Olivette Athlete is on the Rowing Crew at the University of Minnesota

The last time we ran into Ladue athlete Chris Shirley, he was a wrestler and a water polo player. Shirley is a rare breed. He earned 12 varsity letters over 4 years at Ladue Horton Watkins High School.

After trying his hand at water polo at the University of Minnesota, he has taken up rowing in a big way. He is a member of the men’s rowing team in Minneapolis, traveling recently to spring training in Austin, TX and will row in a regatta in Gainsville, GA in May.

While rowing is an NCAA sport for the women at Minnesota and other schools, mostly the men row as a club activity. The Golden Gophers compete against power house crews at Michigan, Iowa, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Colorado and the like,

The Gophers have an indoor rowing tank that could rival lap swimming pools anywhere.

You never know which sport Ladue’s Chris Shirley will take up next.

Chris Shirley wins 12 letters at Ladue High.