Discover Rowing – Fall 2025

Description

Middle School Rowing Program

This program is specifically designed for middle school students who are new to rowing or have limited experience, such as participation in a summer camp.

Practices will be held three days per week—Monday, Wednesday, and Friday—and will focus on introducing athletes to the fundamentals of the sport in a safe, structured, and engaging environment.

Participation is limited to students who are currently enrolled in 6th, 7th, or 8th grade and who are at least 12 years old as of September 15, 2025. Unfortunately, athletes who do not meet the minimum age requirement at the start of the season are not eligible to participate.

Note: If your middle-schooler would like to have a more intense 6 day/week experience, they are also eligible to register for our Novice program within the racing team.  If your middle-schooler already completed a full Learn-To-Row season last year with us or another program, they should register for the Novice program within the racing team.

Program Details:

• Dates: September 15 – November 1, 2025
• Monday, Wednesday & Friday
• Hours: 4:30-6:30pm (you must be on-time for practice, rowing happens out on the river, so late arrivals result in being left on land).
• Saturday, November 1st, crews will have the opportunity to participate in the Tail of the Potomac, a friendly boathouse scrimmage of novice crews from local teams.

Core Values of the TBC Racing Program

Bottom line, we hope we can pass along our passion for this sport to each and every athlete that joins TBC Racing. It is our privilege with learn-to-row to be the first introduction to rowing for an athlete. We take this seriously and are committed to teaching the following core values and skills:

1. Commitment to others
2. Work ethic
3. Basic rowing technique
4. Fun!

Introduction to Rowing

Learning to row involves much more than time spent on the water. Before stepping into a boat, athletes will be introduced to the foundational skills essential to becoming a confident and capable rower. This includes learning key terminology, how to safely carry and handle equipment, how to set up oars, and understanding the components of the rowing stroke, as well as basic safety protocols.

Rowers will also begin building the physical fitness required for the sport, including core strength and cardiovascular endurance. Once on the water, athletes will learn the full rowing stroke in a traditional racing shell. Early sessions will involve rowing in subsets—such as four athletes stabilizing the boat while the others practice their strokes—allowing each athlete to develop technique in a supportive and balanced environment. Before long, rowers will be confidently moving as a team across the water.

Each practice will include a combination of on-water training and land-based conditioning to support strength and endurance development. Our goal is for every athlete to complete the season prepared—both technically and physically—for a successful novice racing experience.

Coxswain Development

We also encourage prospective coxswains—the athletes who steer the boat and lead the crew—to join. Ideal candidates are often smaller in stature, but more importantly, demonstrate confidence, responsibility, and leadership potential.

Experienced coaches and current coxswains will guide new coxswains through the core skills of the role, including boat commands, steering, race strategy, and effective communication. This is a unique opportunity to play a critical leadership role in the sport from the very beginning.