Row to the Future – Youth Initiative
Physical Activity – Skills Learning and Fitness – Lifelong Health and Wellness
Academic and Personal Development – Community Engagement
Row to the Future (RttF), a youth development initiative of the George Pocock Rowing Foundation, uses rowing to inspire youth to become healthy and active members of their communities. This model, unique among urban youth sports, leverages school and community partnerships to create an innovative network of youth programming that improves access to participation and empowers students to make healthier lifestyle choices now and in the future.
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Why Rowing?
Youth of all backgrounds who participate in rowing…
• Engage with their urban environment, including neighborhood pools, boathouses, and waterways
• Improve physical fitness – rowing requires muscular strength and aerobic conditioning
• Learn a lifetime sport, suitable for all ages and body types
• Form lasting meaningful relationships with peers, coaches and adult mentors
• Develop teamwork – success depends on every member of a boat working together
• Open doors to continued educational opportunities
Addressing a Community Need
Many youth exhibit high levels of obesity and physical inactivity, especially those from low-income neighborhoods in Seattle. Public school students have limited time and resources for physical activity and education around rewarding physical activities. After-school youth development programs, including traditional rowing programs, are often expensive or inaccessible. Young people from low-income communities face significant health disparities. It is clear that our community has a need for access to high-quality, affordable sports and physical activity programs that are inclusive of and accessible for all youth.
Nearly three square miles of “blue space” surround and define the City of Seattle. Opportunities for rowing and other water based activities abound. These waters are an untapped resource for the development of healthy, active youth. Row to the Future removes barriers, connects all youth to the rich resources of the water, and engages them in pursuing lifelong health and wellness.
A New Approach to Urban Youth Sports 
Seattle, through the Row to the Future initiative, is doing what no other city in the country has done to date. In collaboration with schools and community organizations city-wide, RttF introduces rowing to urban youth through the school-based Erg Ed program and supports their continued participation through the on-the-water Rainier Valley Rowing program. Together, these programs support teens and create lasting access to the water – promoting lifelong health, wellness and community engagement for youth through high-quality programs that are inclusive and accessible no matter what background a student comes from.
Multi-faceted Approach
Row to the Future currently consists of two major programs – Erg Ed and Rainier Valley Rowing. Erg Ed is an indoor rowing program that operates in partnership with Seattle Public Schools and is committed to introducing thousands of students to the sport of indoor rowing in their physical education classes. Erg Ed recently completed the first year of a two-year pilot, reaching more than 1200 students. Within the next three years, 3000 students will be served in all Seattle Middle Schools.
Rainier Valley Rowing (RVR) supports a group of high school students to achieve their academic and fitness potential through participation in competitive junior rowing programs throughout the city by removing barriers to participation and providing holistic mentoring.