About Miami Hamilton Rowing Club
Miami Hamilton Rowing Club invites all interested new members to come check out the team! You may join the team at any time and the best way to join is to come out to a practice! Rowing is a sport that most athletes begin in college so it's not too late to start this new and exciting sport! For additional information, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Maybe you've come across the sport of rowing in the movie The Skulls or Oxford Blues, in the Cingular commercial or in the opening credits of your favorite television show. Perhaps you've seen rowing in Downtown Cincinnati, in Oxford, Ohio or on our own Great Miami River in Hamilton. Rowing is everywhere and now it has come to Miami University Hamilton!
Rowing, or Crew as it is often called, is a fun and challenging sport and has an enormous amount to offer. Crew is a great way to get more involved on campus and we offer numerous leadership opportunity on our student board. You'll meet new and exciting people on the team and around campus. While wearing an MUH Crew T-shirt, you'll inevitably get several questions from your classmates about the sport. Additionally, it can help keep you in shape in order to live a healthier life!
You have the opportunity to be a part of this unique new sport during its initial years! No experience is necessary to join the program. Many athletes come to rowing with no experience and many rowers at the olympic level began their rowing careers in college! Come to a practice and we will teach you everything you need to know in order to get out onto the water and row
Join the Team
The best way to join the team is to come out to a practice! Many athletes come out to a few practices and try out the sport before they actually join the team. Email us at:
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to to set up a time to come out!
The Season
During the fall season rowers train over long distances and compete in "head races." These races are rowed on long stretches of river, so a straight course is hard to find. Boats are sent across the starting line, rowing at full speed, one by one and the times are compared.
In the winter season, when it is too cold to train outside, we move indoors on rowing machines called ergometers. We workout at the Great Miami Rowing Center's Indoor Training Center in downtown Hamilton. Check out the directions page to find out how to get here! Additionally, there are erg races, in which a group of ergs are connected so athletes from opposing teams may race each other.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you row in the winter?
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 and spring season we row oudoors on our own Great Miami River. The winter months are too cold to practice outdoors, so we move indoors on campus and use the rowing machines and weight room. Additionally, there are indoor rowing contests in Cincinnati and around the US that are performed by connecting several rowing machines together.
What if I play another sport?
We practice 3-4 days per week. Our practices are full body workouts and can help improve your cardiovascular and muscular strength, making it a perfect accent to any training schedule. Since we row all year round, you can participate in rowing during your off season from your other sports!
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 Miami Oxford, Xavier University, Ohio State, and Indiana University are just a few colleges that also have club rowing teams. When we go to regattas we will generally see these same schools as well as many others!
Most college students come 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 MUH team rows out of the Great Miami Rowing Center located at the corner of Main and B Street in downtown Hamilton. The mission of GMRC is to provide river access to all citizens in Butler County is committed to taking an under-used asset, the river, and creating a recreational centerpiece for the county. GMRC is a not for-profit rowing community with youth and masters teams in addition to housing the MUH team.
How safe is it?
We are serious about safety. All coaches are employees of GMRC and all rowers 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.
What does it cost to row?
Miami Hamilton offers this activity to students free of charge! The only expense you may incur is the cost of participating in a few rowing events (optional) and any tshirts or gear you'd wish to purchase. These fees are often nominal since we travel together as a team with all the members of GMRC and split the cost of travel among all the members.
How do I get started?
Peruse the links on the left hand side of the page or email the MUH head coach at
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. Please provide your name, year in school, and phone number.
We'll be constantly updating the site to keep you informed about the upcoming season.