiate rowing teams that headed to Boston for the legendary Head of the Charles in October, which is the world’s largest regatta with 11,000 rowers and nearly half a million spectators.

The KU Rowing Boathouse, located near the Kansas River, is 14,000 square feet with a large training area, kitchen and locker rooms.

Rowing? It all began for Zaruba last summer. She signed up for a “Learning to Row” class that was taught by Lone Tree alum Amy Smith, who is an assistant coach with University of Iowa Recreational Services.

One weekend, and Zaruba was hooked.

“It was something new and it sounded fun,” Vivian said. “I just wanted to try something new.”

The camp included two hours each morning. Campers took out their own boats. They rowed for an hour and a half. They brought the boats back to the boathouse and put them away.

It wasn’t long before Zaruba was researching the sport. Eventually, she reached out to a number of different colleges. An assistant coach at Kansas answered.

By September, Zaruba and her parents were on the way to Lawrence. They took a walking tour. They went inside one of the science buildings, a big consideration because Zaruba is looking to go into biosciences or health care. She liked how many of the buildings and lecture halls on KU’s campus are situated into an area on campus where the main road is closed to traffic on weekdays. It’s just students. No dodging cars on a rainy day.

“From what I’ve read,” Zaruba said, “a lot of people say it’s a big college, but it still has that small-town feeling.”

And she met some of the rowers on the team.

“They all seemed very nice and they all seemed like they really enjoy rowing and being on the team there,” Zaruba said. “So I think it’ll be really good.”

Think KU, and many think KU basketball. The men’s team plays in Allen Fieldhouse, an iconic home court with national championship banners hanging from the rafters. The women’s program has an alumni base that includes Lynette Woodard, who was the all-time leading scorer in the country until Caitlin Clark showed up.

Rowing is also making a name for itself.

“I really like the environment that the rowing program has and how well taken care of the program is,” Zaruba said. “It seems like the school really pays attention.”

“I think it’s a great opportunity for Viv,” Lone Tree track coach Chad Shields said. “She is a hard worker and will do well in the program at Kansas.”

On signing day, Vivian was joined by parents Ashley and Josh, and younger sisters Abby, Evelyn and Loretta.

Funny thing, Ashley and Josh, both former Iowa Hawkeye athletes, were now dressing in KU blue and red.

They looked great in those Jayhawk logos.

“I keep saying,” Vivian said with a laugh, “at least it’s still a Hawk.”

Rock Chalk!

News columnist Paul Bowker can be reached at bowkerpaul1@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @bowkerpaul