Olympic Rowing Dreams & Career Transition: This is George Rossiter’s Journey of Resilience

George competed at Junior, U23 and Senior levels, winning silver at Junior level and two U23 bronze medals. In April 2024, George joined another ship, Luminance, a cutting-edge AI company transforming the legal industry, wearing the hat of an Account Executive. His story, missing Tokyo 2022 due to illness, exemplifies how hard work, resilience, and determination lead to life lessons and success.

Early Influences: The Lightbulb Moment

Rowing is a Rossiter thing. George’s father used to row and George’s older brother, Matt Rossiter, raced internationally for Team GB. While George admits that he only started rowing at 15, he previously enjoyed other sports such as cricket.

After watching his brother win gold at the Junior World Championships in Beijing, George followed in his footsteps. It was a “lightbulb moment, an amazing thing to watch. It was very inspiring to watch him do so well’. This triggered his inspiration.

George went on to row for Abington School, Newcastle University, and the prestigious Leander Club. His journey took him to prestigious competitions, including the Junior World Championships in France 2009, racing as part of the men’s pair in the World Cup series in 2018 and 2019, alongside Harry Glenister. George remembers this advancement as “significantly harder, taking a lot longer than expected’ but ‘being part of the senior team was amazing and what I worked for a long time.”

Commitment & Teamwork: Learning through Sport

George reflects that rowing taught him the value of work ethic: consistent hard work, teamwork, and the determination always to push oneself.

“Working in a team is all about trying to get the best out of each other, but it is also about learning to get the best out of yourself. It’s a very long process to get good at rowing- it takes a lot of time, a lot of commitment and consistency”.

His mother's saying—"I don’t care how good you are at something, but I do care if you don’t try your hardest"—became a guiding principle for his approach to both sport and life.

However, the other key lesson learned is that sometimes your efforts don’t produce the desired results, and this is where resilience is essential. “In sport, you lose a lot more than you win”, acknowledges George. It’s an inherent part of being an athlete.

“In sport, you lose a lot more than you win”

Resilience When Overcoming Olympic Setbacks

George’s Olympic dream was within reach, but his plan was disrupted by illness. In March 2020, he was selected for the Tokyo Olympics, and during the limbo period of the postponed Games, he came down with glandular fever. It took him 18 months to fully recover.

“It was very challenging; it was a lifelong dream of mine to go to the Olympics and to have it taken away twice was pretty tough.”

But George is at peace with the past and powerfully embraces self-compassion: “I’d done everything I could, which is tough, but I’m proud of getting to that point”. He described his long-winded recovery process as a learning curve which taught him patience, perspective, and resilience. The situation was ultimately out of his control, making him more of a rounded person. Despite this setback, George enjoyed watching some of his previous teammates at the 2024 Paris Olympics, bringing medals.

Transitioning to the Tech Sector: from Record Times to Sales Targets

George acknowledges that moving from professional sports to the corporate world can be tough, as athletes often shift from “being an expert to feeling like a complete novice”. Yet, he discovered many similarities between the athlete’s mindset and a salesperson. “It’s all about constantly working towards targets and tracking your progress. I’m used to being ‘measured’, so the transition hasn’t been a shock.”

In both high-speed rowing and the fast-paced tech sector, timing is crucial. “The tech world is growing fast, Tech companies have ambitious growth targets that require quick execution”. Luminance, where George works, specialises in AI and sits at the forefront of this growth curve, evolving and expanding rapidly. This adaptability and energy are a hallmark of many athletes, making them well-suited for the tech industry.

add-victor played a pivotal role in helping George realise his potential and leverage the skills he developed through sports to secure the right job. Initially, he faced challenges with companies viewing him as a ‘risk’ rather than an immediate asset. However, add-victor connected him with organisations that truly recognise the unique strengths former athletes offer.

For more inspiring stories of athletes successfully transitioning into new careers with the help of add-victor, you can read about former GB rower Holly Hill, who has embarked on a new journey as a broker in the insurance industry, and Holly Norton, who has found her place in banking.

Marina Eden Tirado