06/25/2026
My first year competing in the Warrior Games was an incredible experience. I especially appreciated how they built team elements into events that are typically individual in nature. I didn’t realize the 1‑minute row would be followed by a team rowing event, or that the swim portion would end with a relay — but those moments quickly became some of the most meaningful of the week.
What truly became my happy place, though, was coaching. I had the opportunity to coach the first‑ever mixed‑branch women’s rowing relay team, and they absolutely crushed it. Watching them come together, trust each other, and perform at that level was a highlight I’ll carry with me.
The individual events were challenging, but the team components restored a sense of true camaraderie and shared purpose. That’s what the Warrior Games are about. Medals are great, and pushing yourself matters, but nothing compares to what you can accomplish when you’re working toward the same goal with your team.
The cycling road race was its own kind of thrill — methodical, tactical, and at times feeling more like NASCAR than a bike race. Every move mattered: holding position, managing the draft, and choosing the right line at the right moment. I fought to stay exactly where I needed to be throughout the course, and on the final turn, I took the inside lane, finishing 6th overall. Even more impressive, our tandem team — with my coach, Ben Drezek, steering and Jon Turnbull powering the rear — took GOLD.
At the end of the event, Coach Drezek looked at me and said, “You did everything right and then some. Now that was a race.” That’s the kind of feedback that fuels me — the kind that pushes me to keep raising my own standards, mentally and physically.
If anyone captured that final turn from the upright cycle race, I’d love to see it. U.S. Special Operations Command Warrior Care Program - Care Coalition Warrior Games