Mia Llama and Llama Crew: From Coxswain to Young Entrepreneur
- Linda Herron
- 20 hours ago
- 8 min read
Written by Linda Herron
Women Sports USA®
At 17 years old, Mia Llama has already learned that finding your place in sports does not always mean following the path you originally imagined. Sometimes, it means recognizing that the quality you once questioned may become one of your greatest strengths.
A student at Windermere High School and a member of the Orlando Area Rowing Society, Mia began rowing in seventh grade. Today, she is an accomplished coxswain who has verbally committed to continue her athletic career at Rutgers University, where she plans to study political science and law.
Along the way, Mia’s experience in rowing also inspired a second journey: creating Llama Crew, a rowing apparel company she built with her mother, Lydia Rodriguez-Llama. Together, they are developing more than a brand. They are creating a community that celebrates rowers, coxswains, coaches, families, and everyone who helps make the sport special.
Discovering Rowing in Seventh Grade
Mia’s introduction to rowing began through a friend named Joelle, whose brother was a coxswain.
“She thought I’d like it, so I decided to give it a try,” Mia said. “I ended up loving it and have been rowing ever since.”
Joining the team opened an entirely new world. Mia met athletes from different schools, spent time on the water each day, and began learning a sport she had never experienced before.
In those early years, Mia was as tall as many of the other girls, but she had a more petite, slender frame. Her family and friends expected her to grow taller eventually. However, as her teammates continued to grow and Mia did not, her coaches began suggesting that she consider becoming a coxswain.
Mia was not immediately interested.
She loved rowing and repeatedly declined their suggestions. It was not until her freshman year that she finally agreed to try the role—one that would completely change her understanding of herself and her potential.
Learning What Leadership Looks Like in the Boat
Before stepping into the coxswain’s seat, Mia believed the position mainly involved sitting in the boat and calling out to the rowers. She quickly discovered how much responsibility the role carries.
A coxswain must steer the boat, communicate race strategy, make calls at critical moments, keep the crew focused, respond to changing conditions, and make decisions under pressure. The position requires technical knowledge, composure, confidence, and the ability to lead athletes through demanding practices and closely contested races.
Once I actually started coxing, I realized there was so much more to it. You’re responsible for steering, making race calls, keeping everyone focused, and making decisions in the middle of a race.
— Mia Llama
She learned that successful coxswains must also be willing to accept feedback and criticism. They must remain resilient when plans change, adjust quickly, and continue looking for ways to improve.
For Mia, those responsibilities became part of the role’s appeal.
“I think that’s what really became the driving factor for me to be a coxswain,” she explained.
The transition also helped Mia see her size differently. What might have seemed like a limitation became an advantage because a smaller coxswain helps keep the boat lighter. More importantly, Mia began to understand that her value was not determined by her height or physical size.
What mattered was her ability to lead the crew and help every rower perform at her best.
Earning the Crew’s Trust
Leadership in rowing is not automatically granted when someone steps into the coxswain’s seat. It must be earned through preparation, communication, consistency, and trust.
Mia worked to understand what her teammates needed from her. She listened to their feedback, accepted criticism, and demonstrated her commitment to improving alongside them. She also trained with the rowers—something many coxswains do not regularly do.
Once her teammates saw that she was willing to put in the work, their confidence in her grew.
That trust became especially important during challenging practices and high-pressure races. The rowers needed to know that Mia understood them, believed in them, and would remain composed when the outcome was uncertain.
Confidence helps you make decisions, communication is everything, and resilience keeps you going when things get hard. I’ve also learned that no one wins alone.
— Mia Llama
One of the defining moments in Mia’s rowing journey came during her first national competition. Coxing a U16 boat, she helped guide the crew to a 10th-place finish in the nation.
Competing at that level gave Mia the feeling that she had truly found her place in the sport.
Turning Challenges Into Motivation
Mia’s growth did not happen without uncertainty. During her first year as a coxswain, she was assigned to the second varsity boat. The opportunity brought pressure and fear. She questioned whether she was good enough and worried about failing to meet expectations.
Instead of allowing those concerns to stop her, Mia used them as motivation.
She focused on improving each day, learning from mistakes, and proving to herself that she could handle the responsibility. In time, the challenge that initially frightened her became one of the experiences that made her stronger.
Two people have been especially influential in that development. Coxswain coach Izzi Weiss helped Mia build her confidence and taught her the technical and leadership skills needed to excel in the position. Her mother encouraged her to keep moving forward and reminded her that failure was not something to fear—it could become the motivation to grow stronger and succeed.
That willingness to learn from difficult moments would become important both in Mia’s athletic development and in the business she created with her mother.
A Division I Dream Becomes a Reality
The college recruiting process required extensive research, emails, and phone calls. Mia watched friends struggle to receive early recruiting opportunities, and there were moments when she wondered whether she was talented enough to compete at the NCAA Division I level.
