April
16 ,
2004
Mount
Holyoke to Offer Youth Rowing Program
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Photo
by Ben Barnhart |
Stand on the banks
of the Connecticut River in the early mornings during the spring
and fall, and you’ll likely see shells of crews gliding
by. Though Mount Holyoke’s crew team was established
nearly 30 years ago, during the past ten years the sport of
rowing has grown tremendously, all across the United States—including
in the Pioneer Valley—and especially at the high school
level.
This summer, Mount Holyoke will offer community students the
opportunity to join this fastest-growing sport for youth. The
College will run a program for high school students out of the
Mount Holyoke boathouse at Brunelle’s Marina in South Hadley.
Participants will use MHC’s equipment and docks and will
be coached by MHC coaches.
The program, open to high school students from South Hadley and
Amherst, follows on the heels of a very successful youth program
in Northampton. Launched in 1999 with volunteer coaches, a loaned
boat, and about ten kids, the Northampton youth rowing program
now has about 60 athletes, according to head coach Reba Knickerbocker.
While rowing is physically demanding, the sport offers benefits
to youth that go far beyond helping them become fit athletes. “The
sport, and everything that goes with it, taught me the true meaning
of many things that other activities only scraped the surface
of,” said Christine Leonard '06, a sophomore from Saratoga
Springs, New York, who rowed in high school and is on the varsity
crew team at MHC.
Rebecca Lenn '07, a first-year student from Alexandria, Virginia,
and member of the MHC novice crew team, said rowing has pushed
her beyond her limits: “The sport has made me more competitive
in other fields of interest, more aware and mindful of the needs
of my peers, more energetic, goal-oriented, and more confident
in pursuing all interests.”
Katie Boates ’02, who was a member of the MHC crew team
for four years, grew up in South Hadley. After trying other sports
in high school, Boates found a place for herself only when she
joined crew in college. “I became consumed by the feeling
of pushing myself beyond my comfort zone to achieve great things,” Boates
said.
“For high school students, there is the additional draw
of appeal to colleges by having rowing on their résumé,” said
Margot Zalkind, director of marketing and development for USRowing.
Drew Silver ’06 is a coxswain from Olympia, Washington.
Being a member of the crew team in high school, she said, made “the
academic switch [to] college seem a lot easier, because I have
this sport to keep me on task.” When it came time to choosing
a college, she said, “I was absolutely certain that I wanted
a school that offered crew, as the bonds that I made with my
boats in high school were very strong, and I knew that I wanted
to have those same bonds [in college].”
While this summer’s program is new, Mount Holyoke long
has had a relationship with youth rowing. Alumnae have gone on
to coach in programs around the country, and during the past
few years current students have helped to coach for Holyoke Rows,
a program for Holyoke youth.
If you know of anyone interested in participating, please contact
MHC crew coach Jeanne Friedman at jfriedma@mtholyoke.edu or 413-538-2851.
Rowing classes are coed, open to high-school students (grades
9 to 12) from South Hadley and Amherst, and held after school
on June 8, 9, 10 and 15, 16, 17. The cost for all six sessions
is $50. No experience is necessary, but space is limited and
preregistration is required by May 20.
An introductory meeting for all registrants
and their parents
will be held June 3 at 6:30 pm in Kendall Sports and Dance Complex..
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