| Junior Athlete | Parent | Adult |
Rowing has many benefits and means different things to different people. Which one are you? Select and read why you should row.
As a Junior Athlete
Learn more about our Youth Programs (ages 12-18)
Friendship
Junior athletes row is to be with a group of like-minded friends in a fun and enjoyable environment. Junior athletes come to practice and join a team where everyone is supportive and comfortable and at home with each other. The bonds that athletes forge on a rowing team through shared trial are some of the strongest and longest lasting of high school relationships. Relationships in rowing often lead to friendships that extend out to other areas of life and teammates often find themselves spending recreational time together as well. It is healthy to have a group of people who you can commiserate with, and find support in, especially through the trying times of High School. Rowing at a club also provides an opportunity to meet new friends from circles outside of school or even town because NRRA has athletes from many area towns.
Fitness
Young athletes like getting strong and being in shape. Young Athletes need an outlet for energy, and benefit greatly from working out as a catharsis of stress. Important chemicals are released during exercise that allow better focus, and promote healthy development. Rowing is also a great way for athletes to see improvement through consistent work and effort. A healthier body means a healthier mind. Athletes will sleep better which leads to more productive days.
Competition
Young athletes love to compete. It is healthy for High Schoolers to be put in situations where they need to work hard to overcome adversity. It is through competition that youth learn to not fear competition, but thrive from it. Putting young athletes in competition with their peers pushes all of them to work harder and strive for improvement. Young athletes are just starting to learn what they are capable of, and they need to know they can push themselves harder than they thought possible. Learning this is one of the most exciting things as a young athlete.
Break from school work
It is important for young athletes to get time away from the mental stress of school work and get physical activity. Young athletes talk of how rowing is a nice break from homework and school. It is a place where they don’t need to think about all the other stressful things in their lives and can just enjoy what they are doing. Learning to be focused and push out other worries, is an important and healthy skill for a young adult.
As a Parent of a Rower
Learn more about our Youth Programs (ages 12-18)
Learn more about our Adult Programs
Character Development
One of the most important thing for the development of youth is character. We want our rowers to learn what is means to be part of a team: respect, teamwork, dedication, determination, open mindedness, and compassion. Rowing should be an environment where rowers have the opportunity to learn from the good examples of the staff and their peers. They see that these positive characteristics lead to successful individuals and teams. Rowing provides an environment where youth can make mistakes, be held accountable, but encouraged to learn and grow.
Safe Fitness
Many parents worry about the safety of a sport both in regards to injury risk and body health. Rowing is one of the most low impact sports meaning a minimized risk of sport related injury. As well as being a noncontact sport meaning very low risk of injury due to an accident. Parent should be confident that athletes will be well taken care of by the staff and all risks are minimized and there are plans in place if an emergency or incident does occur. We also want to promote healthy training habits such that athletes’ bodies are not stressed due to unsafe eating habits, weight management habits, or incorrect training methods.
Parent Community Involvement
The biggest way that parents directly benefit from having an athlete on the rowing team is the opportunity to become part of the rowing community. We all know how great it is to be part of a community that cares about its members, collaborates, and gives freely. Parent groups are a great place for new parents to learn about the sport, meet other parents, make friends, and share the experience of parentings with others. It is here that lifelong friendships and memories can be made. Much like volunteering for a worthy cause, being involved and assisting with the duties of the parent group is fulfilling and a great way to support the team and the club.
College Recruitment Potential
All parents want the best possible education for their son or daughter. Rowing is a great way to increase the chances of getting into a prestigious university. Colleges love to admit athletes from sports such as rowing because the sport teaches many of the important characteristics that are necessary for success at college. When navigating the college recruitment process, coaches will often give early reads of student athletes and share advice on how to maximize your chances of acceptance. If a rower is successful and fortunate enough to be recruited this greatly increases their chances of acceptance. Our coaches actively help with this process.
As an Adult
Learn more about our Adult Programs
Safe Fitness
For adults, finding a sport that is low risk, low impact, full body, promotes coordination and good cardiovascular health is near impossible. Rowing hits all of these markers better than any other sport. What else is there to say? Rowing is one of the best full body workouts for strength, coordination, and flexibility while being as safe and low impact as possible!
Community
Masters love the community that comes with being a part of the club rowing program. Rowers usually share a love of teamwork, healthy work ethic, the outdoors, fitness, and healthy lifestyle. Being in a community of like-minded adults is a great way to build strong relationships and have a healthy and supportive community. It is also a great place to find good connections in the community and make friendships that will last. It is also a great way for masters to see friends in the rowing community when going to regattas and other events.
Love of the Sport
Many masters athletes row because they are passionate about the sport and what it has given to them through the years. Many masters rowed in high school and college and have fond memories. They love being part of a team and the satisfaction of a good row out on the water. They enjoy the benefits rowing has to offer and want to continue to support rowing and share it with others.
Challenge
Many masters want to continue to challenge themselves in their day to day lives and improve. Rowing is a great sport in that it provides so many ways to push yourself. Whether it is technique, fitness, or the healthy lifestyle, rowing is a craft that athletes of every level can continue to challenge themselves to be better. Life is all about improving, growing, and learning and rowing is a great sport to challenge oneself.
Competition
Adult athletes still enjoy the thrill of competition, but it is often hard in other sports where you must compete against the full age range of athletes. In rowing, competition is broken down by age such that no matter your age, you will find healthy and fair competition. It is when competition seems obtainable that athletes are incentivized and feel motivated to perform at their best. Rowing is also great for competing against oneself, looking to improve on your personal best times on the erg, or you’re your abilities on the water.
Giving Back
Rowing as a master athlete is a great way to give back to the sport that we have gained so much from. Whether it is supporting the club through volunteering, donating, or sponsoring or mentoring other athletes by advising, or rowing with them, there are many ways masters can find fulfillment in giving back. It is a great feeling to see in others the same joy we get from being part of the sport of rowing. It is amazing being a part of a healthy rowing community.