Community Spotlight | By Kirsten Anderson, OARS Director of Rowing
On weekday afternoons and early Saturday mornings, groups of hard-working, active teens cross the road from the Windermere Elementary parking lot to the Orlando Area Rowing Society (OARS) boathouse off Maguire Road. They are on their way to row on the Butler Chain of Lakes, or to work on their physical conditioning on shore in preparation for their next regatta rowing competition.
Current senior class proudly representing their future college colors.
To many driving by, rowing or crew is something they have only seen in a movie, or that they associate with storied schools in the northeast or northwest. They would be surprised to learn that rowing is experiencing impressive growth in the southeastern region and in Florida in particular. And with increased visibility, more kids are attracted to join and our local teams get stronger.
Every rower has their own path into the sport—some come because their family has ties, or they were encouraged by a neighbor. Some are looking to make friends, or improve their fitness, or supplement their other sports seasons, or move to a new sport that just fits better … and the list goes on and on. Some join in middle school, others join in high school.
And there are masters programs where returning adults, adults who never left, and adults new to the sport get out on the water for their own reasons.
Current senior class proudly representing their future college colors.
When kids arrive, they find fast friends and mentors. They learn all kinds of skills and develop traits that help them succeed in life beyond the boathouse. And while it is easier to connect their rowing victories to college sports recruiting and the often accompanying scholarships, there are many stories of rowers who earned admission to impressive academic programs thanks to life skills they honed through their time on this team of similarly focused and dedicated student-athletes.
Post-secondary institutions where OARS rowers have continued their academic and rowing careers include virtually all public and many private colleges and universities in Florida, as well as athletic and academic powerhouses such as Dartmouth University, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Princeton University, Rutgers University, Stanford University, University of Southern California, University of Tennessee, University of Texas, University of Virginia, University of Washington, West Point, Yale University, and many other top universities from across the country.
Middle school and high school boys and girls programs run from fall through spring (August-May) with practice days and times varying by age group and details available at www.oarsrowing. com/programs. Summer Learn to Row camps are offered for rising 6th graders through high school seniors new to the sport, with details available at www.oarsrowing.com/summer.
Orlando Area Rowing Society (OARS) | oarsrowing.com
