Team JL 2024 Ambassador Program
Do you want to be more involved in the rowing community, and share the sport with a wider audience? Are you interested in becoming a part of JL and helping us grow? Would you enjoy creating content for the JL brand? Applications for the 2024 Team JL Ambassador Program are open from September 6 to September 20.
Team JL Spotlight: Willow Arts
We are PROUD to be an ally. Equality, Love, and Pride are the principles that JL is built on. Today and everyday, we come together to celebrate Pride Month. Inclusivity and unity are important in the rowing community, and we are fortunate to have passionate individuals who are part of, or advocates for, the LGBTQIA+ community. Today, we shine a spotlight on one of our Team JL Ambassadors, Willow Arts, who is a transgender athlete.
Father's Day 2023: Celebrating Dads
Coaches, rowers, coxswains, dad of a rower - there are many roles that dads can play in the rowing community. Each role is important and we'd like to give a big THANK YOU to all the dads out there! In honor of Father's Day, we are highlighting two of our Team JL Ambassadors who are dads. Read about how they are involved in rowing, how they balance family life with training/racing, and what they are most proud of as dads.
Mother's Day 2023
Moms play a big part in the rowing world: we have women who show their strength as mothers and on the water as part of a masters team; we have moms who coach not only their kids, but also a rowing team; and of course moms who support their children who row/cox! In honor of Mother's Day, we sat down with three of our Team JL Ambassadors who are all moms who row! Read about how their training has evolved pre-pregnancy, during pregnancy, and post-pregnancy, how rowing has helped them as moms, and what they are most proud of as moms.
Historic Women Creating Spaces for Women to Excel
It’s on the shoulders of these trailblazers that we stand today, personally I am indescribably grateful for their contributions to our programs and professions. Their resiliency to press forward despite glass ceilings, patriarchal precedent, and barriers to equality enabled them to painfully carve out the spaces that we have today in male-dominated environments like athletics and high-level professional environments.
Didn't compete in varsity? It's not too late for you, Masters!
This blog post is dedicated to people who discovered rowing later in life at the masters level, and who haven't raced in school or college. Many masters are rowing in clubs for leisure/exercise more than to compete and it's sometimes hard to train for competitions when the rest of the team is not in this mindset. This blog post features quotes from two JL ambassadors sharing their advice with us
Women's History Month 2023
The history of women in sports is full of obstacles and discrimination. For a long time, women were considered physically weak and unsuitable for sports. At first, they were not allowed to play sports in various sports associations at all. Over time, the situation changed, and women's sports associations were established. Even after the formation of associations, they could not participate in competitions, races, or matches.
"Black People in Rowing: Our Stories, Our Future" by Joshua Rafferty
As Black History Month approaches, esteemed black leaders, activists, athletes, artists, and so many more are highlighted. It serves as an opportunity to take a step back and look at the history and future of our beloved sport through the lens of black people. First, a bit about myself. My name is Joshua Rafferty, and I’m an economics student and rower at Loyola University Maryland.
National Girls and Women in Sports Day 2023
In recognition of National Girls and Women in Sports Day on February 1, 2023, we asked three of our ambassadors, Zola, Mallory, and Nancy, about their experiences in sports. Read about how these women feel about being an athlete, their accomplishments in sport, and what they would like to see for girls and women in the future.
Veterans Day Spotlight: Patrick Ward
Team JL Ambassador, Patrick Ward is a disabled United States Navy Veteran, injured while on Active Duty. He underwent 52 surgeries and the amputation of his right leg above the knee racking up a total of more than 2 years in the hospital. He has trained at the Miami Beach Rowing Club for the last 5 years, and currently holds Men’s PR2 World Records in multiple categories. In honor of Veterans Day 2022, we sat down with Pat to learn more about his journey from his high school dreams of being a rower, to becoming a PR2 athlete.
HOCR 2022 Recap
Another Head of the Charles Regatta is in the books! Highlights included brand new product drops, an opportunity to meet with an account manager about custom rowing gear, the Ukrainian National Team, a meet & greet with US Para National Team athlete, Andrew Mangan, and Team JL ambassador boats. Check out some photos from the weekend below!
Finding Strength and Recovery Through Rowing
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we are highlighting one of our Team JL Ambassadors, Michelle Lyons, who discovered rowing after going through treatment for breast cancer. Read about how Michelle's breast cancer journey led her to find the sport and community of rowing.