For the first time ever Butler County has a competitive high school rowing team for all high school students. The Great Miami Rowing Center is designed so that it is not affiliated with any one school (much like club basketball or volleyball) so any high school aged student may join.

Experience
There is no experience necessary to join and you may join at any time of the year! The first year you row, you will be classified as "novice" and race other teams of novice. After that first year you will be classified as "varsity" and race other varsity teams. GMRC has a third classification of "recreation," which only practices 3 days per week and will not race. This is for individuals who want to try rowing out but don't necessarily want to row competitively. Click here for more specific information.

GMRC offers young athletes an opportunity to learn the basics of rowing and meet kids from around the Butler County area. We are located at 110 N. B Street near the High/Main Bridge in historic downtown Hamilton.

Training
Our training consists of rowing on the Great Miami River in the fall and spring. During the winter months, when it is too cold to practice outdoors, we train indoors on rowing machines. Although crew is a year round sport, we don't ask that you give up yourr other sports! Crew is a physically demanding sport that can make an athlete much stronger for traditional sports and many high school athletes use rowing as cross training.

• What season does rowing compete?
  
• Do I have to participate in both seasons?
  
• What is rowing?
  
• Who Rows?
  
• What is the Great Miami Rowing Center?
  
• How safe is it?
  
• How do I get started?

What season does rowing compete?
Rowing occurs all year round. The school year is comprised of Fall, Winter, and Spring seasons with racing opportunities during all seasons. Additionally, we offer opportunities for students to row during the summer.

During the fall season we train over longer distances and the races are generally between 4,000 and 6,000 meters. The spring season is our sprint season and we race 2,000 meters, which can take anywhere from 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the crew. The winter months are too cold to practice outdoors, so we train indoors on rowing machines. Additionally, there are indoor rowing contests in Cincinnati and around the US that are performed by connecting several rowing machines together.

Do I have to participate in all seasons?
We would love it if you competed all year, but we know that is not always possible for those students who compete in other sports. We do not want you to have to give up the other sports and activities you are already involved in.

The Spring is our biggest season as it is the time for the regional and national championships.

What is rowing?
Rowing is the oldest sport in the modern Olympics, and the founder was actually a rower. This is a physically demanding sport involving strength, endurance, and coordination. This sport engages all muscle groups, not just the upper body – a common misconception.

We row our boats with a style of rowing called sweep rowing, which requires us to row in pairs in 2, 4, or 8 person boats. In sweep rowing the rowers have both their hands on one oar (sculling is with one smaller oar in each hand). Rowing has both long distance events, which take about 20 minutes, and sprint distances, which take about 7-8 minutes. The events are rowed on lakes such as Lake Harsha just east of Cincinnati, and rivers, such as our own Great Miami River.

Who rows?
Schools such as Moeller, Indian Hill, Turpin, Notre Dame Academy, and many others row for the Cincinnati Juniors Rowing Club. This team caters to the schools within the 275 loop and they practice near downtown Cincinnati. Similarly, the Greater Dayton Rowing Club and the Dayton Boatclub attracts students from Beavercreek, Carroll, Stebbens, Chamanade-Julienne, and many more. Individual schools also have rowing programs such as Cincinnati Country Day and Dublin High School.

Almost every high school rower comes to the sport with no experience. Rowers are generally taller, but people with smaller statures and lots of drive may also be competitive. Crew has an important position called the coxswain (pronounced cox’n). This is a naturally small, light person who motivates the rowers, executes racing strategy, and steers the racing shells.

Please visit this USRowing website for a list of all Ohio boat clubs.

What is the Great Miami Rowing Center?
The Great Miami Rowing Center strives to provide river access to all citizens in Butler County. We are committed to taking an under-used asset, the river, and creating a recreational centerpiece for the county. We are a not for-profit rowing community and the youth team is our cornerstone program and focus. In the future, we hope the youth provide inspiration for collegiate, post collegiate, and masters rowing programs.

How safe is it?
We are serious about safety, and we follow an extensive plan in accordance with the United States Rowing Association (the national governing body for rowing) to assure that we continue to conduct our rowing safely. The coach follows a much more elaborate set of rules, as well as applying the use if their own judgment and experience.

How do I get started?
Peruse the links on the left hand side of the page or email Frances Mennone at fmennone@greatmiamirowing.com and provide your name and which program you are interested in (youth, masters, MUH).

We'll be constantly updating the site to keep you informed about the upcoming season.