For Ultimate Co-Captain Michela Rowland ’24, the sport runs in the family. Rowland’s older brother, a former Andover Ultimate Co-Captain, first encouraged them to try out their freshman year. Rowland tried out for the team with friends and soon developed a passion for the sport itself. Now a Co-Captain of the girls&non-binary team, Rowland leads with inclusion, support, and dedication.
Rowland shared that they were initially inspired to join Ultimate by the support and welcome from an upperclassmen mentor. They noted the positives of being able to compete in an all-gender athletic space.
“I remember one of my first memories, there was a person on the varsity team when I was a freshman, and he was an amazing, amazing player. I just remember he was super helpful. He was always giving me pointers and also encouraging feedback, so he was definitely someone who drew me in. Then also the all-gender environment was super appealing, just cause I had friends of all genders, and to be in the same sports space with them was really cool,” said Rowland.
Rowland shared their hope to use their new leadership position to instill a friendly team culture, one of their personal highlights from being a player on the team. Rowland noted that team traditions play a big role in how the team keeps their energy high during games.
“Ultimate has just a very friendly culture. Like when you go to tournaments, you’ll often see teams, talking to each other on the sidelines, like coming up with cheers together. We have a tradition where after every game, we sing our opponents a parody of a popular song. We changed the lyrics to match the game. So I think keeping that spirit present and alive is something that I really look forward to,” said Rowland.
According to EV Heck ’25, Rowland brings a positive mindset and willingness to help teammates to the field. Rowland demonstrates this facet of their leadership during difficult practices, working to include and integrate novice players.
“Michela always has a smile on. Michela cheers on teammates, even if they don’t know them. They learn everyone’s names. They are always talking to new players and helping them out, especially during scrimmages and drills. They are always helping me out, especially with learning things like zone and different tactical things,” said Heck.
Heck noted Rowland’s tenacity throughout their shared athletic endeavors. She highlighted Rowland’s commitment to preparing in the offseason independently, while also including teammates in their training.
“I started with Michela on the JV Ultimate Team and JV Soccer in my freshman year. One thing that it taught me is that no matter what, Michela is always reliable and always consistent. I remember in the offseason, Michela would always be the one asking people to throw and including new players and people who they don’t really talk to. I remember they were always the one running their heart out. They would go to Snyder [Center], and run laps. They would always put in the work over any break. They want everyone to become better as a team,” said Heck.
With a team full of many new players, Rowland’s helpful nature is an important trait. According to Fumi Kimura ’25, having a Co-Captain who is both a role model and an engaging leader is the perfect balance.
“They are a great model for newcomers this year, and this year is a year where we need someone like Michela [Rowland], because a lot of people are just new to the game, and they’re really friendly, so in those two respects, Michela is the perfect captain,” said Kimura.
As the Ultimate season kicks off next Wednesday, Rowland shared the team’s goals. They noted their hope to engage new players in the team and attain a healthy balance between competition and fun.
Rowland said, “We have new players, so integrating them in [is one of our goals]. Our biggest goal overall is having a really competitive season, while obviously having a lot of fun. We really want to push ourselves. Doing well at NEPSULs (New England Prep School Ultimate League) would be amazing, but so is just getting there.”
