Rowing Clubs in Texas

Texas Rowing Center

The Texas Rowing Center is a rowing and kayaking concession located at the best location on beautiful Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas. Since 1987, our simple learn-to-row program has successfully taught over 10,000 people how to row.

Schedule

You choose your own lesson schedule from the following time-slots: 7:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., and 5:00 p.m. - any day of the week.

Price

Introduction-to-Rowing Program: $129

Six-Month All-Sport Package: $279 plus tax  2011 Special - get the 7th month free.

Twelve-Month All-Sport Package: $399 plus tax

Fifteen Row-Card: $229 plus tax

Location

1541 West Cesar Chavez
Austin, Texas 78703 

Austin Rowing Club

Austin Rowing Club has a very long history, even if it was not continuous. The founders of today’s Austin Rowing Club knew of the early 19th century group and some of that history. Austin Rowing Club was first established in 1899 with 43 charter members and a mission to “promote all aquatic sports” in Austin. The club was founded by the same people who in 1893, 1894 and 1895 hosted the International Regattas in Austin, Texas on Lake McDonald. The principal person of this group was John Crotty. Crotty chose the name “Austin Rowing Club” in 1899, when the club finally incorporated and became a legal entity. Mr. Crotty was well respected both in rowing and in business, not just in Austin, but in the State of Texas.

Price

ARC Rowing Membership offers unlimited rowing and access to coaching, equipment and indoor training facilities for only $35/month

ARC Coxswain Memberships are free.
The ITR course fee is $175 for the month - only $12.50 per hour! 

Direction

I-35 to Austin, exit 1st Street (downtown).
Go West on 1st Street to Trinity.
Turn left on Trinity, and drive one block to dead end cul-de-sac at Lady Bird Lake.
The ARC is a short walk down the path to the lake.

Dallas Rowing Club

The club sponsors one regatta annually: The spring regatta held in May is a 1000 meter sprint (Bachman Lake Annual Sprint Trials). The regattas include Junior, Open and Masters events.

Schedule

March 12-13; 1-4pm April 9-10; 1-4pm

May 14-15; 1-4pm

June 18-19; 9am-noon

July 9-10; 9am-noon

August 6-7; 9am-noon

September 17-18; 9am-noon

October 1-2; 1-4pm

Price

Fee is $150 per person per session which includes classes for both days.You will get a $50 discount on your membership if you decide to join the club.

Location

Dallas Rowing Club

2827 Shorecrest Dr

Dallas, TX 75235

Houston Rowing Club

The USRC Rowing Center is part of a non-profit alliance formed to offer all ages the advantages of rowing. USRC is a member of the United States Rowing Association. Along with the Lakeside Yachting Center, the USRC Rowing Center offers a host of fitness and recreational options.

Schedule

Classes are offered weekly, 52 weeks a year. Classes are offered to individuals who plan to continue with USRC. These classes total six hours over three sessions and includes video training, indoor rowing expertise and "on the water experience." 

Price

The cost of the six hour course is $100.00, be sure to ask about our family and second in a group discount.

Intro to Kayaking 4 Hour Class - $75.00
Intro to Sculling 4 Hour Class - $200.00

Location

Lakeside Yachting Center
2517 Nasa Parkway
Seabrook, TX 77586

Rowing Boats

Single Scull

A single scull is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for a single person who propels the boat with two oars, one in each hand.

Racing boats (often called "shells") are long, narrow, and broadly semi-circular in cross-section in order to reduce drag to a minimum. They usually have a fin towards the rear, to help prevent roll and yaw. Originally made from wood, shells are now almost always made from a composite material (usually carbon-fibre reinforced plastic) for strength and weight advantages.

The riggers in sculling apply the forces symmetrically to each side of the boat. It is the 2nd slowest category of racing boat, and competitors are recognised by other rowers as among the toughest, both physically and mentally: single sculling is sometimes known as 'king's class'.

The single scull is one of the classes recognized by the International Rowing Federation and the Olympics, who set the minimum weight of the hull at 14 kg (30.8lbs): the average length is around 8.2m.

Double Scull

A double scull is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for two persons who propel the boat by sculling with two oars, one in each hand.

