COMMUNITY JOURNALISM: Rowing provides fun, fitness - and competition

Editor's notes: Linzee McCray of Iowa City is a freelancer writer and editor and a member of Hawkeye Community Rowing.

By Linzee Kull McCray, community contributor

The world salivates over Olympic track and field, swimming, and gymnastics. But there are numerous, less-heralded sports for which athletes train just as hard.

Rowing is one of those sports. Often portrayed as an “elite” activity, a local group is proving that rowing is for anyone, at any age.

For the past two-and-a-half years, Hawkeye Community Rowing (HCR) has operated out of the University of Iowa boathouse on the Iowa River. Some members practice on weekday mornings at 5:30, while others choose to row after work or on weekends. Local community members row in singles, pairs, fours, and eights.

One need not be affiliated with the university to be part of HCR, and its 60 members range in age from high schoolers to community members in their 60s and beyond. The organization encompasses athletes of all persuasions, including those who have never been a part of organized sports.

“As a member of HCR, I have been coached and been able to compete with a team - both a first for me,” said Pam Ehrhardt, 67. “When I was a student, there were no sports opportunities for women. I love the team aspect of Hawkeye Community Rowing - the camaraderie, the strong support of one another.”

Other members are physically active and see rowing as a part of a cross-training program.

“I've been a runner since college days and am doing more so now,” said Chuck Hippee, 55. “In addition, I am an active swimmer, use weights and participate in power yoga. I recently added year-round rowing to my workouts as another way to keep in shape.

“I find rowing the most beneficial of all the things I do as it helps me build endurance while using other muscles I don't normally use. It's great that the University of Iowa offers a program with excellent instruction which is needed to get the most benefit out of rowing.”

And still others, like grad student Krysti Knoche, 24, are experienced rowers.

“I rowed for a Division I program in undergrad and continuing to compete in grad school has been very important for me,” she said. “HCR gives me the opportunity to maintain fitness doing a sport I love while making friends in a new community. I didn't realize how much I missed that feeling of gliding across the water in sync with your teammates, the powerful sound of the oars engaging, the satisfaction of finishing a race, until I joined HCR after a year away from rowing.

“It's awesome to move somewhere new and be able to immediately bond with people who share my passion for the sport and want to talk about technique and equipment for hours, just as much as I do.”

While the races may not be Olympic-level, some members of HCR, which is part of University of Iowa Recreational Services, do train for and compete in races throughout the Midwest. They win their fair share of hardware, too.

Rowing has been a revelation for many of us. We've learned technique, teamwork, and terminology, made great friends, gained fitness and have a whole new relationship with the river that previously was just a backdrop to our lives.

For For questions or more information, visit http://recserv.uiowa.edu/apps/programs/rowing.aspx or email HCR coach LlynnAnn Luellen, llynnann-luellen@uiowa.edu