Get rowing: Dayton Boat Club makes Olympic sport accessible
Racing through the water, oars in perfect harmony, working together for a common goal: Tenacity and teamwork go together in rowing.
“And being outside and being on the water,” there’s nothing like it,” said Kate Miller, the Dayton Boat Club’s recruiting director.
With the Olympic Games getting underway this week, rowing will soon be in the spotlight as the eight-day regatta begins Saturday with 14 events — men’s and women’s single sculls, double sculls, lightweight double sculls, pair, quadruple sculls, four and eight. Chaminade Julienne graduate Molly Bruggeman — who began her training at the Dayton Boat Club, is on Team USA’s roster for the women’s eight event.
Unlike many other Olympic events, rowing is a sport that you can start at any time. The Dayton Boat Club offers learn-to-row opportunities throughout the year, with the next adult courses scheduled for Aug. 16-18 and Aug. 23-25.
Rowing for fitness
“Most people assume rowing is all upper body, but it’s really a full-body sport,” Miller said. “There’s a huge impact on the lower body and the core.”
According to the Cleveland Clinic, the benefits of rowing also include improving range of motion and joint strength, reducing stress, improving posture, balance and coordination and calorie-burning. The high-cardio activity is also low-impact, making it accessible to a wide variety of athletes.
“We see athletes of all ages who are getting over injuries or rehabbing,” Miller said.
“And there are also a lot of athletes, especially runners, who need to find a low-impact activity because of their knees or some other injury.”
Rowing for fun
Competition and camaraderie blend seamlessly in rowing.
“As an adult, it really is the community that I most enjoy about the sport,” Miller said. “The people that find rowing are very interested in being a part of a community of rowers.”
Miller has also seen the positive impact the sport has had on the young DBC rowers. From creating friendships to increasing confidence, juniors from more than 30 schools bond over a shared love of the sport. And with middle school, novice and varsity teams, there are options for rookies and experienced rowers alike in the region’s most successful high school and college feeder rowing program.
For more information, visit www.daytonboatclub.