JRow (grades 7-8)

The JRow program is a completely beginner-based after school youth rowing program for students in 7th and 8th grades. This program runs on and off water rowing lessons. While the program is a public program, open to students from any school district, we have partnered with the Hamilton City Schools to provide busing from Garfield and Wilson Middle Schools.

HAMILTON BUSING INFORMATION: Wilson rides bus #16, Garfield rides bus #4.

The JRow course is a skill development program that focuses on safety first. Each class will begin with lessons on water safety. The Great Miami River in Hamilton has two dangerous low head dams.  Our primary water safety goal is to educate the youth on safety near low head dams.  However, other safety topics will be included; small boat safety, paddle sports safety, cold water immersion, weather and water hazard identification.

The secondary focus is on basic rowing skills and terms, with an emphasis on learning the terminology for boats and how to row. Students learn the essentials of sweep rowing with land training on rowing machines and on-the-water training on the Great Miami River.   The twice a week 2 hour sessions for 4 weeks or 8 total lessons, provide the opportunity for one to gradually ease into water recreation in a safe instructional environment.

Since we draw from more than one school we practice even when some schools have teacher in service days, etc. For the same reason we will be training over spring break on the same afternoon schedule.

Online Registration
All rowers must register online every season and we will no longer be doing paper transactions. If you are having trouble with this process, contact Traci with Regatta Central at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (614) 360-2922 (9AM-5PM). This process is a 2 step process.

Please click on the Blue bar corresponding with the program to reveal more information, dates, and pricing.

Gear
JRow t-shirts will be available soon for $8 each. Contact us to order a t-shirt.

Busing
Garfield - Meet the activity bus on the side by the gym. Bus #4
Wilson (Adams) - Meet the activity bus at the end of the sidewalk on Millikin Street. Bus #58
Wilson (Lincoln) - Its walking distance to 110 N. B Street.

Highlights
Olympic Sport JROW gives every student the opportunity to participate in an Olympic sport regardless of your athletic ability. Everyone gets equal time in the boats on this team!

Early Start!
If you're not available to join the racing team at the moment, or you're not in 9th grade yet, JROW gives you a chance to get the basics down before your first competitive season. Rowers who complete JROW before they start racing often times rise to the top of their novice class early on.

College Rowing Starting your training as early as possible can make you more desirable to college coaches. These schools are looking for athletic ability as well as knowledge of the sport and technique of the rower.

Membership Fees
These fees go directly towards the cost of running the rowing program. Since we are not affiliated with any particular school, we rely on the membership fees to pay our coaches, repair our equipment, and purchase gas and other necessities for practice. Each rower is urged to come to every practice and therefore will not prorate these fees based on attendance.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What season does rowing compete?
• Do I have to participate in all sessions?
• What is rowing?
• Who Rows?
• How much does it cost to row?
• 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.

Do I have to participate in all sessions?
You are welcome to participate in which ever session fit into your calendar. Many students will use rowing as cross training for other sports but our top tier rowers typically row every session we offer

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).

Who rows?
Our rowers come from Badin, Fairfield, Hamilton, Lakota, Mason, Middletown, to name a few. All of our rowers come together from different backgrounds to perform on one team.

Schools such as Moeller, Indian Hill, Turpin, Notre Dame Academy, and many others row for the Cincinnati Junior 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 youth 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.

How much does it cost to row?
There are two fees associated with rowing with GMRC. First is the Program Fees. These are paid once per season and cover the cost of daily operations, paying the coaches, equipment maintenance, insurance on the equipment, land rental, etc. Every rower, varsity, novice, and JROW, pay these fees. The JROW team is a bit more inexpensive as they do not race and practice only 2-3 days per week.

The second fee is the Regatta Fee and is only paid by those individuals going to away regattas. The total cost of attending a regatta, entry fees, trailer fees, truck rental, food, lodging, etc. is calculated and split among everyone going on the trip. The regatta fees are usually distributed 1 week after the last day to join the team for the season. We cannot estimate the fees earlier than that, as we don't know the exact number of students from year to year.

To find current information on Program Fees, please visit our registration page.

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?
The best way to get started is to come out to a practice! Email our Head Coach Emilie Graham at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to set up your first day of practice!