Coming out of the University of Massachusetts Lowell with a degree in business administration, Shelagh Donohoe didn't intend to start a career in coaching. However, when a friend asked for her help with coaching a high school rowing team, she loved seeing the impact that she was having on others and knew that this was the right path for her. 

This season marks her 18th year as head coach of the women's rowing team at URI. The team is currently raising funds to travel to Europe to compete in the Henley Women's Regatta and the Henley Royal Regatta this summer. 

Donohoe has made major strides to advance URI's women's rowing team to 9-time A-10 champions, but she also had an impressively successful career as a rower herself. 

Recruited as a walk-on, she started her journey during her four years at UMass Lowell and then spent four years after college on the U.S. national team, where she won two silver medals at the world championships and topped it off with a silver medal at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. 

Donohoe explains that training for the Olympics is like living in a bubble. There isn't much you think about outside of the goal of winning an Olympic medal. This made it difficult to think about a future, even though she knew a business degree could lead to a successful career. As a coach, she applies many of the principles she learned into her work, such as managing finances for equipment and apparel. 

After helping a friend coach a high school rowing team, another friend asked for help with coaching at Harvard. This experience helped her land her first official coaching job as an assistant coach at Boston University, where she stayed for a year before starting a 10-year run at Northeastern University. Here, she coached under the late Carie Graves, an Olympic gold medalist and a strong leader, whom Donohoe describes as her role model. 

Donohoe's expertise was getting noticed, and before long, URI offered her the head coach position. She has watched the program and sport improve substantially. Advancements in technology have made it easier to keep track of statistics as well as allowed for boats to be made out of lighter materials. The formation of Title IX allowed for positive change within all of women's sports. Title IX put an end to all sex-based discrimination in education programs, including athletics. Donohoe said that Title IX has "allowed the women to train and actually gave them an opportunity to do what they were always capable of doing." 

Donohoe points out the improvement in equipment from when she first arrived. Although access to the right equipment is important, it's not the only thing that matters in terms of building a successful team. Donohoe compares it to a garage. "What you put into the garage is so much better than the garage itself and I know we have the best equipment, I know our training is correct," she tells her athletes. 

The athletes on her team are taught to focus on the things that they have, not the things that they don't. 

When it comes to motivating her athletes, Donohoe isn't your usual hype woman. Instead, she likes to allow the athletes' improvement to be their motivator and build from that. One way that the team showcases their improvement is by receiving a tank top when they hit certain goals on the rowing machine. 

"Sometimes these kids come in and they want that dang tank top so bad, I just want them to pull the number. So if I get tank tops that motivate them to pull better numbers so we're faster, I'll spend my money on those tank tops," Donohoe said. 

This year's seniors and their leadership stand out to Donohoe. They all have the same goals and mindset trusting the coaches and their training program. Their strong leadership and the chemistry that they have helped create within the team will help the team be able to reach their full potential. 

One of these athletes is fifth year Catie Castle, who aspires to follow the same path as her coach and compete in the Olympics. Donohoe first met Castle as a high school freshman who had an "I want to win" mentality, which she has carried throughout her time at URI. 

Donohoe hopes that she has given Castle all she needs to "be able to spread her wings and go." 

As Castle and the other seniors on the team begin their final season at URI, Donohoe wants to give them and the rest of the team an opportunity to get Rhode Island recognized on an international level. She also wants them to be able to travel and get the true student-athlete experience. Being able to travel to the Henley Regattas this summer in England would be an incredible accomplishment for these athletes and allow them to showcase their talent on an international stage.

Although their spot is not secure to compete, the team has big fundraising goals and are starting early to raise money. 

The URI women's rowing team hopes to raise $100,000 to travel to Henley. They are hosting an English tea at Point Judith Country Club on Sunday April 28 from 1-3 pm. Tickets will cost $500 for up to two people to attend. Additionally there is a link to donate any amount. Donations will be accepted HERE.