In the past few years, rowing has become a more popular sport for athletes in the QC area, especially for students at PV. Four years ago, there were four PV rowers. This year, there are 13.
While the sport is still relatively unknown, Y Quad Cities Rowing’s national and international
success has brought some attention to the small team. During this summer alone, PV rowers won titles at the USRowing Youth Nationals, Henley Royal Regatta, USRowing Club Nationals, and Canadian Henley Royal regatta. At Youth Nationals in Rancho Cordova, California, four PV students won a national title in the quadruple sculls (a four person boat where each person has two oars) for the 5th year in a row, and won the lightweight double (two person boat with two oars each) for the second year. Then, a month later, the PV students won the prestigious Henley Royal regatta, the first time an American crew to win that event. Current PV rowers and alumni won titles at the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta in St. Catharines, Ontario.
The team is also succeeding on a smaller level in multiple ways. Regional successes at regattas in the midwest pull in new rowers.
Junior national team member and PV Junior, Delaney Evans, said, “A lot of people noticing the sport of rowing due to the success of the program, which makes people interested in trying it out.”
Two time national champion and PV junior, Taylor English, chimed in on the spread of rowing. “Local news outlets have covered our success, and people have read and seen these stories and have become interested in what we do here,” she stated. “It’s nice that the sport is becoming more well known.”
Y Quad Cities rowers go to schools all around the area. The athletes are from Bettendorf, Davenport Central, North Scott, Iowa City, and Moline school districts.
This last year, the Sylvan Boathouse, home base of the team, became the Bass Street YMCA and Sylvan Boathouse. Now, along with all the rowing equipment, it has classes and cardio machines, like other YMCA’s in the area.
This past summer, the Bass Street YMCA and Sylvan Boathouse had multiple learn to row classes, where people of all ages could learn the basics of the sport. With winter coming, the boathouse is putting on “learn to erg” (erg stands for ergometer, which is a rowing machine) sessions, where people can get a specialized workouts and learn how to use the machine
The popularity can be attributed to the head coach, Peter Sharis, whose children are past and current PV students. Sharis has coached Y Quad Cities to its success.
Novice coach Deidrah Kennedy, said, “Although it is a little known sport, it is very rewarding. It is worth the time and effort that one must put in.”
