Carolyn Webster-Stratton had been an active masters rower when she flipped over her handlebars while out for a bike ride in 2013. She can’t remember the first two weeks after the accident, but clearly remembers doctors painting a grim prognosis of her future with a traumatic brain injury. With a personal mantra of “keep going” and a dedication to recovery that includes daily long sessions on the erg, Carolyn returned to rowing in July 2025. After 12 years off the water, she's switched from sweep to sculling and is building new neural pathways.
GUEST Carolyn Webster-Stratton Founder, The Incredible Years Professor Emeritus, University of Washington Member, Vashon Rowing Club
QUICK LOOK
00:00 - Episode intro 00:25 - Banter 02:25 - Rowing Week 03:45 - The Huddle 07:24 - Hot Seat Q&A 11:11 - Carolyn’s rowing origin story 13:58 - A bike accident, a brain injury, and stubbornly pushing (instead of resting) through recovery 22:54 - The best rowing advice Carolyn ever received 20:28 - The human brain, the simplicity of repetition on the erg, and dealing with feelings of inadequacies when returning to the water 26:00 - Honoring where you’re at in rowing 33:00 - What the rowing life has given Carolyn 36:20 - Steady State Network news and notes
.
To see photos 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, iCrew, 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 BLUESKY - steadystatenetwork.bsky.social
FB - /AllieswithOars IG - @AllieswithOars
Connect on FB and IG with the hosts: Rachel Freedman - @RowSource Tara Morgan - @CmonBarber
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
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.