Coastal Virginia Community Rowing spreads the love of the sport

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Rowing, sometimes referred to as “crew,” is the ultimate team sport. With oars utilized on opposite sides of the boat, or shell, teamwork is essential for everyone to move in unison and ensure the boat stays on course. Both good communication and equal effort are key to keep the boat flowing in harmony. It is this precise synchronization, however, that creates an intense bond among the rowers on a team and develops incredible cooperation skills.

Coastal Virginia Community Rowing (CVCR) believes in the magic of the sport. CVCR is a nonprofit organization that strives to make crew available to the general public and supports athletes in putting their best foot, or oar, forward.

CVCR draws from all over Hampton Roads, and includes athletes from First Colonial High School, Bayside High School, Princess Anne High School, Cape Henry Collegiate and Norfolk Academy. The athletes who participate in CVCR represent their respective areas in the community and devote themselves to rigorous year-round training.

The committed coaches of CVCR, Melissa Kuch, Jon Macy, Andrew Taylor, Jacob Davis and Debbie Grell, are just a handful of the people who give it their all to help rowers reach their fullest potential. All are former competitive rowers, and many are now coaches at the various high schools their CVCR rowers attend.

Currently, CVCR is in winter training for the upcoming spring season. The training entails rowing on ergometers, basically indoor rowing machines, to simulate the power needed to row on the water. Training also emphasizes exploring different body angles and movements to make the strokes as balanced as possible. Throughout training, rowers are asked to really focus on what they want for themselves and are confronted with personal obstacles, such as self-doubt or the fear of letting one’s team down. Yet, the substantial support from fellow teammates and invaluable advice from the coaches help motivate even the most doubtful rower.

Third-year rower Dakota Helgren admitted, “My own worst enemy is myself, and my team always motivates me to do better.”

CVCR rowers compete in multiple regattas, even traveling to Philadelphia during the summer. Three former CVCR athletes now row at the college level: Gabby Gonzalez with George Mason University, Emmett Wurster with Washington State University and Taylor Kopasky with Oregon State University. The CVCR rowers give 110 percent and many dream of rowing on a team when they attend college. However, “It takes a certain kind of person to be able to do this,” said Madeline Walters, Princess Anne High School rowing club team captain.

This spring season, regattas are open to the public, and information regarding dates will be on the CVCR website, www.cvcrowing.org.

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