At the heart of New Orleans, at Xavier University of Louisiana, two coaches decided to challenge tradition—by bringing an elite sport to an unexpected place and building something that had never existed before: the first co-ed rowing program at a Historically Black College and University. Xavier University Rowing Club is a trailblazing force in collegiate sports, championing diversity and unity on Bayou St. John.
Coaches Beth Manley and Chloé Jobin, and rower Victoria Duffey, are at the heart of the grassroots effort fueled by the belief that sports have the power to change minds and communities. Every stroke they take on the water is a step towards breaking barriers and building a more inclusive future for rowing.
QUICK LOOK
00:00 - Episode intro
02:05 - Co-Hosts Rachel Freedman and Tara Morgan banter
06:14 - The Huddle: A quick get to know guests Beth Manley, Victoria Duffey, and Chloé Jobin
07:41 - Welcome guests and Rowing week on a scale of 1-10: a mixed bag of rain, gators, and flip tests
08:43 - The Hot Seat Q&A
11:18 - For Victoria, the importance of attending an HBCU
14:30 - XULA’s location in New Orleans
15:04 - What sparked the idea of starting a rowing program at XU?
16:55 - No blueprint for starting a rowing club at XULA
19:27 - Partnership with New Orleans Rowing Club
22:07- Victoria: from Crossfit to XULA Rowing Club walk-on and beyond
25:50 - Building club culture of accountability, leadership, and building each other up
30:24 - Training, growth, and plans
33:48 - About being the first, motivation and the legacy of XULA. Contextualize what you're doing and the space that you're making for other people
40:23 - Steady State Network news and notes
.
To see photos of Victoria, Chloé, Beth, and XULA Rowing Club, and get links to the people, clubs, and events mentioned in this episode, check out the show notes on our website.
.
This episode was made possible in part by Breakwater Realty, RowSource, and our Patrons.
.
Steady State Podcast is hosted and edited by Rachel Freedman and Tara Morgan. Tara provides additional audio engineering, books show guests, and is our sponsor and donor coordinator. Rachel writes our scripts and e-newsletter, and manages the website and social media. Our theme music is by Jonas Hipper.
.
SHOP SSN GEAR: www.steadystatenetwork.com/shop
SIGN UP FOR THE SSN NEWSLETTER: www.steadystatenetwork.com/newsletter
MAKE A DIFFERENCE: www.steadystatenetwork.com/support
Check out more Steady State Network here:
FB - /SteadyStateNetwork IG - @SteadyStateNetwork
FB - /AllieswithOars IG - @AllieswithOars BLUESKY - steadystatenetwork.bsky.social
Connect on FB and IG with the hosts: Rachel Freedman - @RowSource Tara Morgan - @CmonBarber
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Ridiculous History
History is beautiful, brutal and, often, ridiculous. Join Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown as they dive into some of the weirdest stories from across the span of human civilization in Ridiculous History, a podcast by iHeartRadio.