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▲ SPORT REPORT Rowing Toward The Future BY T. WAYNE WATERS Photos Courtesy of USRowing R owing has a long, rich tradition in the United States. The National Association for Amateur Oarsmen was founded in 1872 as the very first governing body for a sport in the United States. Today, the United States Rowing Association, otherwise known as USRowing, serves as the national governing body. It has 1,100 organizational members, 15,000 individual championship members who compete in the championship regattas, and 10,000 basic members who compete in other competitions. USRowing also "selects, trains and manages the teams that represent the United States in international competition including the world championships, Pan American Games and Olympics." USRowing's Under 23 National Team represents the U.S. at the World Rowing Under 23 Championships each year. USRowing Event Manager AJ Dominique said the number of the organization's championship members has stayed consistent the last few years, a good sign for a higher-end sport in a stillstruggling economy. USRowing has five national championships, eight regional championships and a national convention. Five of the regional championships are for youth under 19. Youth also make up half of USRowing's club national championships, which feature summer camp participants. Regatta courses generally require six water lanes that are 15 meters across How USRowing Is Expanding Its Reach USRowing promotes the sport of rowing in a number of ways. The American Rows program is a nationwide diversity and partners, i.e., tutors, mentors and swimming programs." "The last few years we've been focusing on reaching the inclusion initiative aimed at introducing the sport to a diverse urban youth population to help them experience the sport for group of Americans by providing organizational and financial the first time," said USRowing Event Manager Dominique, by support to existing and planned programs across the country. way of one example. "Rowing is growing on the collegiate According to the USRowing website, "Support includes level and young people who get good at it may have an helping organizations create a diversity and inclusion plan, opportunity to get into college that they otherwise might providing strategies for rowing clubs to secure funding from not have." their communities, developing public presentations on behalf Another way USRowing promotes the sport is through of rowing programs discussing the case for diversifying rowing and helping connect rowing organizations with other strategic 16 the annual "National Learn to Row Day," held the first Saturday of June. ■ June 2013 www.sportseventsmagazine.com