Before collegiate football, track, and the NCAA, there was an official college rowing association. In 1852, the first U.S. regatta between Harvard and Yale marked the first intercollegiate athletic event. Today there are over 350 colleges with rowing programs throughout the United States. The most common boats in collegiate racing are eights and fours. An eight is the largest boat, an average length of 62 feet and 230 pounds, with a coxswain commanding eight rowers, each with a twelve-foot oar. A four is approximately 48 feet long holding four rowers and a coxswain.
ASU students are proud to join a long history of collegiate rowing. Less than ten years ago the idea of rowing in Arizona was a figment of the imagination. Today, it is becoming one of the largest growing sports in the valley. With the completion of Tempe Town Lake in 2000, a group of dedicated Arizona State University students came together with the desire to row. The Rowing Club at Arizona State University became official and by September 2002, over forty-five students had joined. Without any boats or equipment, we held meetings, talked to the community and faculty, and organized fundraisers. With time and persistence, the City of Tempe agreed to let us use their equipment temporarily, until we could secure our own. In February 2003, forty-two members of the club began rowing for the first time. In April 2003, nine members competed in the men’s varsity race at the San Diego Crew Classic.
PRESENT
Currently, rowing at ASU is a club sport with over fifty members. Unlike a varsity sport, clubs receive minimal financial support from the university. Instead, they are driven by motivated students, university advisors, and volunteer coaches working together to establish a successful organization simply out of their love of the sport. Like varsity sports, club sports compete against other collegiate teams and train at the level of many varsity programs. The Rowing Club at ASU trains at 6:00 a.m., five days a week. Rowers and coxswains are on water four days a week; practice includes carrying the boats to and from the lake, drills to sharpen the technique and synchronicity of the rowers, and timed race pieces to prepare for competition. One day a week, the club trains on land for an intense workout and team-building experience. Club members are also expected to participate in meetings, social events, fundraisers, and community service activities throughout the year.
The Rowing Club at ASU is predicted to be the largest sports club and student organization on campus. Our goal is to purchase more of our own training and racing equipment, build a boathouse, pay our coaches, organize community and high school rowing clinics, host an annual regatta open to all ages and teams in the nation, and eventually become an ASU varsity sport. We also expect, as our program develops, east and west coast colleges and universities to train in Arizona during the winter season.
Rowing In The Desert?
A few years ago it was impossible. But with the completion of Tempe Town Lake in 2000, students at Arizona State University have been given the unique opportunity as the only university in Arizona to participate in the history of collegiate rowing in a place where water is a scarce resource. Rowing at Arizona State presents many advantages over other schools. The climate in the greater Phoenix area averages a high of 65 and a low 43 in the coldest winter months, which allows athletes to row virtually anytime during the year. Olympic rowers have discovered this and often come to train in Tempe during the winter. It's not uncommon in the mornings to be adjusting your boat right next to members of the U.S. National Team.
Another advantage is the lake itself. The 2-mile long lake boasts a levy completely surrounding all four sides of the lake. With minimal water flow going in or out of the lake and prohibited use of gas motors on boats, the water is exceptionally smooth. Many people have described rowing in the lake, "like rowing in a bathtub." This allows perfect practices that can't be blamed on water conditions.
If you are interested in joining a competitive collegiate rowing team, please view the rest of the website and contact Jeff.Wilkinson@chw.edu for further information.
