Long Beach Teen Makes Waves in Competitive Rowing

Early morning rowing practices and national competitions — it’s all in a day’s work for one Long Beach teenager.

But it wasn’t always that way for lifelong city resident Sigal Markowitz, a rising senior at Friends Academy in Locust Valley. The 17-year-old became interested in rowing by chance when her high school gave the option of taking a physical education class or pursuing an available sport. Markowitz chose rowing.

“I went down the list of sports and didn’t really know what rowing was,” Markowitz said. “I ended up really liking it.”

In the spring of her sophomore year she got her big break when rowing in a quad boat. Her team won a scholastic nationals competition. That was first time she “won something really important,” she said.

Markowitz has since gone on to attain titles in various competitions, including junior quad and lightweight 4+ state championships, all while maintaining a stellar academic record and being recognized as a New York State Scholar Athlete.

Her junior 8+ team took the silver medal at the U.S. Rowing Club Nationals in Indianapolis in July. At the same competition, Markowitz helped her senior 4+ boat come in third place – a big accomplishment since they were competing against college-aged girls.

“I really love so many different aspects,” said Markowitz when asked what she enjoys most about rowing. “There is one side of the sport I love – you will go out in your single and it is so peaceful. Equally, I love racing – the excitement and adrenaline rush you get from winning a race.”

She recently made the switch from rowing with her high school team at Friends Academy and now is part of the Sagamore Rowing Association in Oyster Bay, a change that Sagamore’s coach, Troy Smith, was very excited about.

“Sigal brings a lot of enthusiasm which cannot be understated,” Smith said. “… Having her on the team is like an ace in the hole.”

Her mother, Sharon Azmon-Markowitz, and father, Michael, are Sigal's biggest fans. Six days each week Azmon-Markowitz drives her daughter to 7 a.m. practices in Oyster Bay, attends all of her regattas — the major competitions — and even bought her a rowing boat.

“We made our time available to get her where she needs to go whenever she needs to go,” she added.

Hoping to row for a division one school in college, Markowitz said that she also wants to get on a national team and row at the worlds. She added that she has some schools in mind and would like to also focus on a liberal arts education.

“Like everything, it takes work and I want to see where the sport will take me for now and see what happens,” Markowitz said.

Smith explained that he wants to see Markowitz continue with the sport.

“I'm for longevity,” he continued. “If she wants to try for national team, I support that, but ultimately I want to see her stick with the sport beyond that endeavor, or take what she as learned here into other areas of her life. She will follow her heart and that's all I want for her.”