BRONX, N.Y., Dec. 3, 2002 -- Youngsters and teens from the Bronx will be introduced to the Olympic sport of rowing through Growing with Rowing, a new, free program that begins with introductory school day sessions from Dec. 3-5 at Roberto Clemente State Park.
Sponsored by the Empire State Rowing Association (ESRA), Growing with Rowing will introduce local middle school students and their teachers to the Olympic sport of rowing in two-hour introductory sessions during the school day on December 3, 4 and 5 in the main gymnasium at Roberto Clemente State Park.
Students will learn basic rowing technique on indoor rowing machines, view footage of rowing from the Olympics and world championships and compete in mini regattas over a distance of 200 meters. Teachers will learn about the lifetime benefits of rowing and new scholarship opportunities for student athletes with rowing experience.
The introductory sessions lead up to a mini Indoor Rowing Regatta on Saturday, December 7, when parents will get the opportunity to cheer on their children in an indoor rowing competition. All participants receive T-shirts and door prizes. Students can continue rowing during the winter through indoor rowing sessions that will take place every Saturday morning at Roberto Clemente State Park.
The objectives of the Growing with Rowing program are to introduce rowing as a means of increasing fitness -- particularly among girls -- and to boost self-esteem. According to a recent University of Pittsburgh study published in The New England Journal of Medicine,* in the past four decades the prevalence of obesity in female children and adolescents has more than doubled, with the greatest increase among black girls.
In addition, intercollegiate rowing has recently become a major NCAA sport, providing much greater opportunities for inner city students with rowing experience to win athletic scholarships. Women’s rowing, in particular, has substantially expanded due to Title IX, the NCAA’s equality-in-sport policy which requires universities to offer comparable athletic programs, facilities and opportunities for female and male students.
Inner city students and their teachers can also draw inspiration from role models such as Aquil Abdullah, the first African-American male to become a national champion single sculler. Sometimes referred to as the “Jackie Robinson of Rowing,” Abdullah began rowing in his senior year of high school in Washington, D.C. and within a few months won a scholarship to row at George Washington University. He has also introduced rowing to African-American and Latino youths through Mandela Crew, a rowing program in Boston. He is currently training for the 2004 Olympics.
One of America’s fastest growing lifetime sports, rowing is both an indoor and an outdoor activity. It is often called a perfect exercise because it provides a low-impact, aerobic workout that improves circulation, promotes endurance, reduces body fat and relieves stress. In addition, rowing is the only sport that simultaneously develops the upper body, abdominals, lower back and legs, increasing strength and power.
The sport of rowing has deep roots in New York City, and in the Harlem River in particular. One hundred years ago, New York was a center for rowing enthusiasts. Prior to the widespread popularity of baseball, football and basketball, rowing was one of the most popular spectator sports. Thousands of New Yorkers crowded the edges of “The Speedway” (now known as the Harlem River Drive) to cheer local clubs competing in rowing regattas. New York City rowing clubs -- as many as 31 in 1905 -- produced national, international and Olympic champions.
Roberto Clemente State Park is a 25-acre waterfront park located along the Harlem River in the Morris Heights section of the Bronx. Opened in 1973 as the first major urban State Park in the United States, today it is one of seven State Parks located in New York City. The Park offers year-round recreational, educational and cultural programs, special events and community services. It is located at West Tremont Avenue and Matthewson Road in the Bronx.
For more information, call Roberto Clemente State Park at 718-299-8750 or send an email to rownewyork@bigfoot.com.
Established in 1985, the Empire State Rowing Association, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to bringing the sport of rowing to New Yorkers. ESRA has been operating from a temporary facility in Roberto Clemente State Park on the Harlem River since 1987.
*Source: The New England Journal of Medicine, 2002;347:709-714.
EMPIRE STATE ROWING ASSOCIATION Roberto Clemente State Park West Tremont Avenue & Matthewson Road Bronx, New York 10453
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact: James Sciales Empire State Rowing Association 914-636-2360 rownewyork@bigfoot.com