If a team’s success is a reflection of its captain’s leadership and performance, then when the Sacramento State rowing team looks into the calm waters at Lake Natoma, it must see Laura Harder.

Harder, in her third year with the Hornets, has embraced the role and excelled as the leader for Hornet varsity eight squad, helping push the team toward a possible bid to the NCAA championships. To accomplish that, Sac State must place better than fourth at the Pac-10 championships on May 15 at Lake Natoma.

The Hornets could be on pace to make a run at the NCAA championships — which also will be held at Lake Natoma — after posting a 6:40.5 in a victory over UC Davis on Saturday, extending their dual meet winning streak to 25, dating back to the 2003 season.

“I think it is staying balanced and getting everyone meshed,” Harder said. “I try to keep the team focused on progressing and taking negatives and turning them into positives.”

On the water, Harder serves as stroke for the Hornet varsity eight boat — a position that coach Mike Connors said is vital to the team’s overall performance.

“As stroke, Laura is like the quarterback or point guard of our team,” Connors said. “She is in charge of rhythm adjustments, and the team’s performance is a direct reflection of her.”

Brittney Claycamp, Harder’s teammate for three years, added, “She is the backbone of the team. She takes on the role and is a leader as an equal.”

Harder and Claycamp, along with fellow junior Sara Crain, were freshmen in the spring of ’03 when all three were promoted from the novice eight boat to the highest rung of the Sac State rowing ladder — the varsity eight boat. Now the trio is a mainstay in the varsity eight boat, as Crain was in the six seat and Claycamp was right behind in the five seat against Davis.

“We had a need to bring up novices,” Connors said. “(Harder) rowed with us in January and basically progressed and made the varsity eight.”

Harder said that at first the transition to varsity was a little intimidating, but ultimately it was something that helped her become a better rower.

“The girls were supportive and they helped me out a lot,” she said. “Their competitiveness helped me get better.”

Harder came to Sac State from the sunny Southern California community of Redlands with no rowing experience. She said that after four years of track and cross country at Redlands High, she wanted to try something new and different.

“I thought it would be fun and challenging,” Harder said. “There is no water in Redlands, so I thought that I would give it a try.”

Harder said that from the first day, she knew rowing was something she could excel at.

“It was something I took to, it just clicked,” Harder said. “From day one, I told myself I was going to be a great rower.”

Connors said that Harder’s rowing development can be attributed to her work ethic.

“She is not the big muscular type, but she worked hard and built her strength,” Connors said. “This has turned her into one of our most efficient rowers.”

Of her size, Harder said, “It’s a challenge, but it makes it fun to overcome another barrier.”

Harder’s work ethic extends beyond the waters of Lake Natoma. In the classroom, she is a finance and accounting major who maintains at least a 3.70 grade point average, and she is the team representative to the Sac State Student-Athlete Advisory Council.

“She’s really driven,” Connors said. “She has really showed her ability to be a leader. She speaks up and keeps the team informed of lots of little things.”

Harder said that it is a fear of disappointment that leads to her drive on and off the water.”I like to set my goals high,” Harder said. “I think when you set a low goal, you are ultimately disappointed in yourself for not trying for something bigger.”

Claycamp said that a great example of Harder’s drive for excellence was last year’s Dad Vail Regatta — the biggest regatta on the east coast, held each year in Philadelphia.

“She came up to me at the Dad Vail Regatta and said, ‘I want this so bad for our team. It could really promote us,'” Claycamp said. “Then we did so well, and I think it was a reflection of her attitude.”

Maintaining her strive for high achievement, Harder has set the bar for this season’s rowing squad at the highest level.

“A bid to the NCAAs is the ultimate goal,” Harder said. “I think it is very important that we aim that high, so we stay focused on moving forward as a team.”

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Josh Oates can be reached at [email protected]