Annie Haeger: From Christmas tears to Olympic Hopeful

Written by Reid Oslin

When she was five years old, former Boston College sailor Annie Haeger '12 cried with disappointment when she discovered that her family's Christmas present that year was a small sailboat.

Little did the unhappy youngster know that the tiny Optimist-class pram would help launch a distinguished sailing career that would bring her to Boston College and gain her both national sailing recognition and a chance to compete for a coveted medal in this summer's Olympic Games in Brazil.

Earlier this month, US Sailing named Haeger as 2015's "Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year." Haeger and BC classmate Briana Provancha are currently training in Argentina for an opportunity to represent the United States in the 470 Class sailing competition in the upcoming Olympic Games.

While at Boston College, the Lake Forest, Ill. native, proved herself to be among the nation's elite sailors – steering the Eagles to two Fowle Trophies as the nation's top team; capturing the Quantum Female Sailor of the Year award in 2011; becoming only the second woman to earn co-ed All-America status; and winning Eagle of the Year as the outstanding female student-athlete in her graduating class.

Annie took a few minutes from her busy training schedule in Argentina to talk about her Boston College experience and her quest for Olympic Gold:

You grew up in Lake Forest, Ill. How did you wind up at Boston College?

When I was deciding what college to go to, one of the best pieces of advice that I received was to visit the school and try to "see yourself there without sailing."

I had visited a couple universities previously, but as soon as I stepped onto the BC campus, I knew I was home. I felt the school spirit as soon as I walked on campus; I had never experienced that in high school or at any other school I visited.

The nail in the coffin was the sports atmosphere that surrounds the school as well as the academic reputation (especially in the business school which I was most interested in).

When graduation came around it was so difficult to leave! BC was just a slam dunk for me.

Did you have any problem adjusting from Great Lakes sailing to Boston Harbor and sailing on the East Coast Ocean?

Probably the biggest adjustment for me adapting to Savin Hill from Lake Michigan was the salt water! Rinsing off your boat everyday was something we never did back home. My body was used to sailing in close to freezing temperatures and snow. I felt quite bad for those California kids in late fall and early spring.

One of the best things about the Savin Hill venue is that every type of condition is thrown at you, just a sail away. Whether you want to work on current driven racing or consistent straight line speed, it's a matter of 10 minutes on the water.

What was your major at BC? What do you hope to do with your degree post-Olympics?

In 2012, I graduated with a degree in marketing. One of the things I am most thankful for during our Olympic campaign is that both Briana and I are able to put our degrees to use. Team Haeger/Provancha does our own website management, Facebook, fundraising and news blasts. We are able to put our heads together and see which markets in the sailing world are still untapped and try to get as much exposure for our team and the US Sailing Team Sperry as possible.

After the Olympics I hope to dive right into the business world, at least for one full year until I decide what my next move in Olympic sailing will be. At the beginning of the campaign, right after graduation, I worked at a venture capital firm in Chicago which still interests me quite a bit. Truth be told, I am not sure where my next journey will take me. My dream job would be managing a boutique marketing firm somewhere in the world.

Are there any individuals who had a really meaningful impact on your BC experience?

Greg Wilkinson, the head coach for the Eagles is forever a part of my life. He is not just a sailing coach, but a life coach. The investment he made, and continues to make, in Briana and me during our time at BC was incredible.

Though his main focus was to win national championships (which he has won many!) he also strived to make you a clear thinker and a more well-rounded person. He has an incredible sense of what it will take to become a champion on and off the water. While entering into our Olympic Campaign, Greg sat me down and told me what I needed to work on to fulfill my dreams.

I work hard every day in practice mostly to win a gold medal, but in part to make him proud. Even to this day, I have phrases that will pop up in my head with Greg's voice reminding me off past mistakes and ways to fix them.

There is no way I would be this successful post college sailing if it were not for him. No other coach in my life will put as much time and commitment into my career. He is someone who not only appreciates pure talent, but recognizes potential and I am so grateful that he saw that in me.

Is there something that you especially learned at BC - either in the classroom, as a student-athlete, or beyond - that has helped shaped your life as a competitive sailor?

