LEARN TO ROW 2025
Summer is easily THE BEST time of year to learn to row. The water is nice and warm, and winds are generally calm, creating an ideal setting to take your first strokes in this amazing sport.
Learning to Row at City Island Rowing is the best possible start you can get to the sport. We teach our athletes the basics on converted stand-up paddle boards, that allow each athlete to progress at their own speed, on a stable and fun watercraft. Led by our Head Novice Coach, Lauryn Hughes, and assisted by graduating senior rowers headed to college, athletes learn in an atmosphere that is incredibly welcoming, friendly and relatable. One of City Island Rowing's biggest strengths is our sense of community and the mentor-mentee relationship between our veterans and newer athletes is an amazing, role model, experience.
Once our Learn to Row athletes have a good grasp of the rowing stroke, they transfer to true rowing racing shells, where they better get a sense of the thrill of the boat gliding over the water swiftly in response to their efforts, and our next generation of passionate rowing athletes is born!
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Our Learn to Row programs are aimed at girls 12-16 years of age, with the summer prior to 8th or 9th grade the "sweet spot" age to start.
Our classes are set up in two-week slots as a Week 1 / Week 2 combo.
Everyone signs up for Week 1, and should have in mind that they will likely be attending the immediate following Week 2, so that they can build on the skills and enjoyment they developed in Week 1. The reason that the sign-up is designed 1 week at a time, is in case the athlete finds that the sport does not resonate with them, or we don't think the athlete is ready for our program at this stage. HOWEVER, the vast majority of athletes do get invited back to Week 2, so please plan for a two-week commitment - your athlete will benefit so much more from the momentum than starting, stopping and starting again at another time.
Once athletes have completed Week 2 of Learn to Row, they get promoted up to row with our current Novice Rowers (who did LTR last summer), where they will move into the bigger 4 and 8-person team boats. Here they will learn to coordinate their movements and timing with the crew, and now truly experience the exhilaration of speed, and preparing them to be part of our Fall Competitive Novice Team.
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We have Five LTR classes this summer, with the "Week 1" for each starting dates as follows:
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Session 1: Monday June 16 - Friday June 20 (afternoon sessions 4:45 - 6:30 pm)
Session 2: Monday June 30 - Friday July 4 (morning sessions 9:00 - 10:30 am)
Session 3: Monday July 14 - Friday July 18 (morning sessions 9:00 - 10:30 am)
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Session 4: Monday August 11 - Friday Aug 15 (morning sessions 9:00 - 10:30 am)
Session 5: Monday August 25 - Friday August 29 (morning sessions 9:00 - 10:30 am)
Registration is on Regatta Central
(Please note that "Week 2" of each session is by invitation, and a private link will be included with your invitation.)
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While NOT preferred, an invited athlete may defer their week 2 experience to another time in the summer, if there is a pressing, prior commitment.
Once athletes have graduated from their 2 weeks of LTR, we will create a custom package to include continued rowing opportunities throughout the summer, subject to your availability. the more rowing your athlete can get in during the summer months, the better they will be prepared for the Fall race season. As such we STRONGLY recommend participating in the earliest LTR Session availability you can make.
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!! BRING A FRIEND AND SIGN UP TODAY !!
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