Racing boats (often called "shells") are long, narrow, and broadly semi-circular in cross-section in order to reduce drag to a minimum. They usually have a fin towards the rear, to help prevent roll and yaw. Originally made from wood, shells are now almost always made from a composite material (usually carbon-fibre reinforced plastic) for strength and weight advantages. The riggers in sculling apply the forces symmetrically to each side of the boat.

Double sculls is one of the classes recognized by the International Rowing Federation and the Olympics.

In contrast to the combination of the coxed pair, in which the distribution of the riggers means the forces are staggered alternately along the boat, the symmetrical forces in sculling make the boat more efficient and so the double scull is faster than the coxless pair.[citation needed]

A double sculling skiff has a similar layout to a double scull and is rowed in a similar way but usually has a cox as well as two rowers. It is clinker built with fixed seats and thole pins and can be skiffed for leisure purposes or for the sport of skiff racing.

Quad Scull

A quad scull, or quadruple scull in full, is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for four persons who propel the boat by sculling with two oars, one in each hand.

Racing boats (often called "shells") are long, narrow, and broadly semi-circular in cross-section in order to reduce drag to a minimum. They usually have a fin towards the rear, to help prevent roll and yaw. Originally made from wood, shells are now almost always made from a composite material (usually carbon-fibre reinforced plastic) for strength and weight advantages. The riggers in sculling apply the forces symmetrically to each side of the boat. Quad scull is one of the classes recognized by the International Rowing Federation and the Olympics. FISA rules specify minimum weights for each class of boat so that no individual will gain a great advantage from the use of expensive materials or technology.

When there are four rowers in a boat, each with only one sweep oar and rowing on opposite sides, the combination is referred to as a "coxed four" or "coxless four" depending on whether the boat has a cox. In sweep oared racing the rigging means the forces are staggered alternately along the boat. The symmetrical forces in sculling make the boat more efficient and so the quadruple scull is faster than the coxless four.

Coxless pair

A Coxless pair is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for two rowers, who propel the boat with sweep oars.

The crew consists of a pair of rowers, each having one oar, one on the stroke side (rower's right hand side) and one on the bow side (rower's lefthand side). As the name suggests, there is no cox on such a boat, and the two rowers must co-ordinate steering and the proper timing of oar strokes between themselves or by means of a steering installation which is operated by a foot from one of the rowers. The equivalent boat when it is steered by a cox is referred to as a "coxed pair".

Racing boats (often called "shells") are long, narrow, and broadly semi-circular in cross-section in order to reduce drag to a minimum. Originally made from wood, shells are now almost always made from a composite material (usually carbon-fibre reinforced plastic) for strength and weight advantages. Pairs have a fin towards the rear, to help prevent roll and yaw. The riggers are staggered alternately along the boat so that the forces apply asymmetrically to each side of the boat.

A coxless pair is often considered the most difficult boat to row, as each rower must balance his/her side in cooperation with the other, apply equal power, place their catch and extract the blade simultaneously in order to move the boat efficiently. It requires excellent technique, communication and experience.

"Coxless pair" is one of the classes recognized by the International Rowing Federation and is competed in the Olympic Games.

Coxed Four

A coxed four is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for four persons who propel the boat with sweep oars and is steered by a cox.

The crew consists of four rowers, each having one oar, and a cox. There are two rowers on the stroke side (rower's right hand side) and two on the bow side (rower's lefthand side). The cox steers the boat using a rudder and may be seated at the stern of the boat where there is a view of the crew or in the bow (known as a bowloader). With a bowloader, amplification is needed to communicate with the crew which is sitting behind, but the cox has a better view of the course and the weight distribution may help the boat go faster. When there is no cox, the boat is referred to as a "coxless four".

Racing boats (often called "shells") are long, narrow, and broadly semi-circular in cross-section in order to reduce drag to a minimum. Originally made from wood, shells are now almost always made from a composite material (usually carbon-fibre reinforced plastic) for strength and weight advantages. Fours have a fin towards the rear, to help prevent roll and yaw and to help the rudder. The riggers are staggered alternately along the boat so that the forces apply asymmetrically to each side of the boat. If the boat is sculled by rowers each with two oars the combination is referred to as a quad scull. In a quad scull the riggers apply forces symmetrically. A sweep oared boat has to be stiffer to handle the unmatched forces, and so requires more bracing, which means it has to be heavier than an equivalent sculling boat. However most rowing clubs cannot afford to have a dedicated large hull with four seats which might be rarely used and instead generally opt for versatility in their fleet by using stronger shells which can be rigged for either as fours or quads.

