Athlete Spotlight: Emmett

For Emmett, rowing has always been part of the landscape.

His mom rowed. So did his grandfather and aunt. His sister currently rows with Pocock Youth Rowing. Growing up close to the water and the rowing club, Emmett was surrounded by the sport long before he ever climbed into a boat himself.

“I grew up right on the water and always knew I would eventually try it.”

He had also experienced rowing on the erg at school, but with such a strong family connection to the sport, trying rowing for himself felt less like a big decision and more like something that would happen when the time was right.

Learn to Row gave him that opportunity.

Encouraged by his family, the familiar boathouse nearby, and friends who were already participating, Emmett signed up and finally got to experience a sport he had spent years watching from the outside.

And he quickly learned something important: rowing on the water is a lot more fun than rowing on an erg.

“I much prefer being out on the water than being on the erg,” Emmett says. “It’s just more fun.”

The erg might be “good exercise,” but being outside, moving a boat across the water, and experiencing rowing firsthand gave Emmett a completely different perspective on the sport.

His advice for other students considering Learn to Row is equally straightforward—and practical:

“Bring a water bottle and be prepared to get wet.”

For Emmett, rowing may have been a family tradition, but getting into a boat made the experience his own. And sometimes, that’s the win: having the opportunity to stop watching from the shoreline and find out for yourself what all the excitement is about.