Why Rowing?

The GPRF believes that rowing is a physically, mentally, and socially transformative sport that plays a unique role in the water-rich Seattle region.

There are nearly 40 square miles of publically accessible recreational waterways in the city of Seattle (including Lake Washington), comprising more than 40% of the city’s total area. These waterways are a valuable regional resource for health, community engagement, and appreciation of the urban environment.

Rowing is the most ubiquitous water sport in Seattle, with more than 20 clubs and programs throughout the city. These clubs offer access to a sport that is physically demanding, rich with educational opportunities, and provides social and personal benefits to people of all ages. And yet this powerful sport and these myriad benefits are typically only available to a small group of mostly affluent youth and adults. The underserved and at-risk youth who could most benefit from rowing’s power have historically faced significant barriers to participation, including expensive program fees, lack of transportation, and lack of comfort and familiarity with water sports.

The GPRF’s outreach and access programs, including its youth initiative Row to the Future, are intended to bring the following benefits of rowing to as many individuals in the Northwest as possible:

Physical Benefits

The “obesity epidemic” that is affecting the US and much of the rest of the world has been widely reported. The rate of obesity in the US population is now 25%, and nearly one in five youth (ages 2-18) are obese. Childhood obesity is linked to adult obesity as well as other chronic diseases. While causes of this epidemic are complex, physical inactivity plays a significant role in the current crisis. Evidence shows that only 35% of American youth get the recommended levels of daily physical activity. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends moderate to vigorous daily physical activity for all ages to maintain a healthy weight, blood pressure, and bone strength throughout life. Rowing, defined as vigorous activity by the Washington State Department of Health, is an ideal way to meet these recommendations and support lifelong wellness for many reasons:

• Rowing satisfies goals of both aerobic activity and muscle strengthening as defined by the CDC – participants must maintain an elevated heart rate (aerobic) while also applying force against a heavy resistance (muscular strength).
• Participants consistently use 70% of their muscle mass when rowing.
• The physiological adaptations the body experiences when training for rowing consistently surpass nearly all other sports in health and fitness benefits.
• Rowing is a lifetime sport that is appropriate and challenging for people of all ages, body types, and athletic abilities.
• A low-impact sport, rates of traumatic injury are relatively low and participation can be sustained for a long period of time.

Educational Benefits

The sport of rowing immerses participants in a college-going culture, opens the door to an array of educational opportunities, and fosters an academically-oriented community across all ages.

• On the college level, women’s rowing in particular has grown rapidly since the NCAA first hosted a championship in 1997. There were just over 4,400 student-athletes competing that year and over 7200 by 2006-07 – an increase of more than 60% in a decade. In the two years since that time the number has continued to increase rapidly.
• Scholarships are also available in rowing at a rapidly increasing rate. The NCAA allows each women’s rowing team to sponsor up to 20 scholarships – more than the maximum number allowed in any other sport. This supply means there is a good chance a successful high school rower, particularly a female, will earn a scholarship to attend a top university.
• Once enrolled, college rowers continue to excel – data from the NCAA show a 91% graduation rate for rowers, as compared to 79% for all student-athletes and 63% for the general population.

Social and Personal Benefits

• Often called the “ultimate team sport”, rowing demands cooperation and cultivates an appreciation of teamwork. Participants must work together to do everything, from moving equipment to completing a race at top speed.
• Rowing allows participants to experience their urban environment in a new and different way, fostering an appreciation of natural resources in the midst of city life when on the water.
• Rowing is an incredibly challenging sport, ideal for instilling notions of persistence and self-efficacy in youth and adult participants.

Sources:
- CDC http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html#State
- CDC. Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance—United States, 2007 [pdf 1M]. Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report 2008;57(No.SS-4).
- Strong WB, Malina RM, Blimkie CJ, et al. Evidence based physical activity for school-age youth. J. Pediatr 2005;146:732–73
- http://physiotherapy.curtin.edu.au/resources/educational-resources/exphys/98/rowing.cfm
- http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a913027999&db=all
- NCAA Sports Sponsorship and Participation Rates Report, 1991-92 – 2006-07