Eight

An Eight is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for eight rowers, who propel the boat with sweep oars, and is steered by a cox.

Each of the eight rowers has one oar. There are four rowers on the stroke side (rower's right hand side) and four on the bow side (rower's lefthand side). The cox steers the boat using a rudder and is normally seated at the stern of the boat. Because of the speed of the boat, it is generally considered unsafe to row coxless or to have a bowloader cox.

Racing boats (often called "shells") are long, narrow, and broadly semi-circular in cross-section in order to reduce drag to a minimum. Originally made from wood, shells are now almost always made from a composite material (usually carbon-fibre reinforced plastic) for strength and weight advantages. Eights have a fin towards the rear, to help prevent roll and yaw and to help the rudder. The riggers are staggered alternately along the boat so that the forces apply asymmetrically to each side of the boat. If the boat is sculled by rowers each with two oars the combination is referred to as a octuple scull. In a scull boat, the riggers apply forces symmetrically. A sweep oared boat has to be stiffer to handle the unmatched forces, and so requires more bracing, which means it has to be heavier and slower than an equivalent sculling boat. However octuple sculls are not used in main competitions.

The Technique of Rowing

Catch - The point where the legs are compressed in a 90 degree angle, the arms are stretched out, the body is angled forward and the blade is enters the water. Drive - the part of the stroke where the legs are pressing down, then the back and arms swing backward, sending the body to the bow. Finish - the point where the rower pushes down on the handle of the oar to pop the blade out of the water and begins to push the arms out of the bow. Recovery - the time spent winding the body back up to the catch, it is like compressing a spring; first the arms extend, then the body angle is achieved, finally the legs are pulled up to the catch. Square blades - keeping the blade perpendicular to the water on the recovery. Feathered blades - keeping the blade parallel to the water on the recovery. Crab - an unfortunate incident when the blade gets caught in the water and the handle of the oar hits the midsection of the rower; can result in getting tossed out of the boat. It is caused by the blade not entering into the water fully square, when pressure is applied to the blade it will just go deeper and deeper in the water. Technique Phases of Stroke 1. Preparation It is important that the athlete utilizes his total height in a natural position and that he does not push his shoulders ahead too far assuming an unnaturally forced position. The angle of the body (approximately 45 degrees) allows the adequate use of the slide and is ideal for the transmission of the leg force to the stroke 2.Entry and First Half of the Drive During the entry the body weight is transmitted to the foot- stretcher using the force of the legs; this is especially noticeable in this first phase of the stroke. At the same time, the athlete is actively utilizing the other body muscles to produce efficient work in the water  3.Finish of the Drive In relation to the muscular force, the first half of the drive is relying primarily on the legs. Further in the drive, the back muscles enter into action and, towards the end, the shoulders and the arms. It is important that the body weight is utilized at all times and that the work is transmitted to the oars.  4.Finish and Release As described for figure 5, the shoulders and the arms close the drive. During this part of the stroke it is important to always keep the body weight behind the oars to achieve the maximum effect at the finish of the stroke. 5.First Half of the Recovery In the recovery, it is necessary to think that the hands are direct- ing the movement by quickly and fluidly pushing the oars away from the body after the release. 6. Second Half of the Recovery While the hands continue to advance, the upper body starts fluid- ly to lean forward until it reaches the correct position of the entry (45 degrees). When the arms are extended and the upper body is in the entry position, the athlete starts moving the seat forward to initiate the new stroke.

2011 Baylor Crew Spring Schedule & Results

Spring Semester Schedule

January 18: practice starts for returning members
January 19: Boats on Fountain Mall- Come by for more crew information!
January 20: Interest meeting- 8pm SLC lobby
January 24: practice starts for new members
March 5: HOT Regatta- Austin, TX
March 27: Scrimmage with WSU- Waco, TX
April 9: Scrimmage with A&M- College Station, TX
April 15-17: SIRA Regatta-Oakridge, Tenn.

Summary of Race Results

Result of HOT Regatta

Result of Scrimmage with WSU

Times

WV4- 5:49.78
MN8A- 4:54.43
WN8- 5:53.90
MN8B- 5:01.04
MN8C- 6:15.88
WN4- 6:53.47
MV4- 5:04.47

Result of Scrimmage with Texas A&M

This scrimmage was canceled by weather condition.

