Forrest Daugherty works out on the ergometer with coach Lou Berl.

Updated Sunday 3:29 p.m.
Davidson resident and Woodlawn School rower Forrest Daugherty finished 12th among 211 competitors Sunday in the junior lightweight (under 165 lbs.) division of the World Indoor Rowing Championships in Boston. He was at the championships with his father, Ed Daugherty, and his coach, Lou Berl, who coached (or rather “coxed”) him through the event.

Forrest achieved the high finish by rowing a personal best 6 minutes and 37 seconds in the simulated 2,000-meter time trial using ergometer rowing machines. (See full results in the division.)

Forrest became interested in rowing last year when Ms. Berl, who is director of development at Woodlawn School and also teaches fitness there, brought a rowing machine (ergometer) into his Woodlawn fitness class. Last spring Forrest joined NC Community Sailing and Rowing. Ms. Berl said he realized that he enjoyed rowing and might be able to compete at a high level in college if he trained.

So last fall, Forrest purchased his own ergometer and Ms. Berl agreed to coach him through the winter. The goal was to complete a standard 2000-meter race on an ergometer fast enough to get the attention of the best rowing colleges – particularly Harvard and other Ivy League schools.

Forrest’s best 2K time while rowing with NCCSR in the spring was 6:56. Ms. Berl, who has been a college and high school rowing coach, spoke to the head coach at Harvard in October. When she shared Forrest’s time, he said, ”Get it below 6:50 and we will be interested.”

So this last winter, Forrest has kept his rowing machine in a closet at Woodlawn and worked out before his varsity basketball practices. He also been training at Cross-Fit Davidson in the mornings and working out on weekends with Coach Berl and her husband, Chris Berl, a 3-time lightweight rowing National Team member.

In January, Forrest tested himself again on the erg and pulled a 6:43. “He was ecstatic,” Mr. Berl said.

“Forrest has put so much work into this project and has done it mostly on his own. We are so proud of him and really excited for Sunday. A race on an ergometer is one of the most intense and challenging experiences,” Mr. Berl said before Sunday’s race.

[Those with Forrest and / or Lou’s cell phone numbers should consider texting them before 11 AM Sunday to cheer them on, Mr. Berl said.]