What is Rowing?
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Rowing, or Crew as it is sometimes called, is actually the oldest intercollegiate sport in America. The first sporting contest of any kind between two universities was a rowing race between Harvard and Yale in 1852. That race has been held annually ever since. The first formal women’s rowing program began in 1877 at Wellesley College in Massachusetts.
Rowing is an NCAA championship sport for women only. The first championship meet was held in 1997 at Rancho Cordova, California. Division II and Division III championships were added in 2002. Rowing continues to grow immensely in popularity, as the number of NCAA programs has grown from 74 in 1997 to over 140 today.
Rowers are generally athletes with good strength and aerobic endurance. Being tall helps but is not always a measure of success. Athletes in this sport must thrive in a team environment. With eight rowers in a boat doing the same thing, everyone must have a strong commitment to her teammates to make the boat go fast.
The majority of first-year rowers have no previous rowing experience before attending college. 10 |Kansas Rowing 2010-11