Athlete of the Issue: Teagan Farley

THIJS WITTINK/DEERFIELD SCROLL

Teagan Farley ’26 is one of the three captains of Deerfield Girls Rowing this year. She has committed to Stanford University, where she will continue her rowing career, and has also competed on behalf of the U.S. Women’s National Team. 

Farley’s rowing journey began during the COVID-19 pandemic, when living in New York City limited her ability to play sports outside. “My mom says that I was born caffeinated—I just have too much energy—so my dad started putting me on the rowing machine we had and I was pretty good at it,” she recalled. A few months later, she joined City Island Rowing, a rowing team located outside of New York City. Although the commute was long, she said she quickly “fell in love” with both the sport and the team. That experience eventually led her to apply to boarding school and come to Deerfield. 

Since arriving at Deerfield, Farley has made strong contributions to the program. Girls’ Varsity Rowing Coach Parker Washburn described her as “somebody who is eager to push herself and her teammates farther than they may think they can go.” 

He added that she raises the standard for the team while making others feel included in the work required to succeed. Washburn also stated, “She is capable of leading by example through the work that she does, consistently.” Her consistency and effort have made her a strong presence both in practice and in races.

Farley generates enthusiasm on and off the water that rubs off on her surrounding rowers, earning her title as captain. Her teammate Lily Johnson ’28 said  “[she] cares so much, not just about rowing, but being a good teammate and leader,” adding that her attitude, especially on race day, sets the tone for the team. Rowan Skinner ’26 said, “Teagan rallies the team by setting a clear, shared goal and inspires everyone to see how their individual efforts contribute to the goal.”

Other teammates point to her work ethic as a daily example. Liesel Stitch ’28 said, “I feel motivated to bring my best to practice every day when I see her working hard and never taking her foot off of the gas.” Farley leads by example—being a strong example to her team and even the other captains. Co-captain Laura Kim ’26 shared, “It is inspiring to see Teagan’s incredible work ethnic paired with such humility. Her dedication to this sport is evident and I am honored to have the privilege of leading a team with her.” 

Beyond Deerfield, Farley has competed at a national level. In her sophomore year summer, Farley raced the quad, a four-person boat where each rower uses two oars, representing the US National Team. She was asked to join the camp sculling and had a great experience. She loved her experience so much that “[she] wanted to come back and try something different and see what the sweeping side of it was like.” 

This past summer, Farley rowed in the four for the sweeping side, and describes it to be an “overall amazing experience.” Training in Chula Vista, California for the whole summer  required significant time and commitment, including time away from family, but she described her experience as “deeply rewarding”. 

Some of Farley’s best moments take place on the water. She recalled a race at the world championships where her boat stayed composed despite trailing for most of the race. “We didn’t freak out. We just stayed calm and trusted our rhythm and base, and most importantly, trusted each other,” she said. In the final seconds, they pulled again and won by a narrow margin. We were still behind the entire race up unit like the last thirty seconds, and yet the whole time we held our composure. We ended up winning by like a hair, and it was so fun and entertaining, but I also just think that crossing that finish line, I was so much more proud than if it was an easy race.” Moments like these shaped her as the athlete she is today. She claims it helped her “holding my composure in stressful moments on and off the water,” when trying to “perfect my [her] craft.” 

Coach Washburn defines a good rower to be someone “in great shape, have a combination of endurance and power, but also is really skillful and able to collaborate effectively with others. In settings like races and training, they need to exhibit real competitive stamina and toughness.” As her time at Deerfield comes to a close, Farley leaves behind a strong example of leadership and commitment. Looking ahead to her next four years at Stanford, she brings with her not only experience at the highest level, but also the mindset that has shaped her success so far.