595-word version:
...Yes, I was the captain of the ship of my “dreams.”

...Yes, I am the coxswain of our little boat, and every time I sit on it, I reflect on the first day I started crew...

696-word version:
At the 50th round in the same old ice rink, the coach yelled out “one more” for the 49th time. I was falling behind the boys, but I could neither give into the norm—boys are athletically more capable than girls—nor give up on my ardor...