Result of SIRA Regatta


http://www.siraregatta.com/Files/SIRA%202011%20-%20Final%20Results.pdf

Head of the Brazos

Head of the Brazos is hosted by Baylor University Crew every fall during the distance season. Held in Waco, TX, this 5000m race is elegable for Collegiate, Open and Masters. Rowing on the Brazos River next to the recently renovated Cameron Park offers a great experience. The Brazos River is some of the best water in the Southwest United States due to the shelter that is provided by the foliage along the length of the river and the limestone cliffs near the confluence of the Bosque and Brazos River. There is also phenomenal viewing throughout the entire 4000 meter course which makes for more and better spectator participation. Check back in the fall for updates about Head of Brazos 2011!

Baylor Crew

Baylor Crew is the rowing club at Baylor University. Despite being a nonprofit, student led organization, we practice and compete nationwide. Although we are a club team, we compete at the varsity level. No previous rowing experience necessary!!


Rowing is defined by one's commitment, integrity, and teamwork. Team members must practice long hours, yet still do well academically. Rowing will encourage and challenge one to become a stronger person both mentally and physically. Being student led, each member is an integral part of the team. Members will be given many opportunities to succeed and become leaders not only in practice, but in everyday life. 

Coach: 

Grey Rogers

Assistant Coaches:

Shawn McEndree

Todd Underwood

Stanley Shen

Daniel Collier

Head Coxswain: 

Gabby Saucedo

President - John Russell

Vice President - Miguel Perez

Treasurer - Kevin Lindley

Equipment Manager - Hoang Bui

Secretary -Lauren Sikes

Fundraising - Hillary FitchDaniel Collier

What is Rowing?

Some people are interested in rowing, but some of them don't know what the rowing is.
Rowing requires the athlete to possess the leg power of a speed skater, the back strength of a weight lifter, the endurance of a marathon runner, the reflexes of a sprinter, and the balance of a skate boarder. 
This is the introducing video clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVYnxjnb714

Each rower has his back to the direction the boat is moving and power is generated using a blended sequence of the rower's legs, back and arms. The rower sits on a sliding seat with wheels on a track called the slide.

Boat - the boat itself. Sometimes referred to as the shell. Bow Side - the right side of the boat - when sitting in the cox's seat, looking forward; sometimes referred to as starboard. Oars for this side of the boat often have a green marking. Stroke Side - the left side of the boat - when sitting in the cox's seat, looking forward; sometimes referred to as port. Oars for this side of the boat often have a red marking. Stern - the back end of the shell, where the cox usually sits; also the end of the boat with the rudder and/or fin. Bow - the front end of the shell, covered by a bowball. Bowball - small rubber ball that covers the end of the bow; intended to prevent/reduce damage upon collision. Fin - the fin under the stern of the boat which helps to keep the boat on course. Rudder - a small, movable part, usually metal, that sits under the stern of the boat; allows the coxswain to steer the boat.

The boats are steered either by the coxswain, or by the bow seat (in boats without a coxswain - called "coxless" boats).
Cox's use a rudder to steer the boat, which they control using cables that are connected to it. To help keep the boat on course, all boats have a small fin in the stern.
There are two types of boat - rowing and sculling. There are also boats which can be used for either rowing or sculling, depending on how they're rigged (i.e. the boat comes with two sets of riggers - see the next section for information about riggers). Rowers (sometimes called sweep) have one oar each, while scullers have two oars each.

Each rower sits on a sliding seat that rolls on wheels along a fixed track called the slide. Feet are tied into shoes which are bolted onto footplates in the boat. Each oar is held in place by riggers, which extend from the saxboard. The rigger holds the gate in which the oar sits.
The gate is carefully set up so that the oar is held in the water with a specific amount of pitch or tilt. This is usually about 5 degrees at the midpoint of the stroke although it does not change through the stroke.

Each person in the boat has a position, starting in the bow. The person closest to the bow is called bow seat. Every other seat is called by the number of the seat, except the lead rower, who is the stroke.

Coxswain (cox) - the person steering the boat who also motivates the rowers, helps them keep their pace and helps to correct technique and unify the crew.

