Submitted by Olympia Area Rowing
Lennox Tobin has tried all the water sports – swimming, paddleboarding, sailing to name a few – but nothing has felt quite right until she put her blade in the water with Olympia Area Rowing. The homeschooled high school freshman joined the team after a friend invited her to a Learn to Row day. “I didn’t know anything about crew or rowing until my friend, Grace, suggested I join her at a Learn to Row day,” said Tobin.
“I was a little stressed when I showed up at the Learn to Row day, but everyone was so nice and welcoming,” she explained. “After I looked around the boathouse (which is very nice), I just wanted to get out on the water.”
“I was terrible,” she said with a smile. “But I quickly realized how peaceful and zen it is to do the rowing motions. Over the next few weeks, I gained more control over my oar and am very excited for the fall season and participating in regattas.” The high school rowing team travels to about four regattas in the fall and more in the spring seasons.
Olympia Area Rowing is open to all Thurston County high school students and welcomes kids to show up for the next Learn to Row day on Friday, September 6 from 3:10 p.m. – 5:40 p.m. Carpools from most of the local high schools help get kids to the Port of Olympia boathouse. After a tour of the boathouse, new rowers visiting on Learn to Row day learn the basic rowing stroke on land and then in a boat.
Olympia Area Rowing’s mission is to empower young adults to become capable and confident in a team-oriented, competitive rowing program, offering every student-athlete the opportunity to achieve their goals in an environment of respect, cooperation and team spirit. And according to Tobin, the club is accomplishing this goal. “It’s a very healthy atmosphere where we are focused on learning technique,” she said.
“Definitely show up for Learn to Row day,” Tobin said enthusiastically. “You get to be out on the water, having fun, with very supportive people focused on camaraderie. The experience is so worth it. It’s really the perfect sport.”
Contact Coach Kathryn Reith at reith.k@comcast.net to sign up. A waiver signed by a parent/guardian will be needed. Come dressed to work out and be prepared for the weather. Get a snapshot of what it’s like to be part of the high school rowing team by visiting OAR on Facebook and Instagram.
About Olympia Area Rowing
Olympia Area Rowing is a non-profit community organization founded in 1998 to promote competitive and recreational rowing in the South Puget Sound region. The club provides programs and classes for all ages, abilities and skill levels year-round. The Youth Program encourages and empowers young adults to become capable and confident through teamwork, dedication and physical fitness through the sport of competitive rowing. O.A.R. currently serves over 90 high school and middle school student-athletes and over 60 active adult (“masters”) rowers who compete in regional, national and international regattas or row for pleasure and exercise on the scenic waters of Budd Inlet. http://olympiaarearowing.org