Time management was a skill that I definitely developed at school. In our sport, being able to manage gym workouts, off-the-water logistics, boat work and physical sailing time is a task. Being what I like to call a "full-time student-athlete" gave me a great foundation to start our Olympic campaign. The rest was trial by fire.

Being a part of the Eagles' athletic program taught me how to be an athlete. Access to some of the best trainers, sports medicine, tutors and coaches made a platform that could only lead to success.

A tool that both Briana and I have taken away from BC is to surround yourself with experts. On our team we now have a multi-world champion and 'bad ass' sailor David Ullman as our head coach, Grant Spanhake as our technical director with numerous America's Cups and Volvo Ocean races under his belt and all the other members of the US Sailing Team Sperry. Since we are newbies in the 470 class, we've had to become students of the sport. Taking notes as precise as possible and studying them after the fact has proven time and again to excel our learning curve.

What has motivated you to do the training and make the sacrifice necessary to compete for an Olympic berth? Also, how did you and Briana choose the 470 Class as your competition focus?

Briana and I met on the podium at the 2007 Volvo Youth World Championship in Kingston, Ontario. At the time, I was sailing a Laser Radial and she was crewing on a 29er. On the podium, she received a gold medal while I got silver for the US.

Being young, neither of us had an idea what was in store for the future. Freshman year at BC, I was mainly focused on going to the Olympics in the Laser Radial. Fortunately (in retrospect) my body type was a little too restricting to continue to such a high level. Greg Wilkinson helped guide both Briana and me to each other as the four years continued.

Greg always said, "If you put Briana in the front of the boat, you will win." I can say from personal experience that this is indeed true. Her strengths are not only in crewing though. In 2012, our graduating year, Briana and I led the Eagles to a Woman's College Sailing National Championship Sailing B and A division, respectively. Winning was a great way to launch into our Olympic campaign where both of us feed off the other's strengths and weaknesses.

Briana is the best crew in the US. Her drive for knowledge and natural ability push me to be a better sailor. Our world ranking today is because of her motivation and drive. We are a team: together we make things possible Nothing more, nothing less. I admire her mind, her strive to be the best and most of all, her passion for the sport. For all of those keeping score, she did beat me in every race this year since she sits in the front of the boat!!

Why did you choose Argentina for your training?

We're training in San Isidro, Argentina, in preparation for our first qualifying event for the US Olympic Trials. Though the event does not start until of Feb. 23, we have come down to the venue early to get acquainted with our surroundings and get a feel for patterns in the breeze and current. It is quite a tricky venue with fresh, extremely shallow water. From the silt, the water color is also quite a challenge as it is more difficult to see pressure differences and seaweed that may be below!

What does the "Yachtswoman of the Year" title mean to you?

Last year, one of my best friends in the entire world won the Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year at age of 25. I have been following in Stephanie Roble's footsteps since we were little girls growing up on the same small lake in Southeast Wisconsin. It means a lot to continue to follow her path of excellence.

Entering into 2016, my mind has been totally focused on the Olympics. Winning this award was never something I was ever expecting or aiming for, but I am honored to be on a list with some of the sailing greats. I am representing Team Haeger/Provancha, the US Sailing Team Sperry, as well as Boston College while accepting this award. I am a product of my environment, and everyone who has been involved has shaped me in positive ways. Great thanks to BC for providing the steppingstone needed to excel to the next level in my sailing career!

Anything else that you think is important to include?
I say it all the time; 'Once an Eagle, always an Eagle!'

Finally… did you really cry when you got an Opti for Christmas at age 5?

Oh yeah, I bawled my eyes out. My dad is a HUGE sailor, lives and dies for the sport! I think he may have jumped the gun a little, getting us Optis at the ripe old age of five. It is quite ironic now that my older brother was the only one out of the three of us who enjoyed the present as he looked at it as a place to play. My younger brother and I are the ones who continue to sail competitively and my older brother dabbles in it from time to time.

Boston College Athletics

Annie Haeger: From Christmas tears to Olympic Hopeful

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