You may have seen the United States rowing team triumph at the Olympic Games in London this summer, you may have sung the classic children’s song “Row Your Boat,” but have you experienced rowing firsthand?
During the fall season of sports comprised of popular sports such as soccer, tennis, and cross country, other non-traditional sports get left out of the spotlight. Unbeknownst to a vast majority of the school’s population, St. Paul Academy and Summit School boasts the presence of hard-working and diligent rowers.
Rowing is the art of racing in a body of water ranging from lakes to rivers and even as far as the ocean. The sport consists of 1 to 8 people with an oar for each of them. It is an extremely difficult sport that involves more than just arm muscles, which is far from the true essence of rowing.
Senior Reid Kett has been rowing for five years. Having been a member of the Minneapolis Rowing Club for this long, he developed a true appreciation for the art of rowing. “Rowing is a mixture of cardio, strength, and overall stamina,” Kett said. “I started rowing because I live close to the river and it seemed interesting, mainly because it is a unique sport that not many people do. But my love has developed so much more since my start.”
But the sport of rowing is not only for males. Junior Ellen Samuelson started rowing because of a push from her dad to join the Minneapolis Rowing Club. “I started with Minneapolis Rowing Club and didn’t like it and thought I didn’t want to row,” Samuelson said. “But then my friend told me about their team Twin Cities Youth Rowing so I joined and have been on it for three years and love it.”
Kett explained that practice can get really intense. “We start at 7:30 in the morning and go until 10:00,” Kett said. “It has gotten so difficult I threw up a couple times. Rowing is some hard work, at least for me it is.” Samuelson agreed that the work is pretty difficult. “My coaches compel me to continue rowing, they inspire me a lot, and I really like that all the work I put into it always pays off,” Samuelson said. “It’s challenging and I really like everyone on the team, they are some of my favorite people.”
Samuelson urges people who are considering joining to actually do it. “I’d recommend it to anyone considering joining,” Samuelson said. “The first year is tough but once you get into it all the hard work pays off.”
If you are considering joining and want more information, feel free to visit the websites of the two large rowing clubs, “Minneapolis Rowing Club” and “Twin Cities Youth Rowing.” Clubs meet year-round, rain or shine. In the winter when the water is frozen, more time is spent inside training and conditioning; most of the time in other seasons is spent in the water actually rowing. Be prepared to put in a lot of energy and hours into rowing.
