The Rowing Club of the Woodlands hosted a free community event on Saturday, June 3rd, welcoming dozens of people to the Woodforest Bank Boathouse. RCTW’s annual celebration of National Learn to Row Day offered a great experience for all involved.
Starting with a demonstration and dock talk by Director of Rowing and Head Coach Troy Howell, nearly forty community members gave rowing a try. Coach Howell encouraged essential elements of excellent rowing, patience and persistence, using the process of learning to walk as an allegory. Coach Joe Flynn, along with team captain Ayden Ressler, acted as dockmasters and combined visitors and experienced rowers in three quads and an eight, continuing to seat boats throughout the morning.
Many volunteers, as well as Coach Magdalena Pillow and Executive Director Ken Torrance, welcomed visitors and shared details about RCTW’s programs. Chairman Walter Brown and Executive Director Bob Yap remained available to operate safety boats if needed, which fortunately they were not. All rowers returned to the dock (mostly) dry.
All who arrived at the boathouse were offered tours by experienced rowers. Conversations about regattas, descriptions of boats, and the difference between sculling and sweeping were overheard. Esteban Barbosa, a rising sophomore and soon-to-be second-year rower, answered questions about the types of rowing, suggesting that “it’s easier to start as a sculler because you can row in a single, which gives you better feedback about what you are doing.”
As part of the tour, visitors enjoyed a display honoring RCTW’s graduating class of 2023, designed by Hilda Lease and constructed by Hillarrie Jones and Jennifer Fruehwirth. Eleven rowers were featured, including their favorite memories and post-graduation plans. Lawrence Godin, a longtime rower and graduating senior, contributed to the success of the event, saying, “National Learn to Row Day is a great way to introduce the community to a sport I love.” RCTW’s six trophies from the Texas State Championship in Waco were on display as well.
National Learn to Row Day exemplified cooperation between masters, juniors, and community members. Along with coaches Troy Howell, Joe Flynn, Magdalena Pillow, and Simon Bebak, as well as executive directors and Board members, over 50 volunteers worked to welcome the community and keep things running smoothly. This volunteer effort, from set-up to tear-down and everything in between, was wonderful to observe and truly added a spirit of camaraderie and teamwork.
Since 1989, RCTW has been a volunteer-run organization, offering an unparalleled opportunity for rowing in northwest Houston. Learn to Row opportunities for adults and high school students are available, and the competitive team is enrolling for the
head race season.
All images credited to Coach Joe Flynn.
