South Niagara Rowing Club (SNRC) is here to help dispel some myths about the sport of rowing. Like you need to be an Olympic athlete to take part in rowing. That’s not the case at all, as all ages from 11 and up are welcome to participate, from all fitness levels and all experience levels.
There’s also a stigma that rowing is an elitist or a rich person’s sport. Since SNRC provides the boats, equipment is fairly minimal, which makes it quite affordable compared to other sports.
Now that those barriers are out of the way, what’s your reason for standing on the sidelines? SNRC president Kevin Fuller has seen countless beginners transform into lifelong rowers, and their club welcomes everyone from all walks of life.
“We’re about providing rowing opportunities for anyone interested in rowing: adult, youth, beginner, recreational, competitive. We’re about getting people in boats and giving them the opportunity to experience rowing as affordably as we can,” Fuller said.
“Whatever their goals are, we’re there to support them. Whether it’s rowing recreationally, or someone who wants to go to the national team. We’re there to provide that opportunity for them in a supportive and safe environment.”
As part of the SNRC community outreach program, they visit local elementary schools to familiarize kids with the sport of rowing before they transition to high school, so they know it is another viable option.
“Over the years there have been many athletes from our Junior group (high school age) that have gone on to compete at both the national and international level,” Fuller said. “What we’ve found is when kids row, when they like it, they love it.
“There’s something about being out on the water, and we’ve seen some amazing transformations of kids who really weren’t athletes coming into rowing, but they became national champions and have gone on to do great things, including giving back to their respective communities. The team-building and leadership skills along with pure determination learned through rowing is a hard combination to beat.”
Equipment-wise, all you need is a pair of shorts, T-shirt, flip-flops, a water bottle, and you’re off to the races. And because rowing is a low-impact sport, many seniors can continue to enjoy an active and healthy lifestyle for a very long time.
One of the club’s most prominent members, 93-year-old Richard (Dick) Kendall, is living proof that rowing is for life. Former Olympians like Silken Laumann, Marnie McBean and Derek Porter have all trained at the SNRC at various times throughout their illustrious careers.
Because of its location on an old shipping canal, the club’s training course is widely known within the rowing community as one of the top training sites for rowing in North America. At four kilometres long and wide enough for a full six lane 2000 m race course that is sheltered from the wind on both sides by high banks and trees, it’s the ideal training site for beginners and professionals alike.
Discovering that passion for the sport always starts with the first journey on the water, and South Niagara Rowing Club hosts their “Free Come Try Rowing Day” on September 14. It’s a chance for anyone 11 years old and up to test the waters with rowing.
From there, adult and youth Learn to Row programs are offered for anyone who wants to take their rowing to the next level. It’s a sport that’s quite addicting, as there are always improvements that can be made, and it has long-lasting benefits which can impact your life positively for a very long time.
“We’re hoping to instil in people that rowing is something you can do the rest of your life,” Fuller said. “This isn’t a short-term thing. If you like it and stick with it, it will help you have a healthy lifestyle for the rest of your life and it is never too late to start. We have plenty of competitive Masters rowers who didn’t learn to row until they were well into their late forties.”
The way SNRC has designed its programming, it provides an appropriate program entry point for people of different abilities and prior rowing experience. Next to having someone new get engaged with rowing, the next best thing is seeing a former rower come back to the sport after years of being away.
To register up for the South Niagara Rowing Club’s “Free Try Rowing Day” on September 14, sign up for a slot through the Rowing Canada website.
And to learn more about South Niagara Rowing Club and all their programs, check out RowSNRC.ca.