Meissner An Example For International Student-Athletes – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/10/2002 12:00:00 AM | Rowing
Maxi Meissner came to Columbus, Ohio in 1999 from Schoenow, Germany to capitalize on an opportunity unavailable in her native country.
Intercollegiate athletics in Europe do not exist as they do in the United States. Young people almost always must choose between training to be an athlete and furthering their education. Therefore, the idea of not only being able to do both, but also having each subsidized is an attractive offer for European athletes. Meissner is no exception.
She had been rowing in her native country for most of her life, but did not want to sacrifice her education in order to continue her training.
In the 2001-02 academic year, Ohio State varsity athletic teams included 69 participants from countries other than the United States. The international delegation made up more than seven percent of student-athletes in varsity sports at Ohio State.
The Ohio State women’s rowing team, with its 11 international athletes from six countries has more team members from other nations than any other of Ohio State’s 35 varsity sports teams. The 2002 Buckeye first varsity 8 (Ohio State’s top boat, of which Meissner is a member) alone had representatives from the United States, Canada, Germany, Russia, Australia and the Czech Republic.
Meissner has now been at The Ohio State University for nearly four years and has become an example for other international student-athletes. The 22-year-old senior was a first-team All-America rower in 2001 and served as a co-captain for the 2002 Ohio State team.
She was a member of both the 2001 Ohio State rowing squad, which finished fourth nationally overall, as well as the 2002 first varsity 8 boat, which took fourth-place at the NCAA championships as an individual boat. Both were the best finishes in program history in the respective categories.
What Meissner loves most about rowing in the United States is being part of a team, rather than individual acclaim.
“Rowing is so much more fun here because at home, I never really was on a team,” Meissner said. “Usually, you’re rowing in a single (boat) to get into a team boat… but even then, it really wasn’t a true team. Here, you absolutely have to be a team and you have to learn that you’re not rowing by yourself.”
Andy Teitelbaum, head coach of the Ohio State rowing program, said Meissner’s friendliness and team attitude is what makes her a fitting captain in a group with so much international flavor.
“She is such a good person and makes friends so easily that she makes it a lot easier for other international students to come into our program,” Teitelbaum, who is now entering his eighth season at the helm of the Buckeyes, said. “Also, having been through the difficulties of dealing with a second language and being far away from home for an extended period of time, she has a lot of empathy and support for those problems that kids can run into participating in their first year.”
Much of Meissner’s empathy comes from her own experiences as a young person far from home. Meissner’s first year in Ohio certainly took some adjusting to as she found herself thousands of miles from her friends and family. While homesickness ensued, she cites her head coach as one of the people who helped her most.
“At first, I talked to (Coach Teitelbaum) a lot,” Meissner said. “I think for him it was hard too because he doesn’t have the experience of being in another country (for a long period of time), but he had a lot of patience and helped out.”
These days, as a co-captain, Meissner often is called upon to help new international athletes adjust to life far from home as well as the grind of training and being a student simultaneously. She said the best way to help a new athlete is simply a good conversation.
“Just talking to (a new student-athlete) normally helps a lot,” Meissner said. “I experienced that a lot my freshman year because when somebody talked to me I thought ‘here is a person who is trying to understand me’ and that meant a lot.”
Most of all, however, Meissner gives credit to her team as a whole and said, international athlete or not, every rower is always there to help another.
“Even though we’re international athletes, that doesn’t matter,” she said. “The team is so awesome that while you can’t hang out with everybody, if you have a problem, anyone will help.”
As a model student-athlete, Meissner not only takes advantage of her time on the water, but on land, in the classroom as well. Meissner is an exercise science major who loves what she studies.
“I’ve been an athlete for so many years and I became interested in what’s behind (being an athlete),” Meissner said. “It applies to what I do so I can kind of look behind the scenes and I like that.”
After graduating from Ohio State, which Meissner expects to do in the next year and a half, she plans to attend graduate school and continue her education in the United States. She would even like to continue on as a Buckeye if possible.
“I’d love to stay here, if I can get (into graduate school),” the two-time OSU scholar-athlete said. “I like Ohio State. I like the people in my department. They’ve been really helpful and I know that if I ever have any questions, I can go to my professors. They’re a really good resource for me.”
Tim Kirby is one of Meissner’s professors with whom she has developed a close relationship. Kirby, an instructor in the College of Medicine and Public Health, said Meissner is a valued asset to the department.
“Maxi is a fine student, very interested in the field and highly motivated,” Kirby said. “She has been involved in exercise science activities beyond that required by the program. She has assisted graduate students with research projects and has even conducted some (rowing-related) research on her own. She volunteers for activities within the lab and is a valued contributor to the program – all of this despite a very busy schedule common to that of a varsity athlete.”
Appreciation of Meissner’s presence seems to be universal and recognized not only by faculty, but by her coaches as well.
“More than anything, Maxi just loves the sport of rowing. She loves what she studies and she loves her teammates and so it’s fun to have somebody like that around,” Teitelbaum said. “She wants to be working out, she wants to be training and she wants to be racing.”
Two years ago, Meissner was not racing. In a freak accident, she tripped over an oar while exiting a boat and found herself in a cast with a high ankle sprain, leaving her unable to complete for several weeks. Teitelbaum said this did not sit well with Meissner’s competitive attitude.
“As hard as it was, as homesick as she got as a freshman, I think the hardest time she ever went through was when they put the cast on her and told her that it was going to be two or three weeks before she was going to be able to get back in the boat,” Teitelbaum said. “That’s Maxi.”
Most of all, Meissner realizes when her eligibility expires in June 2003 and her time as an Ohio State rower comes to an end, what she takes away will be well worth the four years away from home.
“I think I learned a lot about myself,” Meissner said. “I learned so much about teamwork and that sometimes you have to focus not just on yourself but on everybody else – not just in the boat, but outside the boat too. I also learned that it’s not always easy being a student-athlete, but it’s worth it.”
Meissner has advice for any international students planning to attend Ohio State.
“You can’t be shy,” she said. “If you’re from another country it always hard for other people to see what you’re going through so if you don’t approach other people, it’s probably not very likely that they’re going to approach you. Most of all, just make the best out of every situation. Even if you’re homesick or don’t feel like it, try to meet people, get to know the country and the people in the country too. Just try to have fun.”