In February 2026, those doubts gave way to an extraordinary milestone: Mia verbally committed to row for Rutgers University.
The decision brought together several of Mia’s goals. She had always wanted to live in the Northeast and hoped to compete for a Big Ten program. When she visited Rutgers and met the team, she felt an immediate connection.
“The team was amazing, and I couldn’t see myself anywhere else,” she said. “It felt like home.”
Mia is excited to discover what she can accomplish as a Rutgers coxswain and to embrace the academic and athletic opportunities ahead. She plans to major in political science and law while continuing to pursue ambitious rowing goals.
She hopes to qualify for selection camp, compete at the world level, and one day participate in the Henley Royal Regatta in England.
How Mia Llama and Llama Crew Turned a Rowing Journey Into a Business
As rowing became a central part of Mia’s life, it also became an important part of her family’s life. Mia and Lydia spent years immersed in the sport and its community. During that time, they noticed something was missing.
Few apparel brands provide stylish, high-quality options specifically designed for girls and women who row. Most of the available rowing apparel was basic or primarily meant for practice. Mia and Lydia envisioned creating clothing that would make female athletes feel enthusiastic and confident both on and off the water.
That idea became Llama Crew.
The company’s name combines the family’s last name, Llama, with the traditional rowing term “crew.” It is personal, memorable, and closely connected to the sport that inspired it.
“We wanted the name to be personal while making it clear that the brand was created by rowers, for rowers,” Mia explained.
Building a Business as Mother and Daughter
Creating Llama Crew has given Mia and Lydia an opportunity to combine their different strengths.
They collaborate on product designs, with Mia jokingly asserting that she has the ultimate say. As a young athlete actively involved in the rowing community, Mia offers firsthand knowledge of rowers' clothing preferences. Lydia contributes her business and marketing expertise, managing a substantial part of the company's daily activities.
Lydia also makes sure that Mia’s education and rowing responsibilities remain her priorities.
The mother-daughter partnership has required perseverance, patience, and a willingness to keep learning. Mia has gained a closer look at what it takes to run a business, while Lydia benefits from Mia’s understanding of young athletes and current apparel preferences.
They have also discovered that building something meaningful is rarely easy—but their shared commitment to rowing and its athletes continues to drive them forward.
“We love what we do,” Mia said.
Creating More Than an Apparel Company
Mia and Lydia want Llama Crew to represent more than clothing. Their larger vision is to build a community that recognizes everyone contributing to women’s rowing.
Through the brand, they hope to highlight the stories of rowers and coxswains as well as the coaches, parents, families, and supporters who help athletes pursue their goals.
We want Llama Crew to be more than just a clothing brand. We want it to be a community that celebrates everyone who makes this sport so special.
— Mia Llama, co-founder of Llama Crew
Those values are especially significant in a sport where every person in the boat must work together. No single athlete can create success alone. The crew moves forward when everyone contributes, trusts the process, and pulls in the same direction.
Helping Young Athletes Recognize Their Strengths
Mia’s story offers an important message to athletes who worry that their size, background, or circumstances might prevent them from belonging in sports.
Never let your size hold you back. Believe in yourself, work hard, and don’t let other people’s opinions decide what you can or cannot do. You never know what you can achieve unless you try.
— Mia Llama
The physical characteristic that could have caused Mia to question her place in rowing ultimately helped her discover a position ideally suited to her abilities. But her success as a coxswain is not simply about being smaller. It comes from her willingness to listen, learn, accept criticism, communicate clearly, and lead with the team’s success in mind.
Her journey also demonstrates that athletes do not need to limit themselves to a single identity. Mia is a student, coxswain, future Division I athlete, young entrepreneur, designer, and emerging leader. Every part of her experience is helping prepare her for the opportunities ahead.
When asked to complete the sentence, “Rowing taught me that…,” Mia’s answer captured the spirit behind both her athletic and entrepreneurial journeys:
To never give up and believe in yourself. Anything is possible!
— Mia Llama
From the coxswain’s seat to the creation of Llama Crew, Mia and Lydia are showing what becomes possible when athletes recognize their strengths, families build dreams together, and women create the products and communities they want to see in sports.
Learn more about Llama Crew at www.LlamaCrew.com and follow the company on Instagram and Facebook.
Women Sports USA® proudly celebrates athletes and women-led businesses strengthening the future of sports. Every story matters—and Mia and Lydia’s story reminds us that leadership can begin in a boat, grow through a shared vision, and inspire an entire community.
Linda Herron is the Founder of Women Sports USA®, a former Division I field hockey athlete, coach, author, and longtime advocate for preserving women’s sports history. Through storytelling, she celebrates the athletes, coaches, officials, and trailblazers who helped change the game.
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