March Newsletter

Posted byAdministratorPosted inCompetitive Corner, High School Hot Spot, Junior Rowing, Learn to Rowers, Masters Moment, Member Information, Other, Rec RemindersTags:, , ,

Mark Your Calendar

  • Thursday April 24th – GRC Annual Meeting
  • Saturday May 10th – Try Rowing Day at GRC

Call for Coach Boat Drivers

Coach boat drivers are an asset to coaches and another way to give back to the club. If you are interested in driving a coach boat at the club, now is a great time to get your mandatory Pleasure Craft Operator License.  The test can be taken online.
As the on-water season approaches, opportunities to volunteer are on the rise! The U23 and Senior Competitive summer program is looking for volunteers to drive safety boats and coach boats. This is particularly important during Cold Water Rules and helps to allow athletes to get on the water safely. Offering your time, even once per week, is appreciated and helpful to the program! If you are interested in volunteering or have more questions please contact Pearl Schachter (rowing@uoguelph.ca) or Abby Smith (abbegayl@uoguelph.ca). We are also hosting the Guelph Invitational University regatta on September 20 and will need drivers. A coach boat operator & motor boat safety workshop will be offered at the club for free along with driving mentoring, more info will be available soon. Please contact pat.weir@rogers.com if you have any questions.

GRC Annual Meeting

Date:  Thursday, April 24th

We will send out the meeting link and information to you soon. Please save the date in your calendar, we hope to see you there.

Dave Leger Inducted into Guelph Sports Hall of Fame

On behalf of the GRC Board, we would like to congratulate Dave Léger on his well-deserved induction into the Guelph Sports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025!  This is an incredible testament to Dave’s years of dedication, leadership and unwavering commitment to our Club, our sport and every athlete that he has mentored.  The Sports Hall of Fame posting highlights some of Dave’s exemplary accomplishments: https://www.guelphsportshalloffame.com/We all at GRC are all so thrilled for Dave and so proud!!

GRC Summer Coach

Guelph Rowing Club is delighted to announce that Kate Fletcher will be our new Summer Coach.Kate comes to us as a high performance athlete with experience in sweep and sculling with Guelph Gryphon Rowing. Welcome aboard, Kate!

Try Rowing Day at GRC

Guelph Rowing Club is hosting a Try Rowing Event, on Saturday, May 10th, starting at 9 am and 11am.As we know, rowing is a fantastic sport that promotes healthy living and community building. Guelph Rowing Club wants to share its love of rowing and would like to offer the community the chance to try rowing in a safe, low cost and no-obligation environment. Participants will be able to meet GRC members, learn about rowing, and learn the basics of rowing during an on water lesson!This is a great opportunity for friends and family to learn more about rowing and try it. Please share the event on your social media and with community members you think may be interested. If you have any questions, please contact abbegayl@uoguelph.ca.Register Here. If you are interested and available to volunteer for this event, it is a great way to contribute to your GRC volunteer hours. Deb Robinson has kindly agreed to be the Event Day Coordinator and other volunteer positions are available. Whether you would like to be a bow pair in a boat, drive a safety boat, cox an 8+ take photos, or sign participants in there is something for everyone. If you have any questions please contact Abby Smith before the event (abbegayl@uoguelph.ca). Volunteer Sign Up.

Single for Sale

Single for Sale. Additional rack space is needed in the boathouse.  The “Radiant Devotion” is be available for a new owner with a donation to the club fundraising  campaign. This is a well made hand built wooden single for a light to medium weight rower. It can be rowed as is or be refurbished with a new coat of paint on the hull.  Please contact pat.weir@rogers.com if you are interested.

Junior Gryphons Learn-to-Row
and Skills Development Registration Opening Now!

After a successful pilot season, our Junior Gryphons Learn-to-Row and Skills Development programs are back for another great summer! These programs introduce youth to rowing, focusing on technique, water safety, and fun.
🚣 Ages 11-14: Morning sessions, starting with Learn-to-Row Camp and follow-up Skills Development program.
🚣 Ages 14-17: Afternoon sessions, featuring a Learn-to-Row program with a follow-up Skills Development program.Participants learn parts of the boat, boat handling, and rowing technique. Our programs are taught by qualified counsellors trained in first aid and Learn-to-Row coaching.📅 Registration opening now!
🔗 Learn more:  Details here.

High School Rowing

In a major program upgrade, high school athletes have moved out of the boathouse and into the warmer climes of the Community Living Guelph Wellington Gym on Royal Road (at least until the lake opens up).  After a few weeks of acclimatization to temperatures above freezing, the group competed at the Nancy Storrs Indoor Rowing Championships in late February.  Impressive PBs were registered by all with Siri Borden placing 4th, Simone Maksym 7th, Rowen Conrad 11th, Sasha Maksym 16th, and Aariz Noor Wang 33rd.
The group looks forward to opening it’s on-water racing account on May 11 at the Mother’s day Regatta.

COACHING & COACH BOAT DRIVING OPPORTUNITIES – LEARN TO ROW PROGRAM

We are looking for individuals interested in coaching the Learn to Row (LTR) program this year or assisting with coach boat driving. No coaching certifications required to help with coach boat driving.If you’re interested, please reach out to jessica.rower@gmail.com by April 26th.The program runs from June 2nd to June 29th, with the LTR regatta scheduled for July 5th. The following coaching times are still available:Tuesdays/Thursdays: 7:30 pm – 8:45 pmSaturdays/Sundays: 8:00 am – 9:15 amIf you’d like to get involved, we’d love to hear from you!

Coast to Coast Indoor Rowing Day

The GRC participated in the cross Canada Indoor Rowing day again this February. Twelve members were part of the 573 participants across Canada who rowed 5,110 kilometers.  The GRC crew logged 104.81km.  Big thank you to everyone, especially to Jack Wilhelm for getting up on a Saturday to let us into the gym, and then generously coached us!