History of Rowing

Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water. The sport can be both recreational, focusing on learning the techniques required, and competitive where overall fitness plays a large role. It is also one of the oldest Olympic sports. In the United States, high school and collegiate rowing is sometimes referred to as crew.

Even since the earliest recorded references to rowing, the sporting element has been present. An Egyptian funerary inscription of 1430 BC records that the warrior Amenhotep (Amenophis) II was also renowned for his feats of oarsmanship. In the Aeneid, Virgil mentions rowing forming part of the funeral games arranged by Aeneas in honour of his father.

^{In the 13th century, Venetian festivals called regata included boat races among others. Nowadays, rowing competitions are still called regattas (with a second 't' added).}

The first known ‘modern’ rowing races, began from competition among the professional watermen that provided ferry and taxi service on the River Thames in London. Prizes for wager races were often offered by the London Guilds and Livery Companies or wealthy owners of riverside houses. (ref, The Brilliants p14). During the 19th century these races were to become numerous and popular, attracting large crowds. A contemporary sporting book lists 5000 such matches in the years 1835 to 1851. Prize matches amongst professionals similarly became popular on other rivers throughout Great Britain in the 19th century, notably attracting vast crowds on the Tyne. The oldest surviving such race, Doggett's Coat and Badge was first contested in 1715 and is still held annually from London Bridge to Chelsea.

Amateur competition in England began towards the end of the 18th century. Documentary evidence from this period is sparse, but it is known that the Monarch Boat Club of Eton College and the Isis Club ofWestminster School were both in existence in the 1790s. The Star Club and Arrow Club in London for gentlemen amateurs were also in existence before 1800. At the University of Oxford bumping races were first organised in 1815 while at Cambridge the first recorded races were in 1827. The Boat Race between Oxford University and Cambridge University first took place in 1829, and was the second intercollegiate sporting event (following the first Varsity Cricket Match by 2 years). The interest in the first Boat Race and subsequent matches led the town of Henley to begin hosting an annual regatta in 1839.

In America, there is also a sizable rowing community. Ports such as Boston, New York, and Philadelphia required the building of many small rowing boats, and competition was inevitable. The first American race took place on the Schuylkill River in 1762 between 6-oared barges. As the sport gained popularity, clubs were formed and scullers began racing for prizes. Professionals were rowing against clubs and each other before the civil war. Races were often round trips to a stake and back, so that the start and finish could be watched. The public flocked to such events, and rowing was as popular in America during the 19th century as other professional sports are today. In 1824, ferrymen from the Whitehall Landing at Manhattan's Battery raced a crew from the British frigate HMS Hussar for $1,000. Thousands bet on the event and the Americans won. In 1843, the first American college rowing club was formed at Yale University. The Harvard-Yale Regatta is the oldest intercollegiate sporting event in the United States having been contested every year since 1852 (except for occasional breaks due to major wars, such as World War II and the US Civil War). The oldest inter-high school competition in the United States also occurred on the water, in the form of a race in six man boats between two New England boarding schools: Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire, and Phillips Academy Andover in Andover, Massachusetts. The oldest continuous rowing club in America is the Detroit Boat Club, in Detroit, Michigan.

FISA, the “Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d’Aviron” in French (or the English equivalent International Federation of Rowing Associations) was founded by representatives from France, Switzerland, Belgium, Adriatica (now a part of Italy) and Italy in Turin on 25 June 1892. It is the oldest international sports federation in the Olympic movement.

FISA first organised a European Rowing Championships in 1893. An annual World Rowing Championships was introduced in 1962. Rowing has also been conducted at the Olympic Games since 1900 (canceled at the first modern Games in 1896 due to bad weather).

Strong rowing nations include Great Britain, the United States, Italy, Netherlands, France, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, Australia, and Romania. Well-known rowers of recent years include Sir Steve Redgrave (UK), who won Olympic golds in five successive Olympics; Sir Matthew Pinsent (UK), who won golds in four successive Olympics; James Tomkins (Australia), three times Olympic gold medalist; Rob Waddell (New Zealand) and Xeno Müller(Switzerland), opponents in the single sculls; Ekaterina Karsten (Belarus) in women's single sculls; Kathrin Boron (Germany) in women's double sculls and quadruples.(From Wikipedia)