“Just because rowing is such a grueling sport, it can really take a toll on you not just physically but emotionally and spiritually,” he says. “I feel like I draw my strength from my relationship with God. If I didn’t have that relationship, I don’t think I would be able to do it and make it in the sport.”
But even if Holzapfel tends to deflect glory from himself, the reality that he is actually doing it at the highest level, in the world’s most prominent program—with an arguably imposing family precedent, as well—isn’t lost on anyone. He and fellow senior Malcolm Howard, Harvard’s master of protocol, only garner praise.
Parker, their near-legendary coach, is a particularly distinguished exalter.
“It’s early in the game yet, but [Holzapfel and Howard] are two very impressive oarsmen,” Parker says. “But they’re also two very impressive people. You can see that they earn a lot of respect from the other oarsmen and I think that’s going to have a very important impact on the squad.”
But now, with their notoriously successful former teammates lost to graduation, the burden falls primarily to Holzapfel to try to uphold the Crimson’s tradition of dominance.
His teammates, for one, aren’t too worried.
“We’ve got a great captain and he’s just spectacular in keeping us motivated,” senior William Ulrich says, frankly. “He’s reminding us that people aren’t perceiving us as threat this year and urging us to prove them wrong. Harry hasn’t had to say anything—Aaron’s just spectacular at that.”
But wait—isn’t Holzapfel afraid? Just a tad fearful of unjustly being held to a standard of absolute perfection?
In his mind, those may be the wrong types of questions to ask.
“In the sport of crew, people can get sucked into the monotony, the difficulty of the sport and really lose the enjoyment that is supposed to come from it,” he says. “But I think we’re focused on what we have to do now.”
Astonishingly, you see, Aaron Holzapfel is undeterred by the looming presence of the river.
Certainly not while rowing—and not in the boathouse that is his second home.