Athlete of the Week: 10 questions with Noah Silverstein, New Trier rowing

Noah Silverstein is a senior rower in the Trevians varsity 8 boat. He will row for Princeton University next year.

1. Do you have any prerace rituals or superstitions?

Yea. One thing I do especially is — the race is usually 2,000 meters so a mile and a quarter — I try to close my eyes and visualize first 200 meters. Coming off the line, our starting strokes and how fast we’re going to go in the first 200 meters.

2. How did you first get into rowing?

I rowed my freshman fall and then I was super skinny like 6-(foot)-4, 140 pounds and I wasn’t really into it. I took a year and a half off and when I came back was 6-7, 215, junior fall. I instantly fell in love with it again.

3. What is your favorite thing about rowing?

The fact that it’s so clear that your skill and how good you are is directly related to how hard to you work, Other sports are so dependent on what others are doing, but in rowing, if you are willing to work hard and do what is needed, it shows immediately on the water.

4. Why is Princeton a good fit for you?

First of all I just love the campus. It is very similar to Glencoe, where I live now, in that it’s close enough to the city where I can to (Philadelphia) or New York, but quiet enough too. What stuck me is just the guys on the team. Something unique about Princeton; it just felt like a super tight family.

5. What is your favorite thing to do when you’re not competing?

I love hanging out with my brother (Sam Silverstein). He’s at Harvard, so I don’t get to see him that much, but we did a lot during the pandemic and we were playing basketball, playing video games, working out.

6. What is your dream job?

I would love to work in the NBA front office, as a (general manager) or something like that. I”m super drawn to sports in general. I’m hoping to major in something like that. Something to be able to do that aspect of sports, how to get the best from your guys to win.

7. If you could play another sport, what would it be?

I played basketball for a while, so I’d probably go with that. I think my size would really help out.

8. If you’re in Walgreens with a couple bucks, what are you buying?

A pack of gum. For sure. Every day I show up for practice I have a couple sticks of gum in my mouth and coach always tells me to spit them out.

9. What is something people don’t know about you?

One thing people probably don’t know — my name gives it away — is I’m Jewish and very religious. I am 6-7 and 215 pounds, so not usually what you’d expect. But I am very into my religion.

10. How has your senior spring season gone?

So far, we’re having probably best year in New Trier history. This year we’ve just been killing it. We finished fifth in the Head of the Charles. We were third in a race behind top two ranked teams in country and ever since then we’ve got way faster. We won the Midwest regional by 7 seconds, which is like three boat lengths, and a week ago we won scholastic nationals. (June 9-10) we’re going down to compete against every team in country. We really think we have a chance.

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