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.
Team Spotlight: Sammamish Rowing Association
Usually a rowing club starts with some rowers and a coach, then some boats and oars, and eventually a boathouse. But with SRA, the boathouse came first. In 1994, Hod Fowler, a former collegiate rower, learned of an old boathouse in Marymoor Park. The boathouse was originally built by the Overlake School on the site of a former sewage-treatment plant. Overlake later abandoned the building, and Fowler discovered it was weeks away from being demolished as part of a toxic-site cleanup project in Marymoor Park.
Athlete Spotlight: AJ Collins
Meet AJ, a sophomore who rows starboard on Purdue Crew. He is studying to become a mechanical engineer, but really enjoys being on the team, since it allows him to dedicate himself to something bigger than himself. Being a student-athlete helps push him to be more effective and productive in everything that he does. AJ's favorite pre-practice snack is a plain bagel smothered in peanut butter, and after practice, you'll find him eating a banana and chocolate milk.
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.
Athlete Spotlight: Nikki Hallahan
Meet Nikki Hallahan, a freshman on the rowing team at Purdue University. Nikki started rowing in high school, and hasn't looked back! Her favorite pre-practice snack is a protein shake she makes in her dorm room with protein powder, almond milk, vitamins/supplements, and yogurt. Her favorite seat is bow seat in a 4x, and she is also bisweptual when rowing sweep! Read about how special rowing is to her, what her goals are for the season, and what she recommends to high schoolers considering rowing in college.
Baltimore Community Rowing: Reach High Baltimore
On February 2nd, we launched our new Men's Unity Unisuit and Women's Unity Unisuit in honor of Black History Month. We will be donating a portion of sales of the Men's and Women's Unity unisuits purchased in February 2023 to Baltimore Community Rowing, and their Reach High Baltimore Program. Read about how BCR is working to increase diversity, accessibility, and inclusion in Baltimore, one stroke at a time.
"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!