Shake off the winter cobwebs and get a jump start on the 2022 rowing season with DC Strokes Pre-Season Training. Join us Tuesday and Thursday evenings for six weeks of coached sessions that will improve your cardio, fitness, and mobility – regardless of whether you plan to row.

Sessions will include a dynamic warm-up and a variety of erg work lasting 50-60 minutes, followed by stretching and cool-down. You also will learn and put into practice basic coxing commands – all for less than $15 per week.

To allow for adequate spacing and ventilation, sessions will be held outdoors or in one of the bays at the Anacostia Community Boathouse. All participants will be required to show proof of being fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

When:  Tuesdays and Thursdays, Feb. 8-March 17

7:15-8:30 p.m.

Where:  Anacostia Community Boathouse

1900 M St SE, Washington, DC

Fee:  $85

Register today:   https://icrew.club/register?club=DCSRC

Registration code:  DCSRCxMem

Note: We will be using iCrew for all team activities this year (attendance, equipment management, lineups, etc.), so you will need to create an account. Tutorials and more information will be forthcoming.

About the coach

Rachel Freedman is a US Rowing Level II certified coach who has worked with high school and masters rowers, and developed winter training programs for sweep teams and unaffiliated scullers. In 2014 she founded RowSource.com as a resource for masters rowers, coaches, and coxswains. In 2020 she established the Alliance of Women Rowing Coaches and co-founded Steady State Network, the producer of Steady State Podcast.

DC Strokes Rowing Club (DCSRC) is committed to building an inclusive environment, fostering personal growth, and promoting a spirit of sportsmanship. DCSRC programs offer opportunities for all rowers, regardless of experience level. Today, DCSRC is one of only a handful of dedicated, independent LGBTQ+ rowing clubs in the world, along with the Chicago Rowing Union, the San Francisco Bay Blades, the London Otters in England, and the Melbourne Argonauts in Australia.

The team began in 1991 with eight gay runners looking for a cross-training activity, some old rented equipment, and a lot of enthusiasm. It took only two or three years for the team to grow into a cohesive organization that was competing regularly and ready to make the commitment to purchase racing shells and other equipment. Originally rowing on the Potomac River, DCSRC became a proud member of the Anacostia Community Boathouse in 2004 and now rows on the Anacostia River. DCSRC is also a member organization of USRowing Association.

DCSRC holds fast to the conviction that LGBTQ+ rowers can be formidable athletes and competitors.  Our goal is for DCSRC to be a platform for competitive success and to increase the profile of LGBTQ+ rowers in the rowing community while promoting a spirit of camaraderie amongst our members.  Our programs are open to all rowers, and we aspire foremost to create a safe and supportive environment for LGBTQ+ rowers and their allies.

Mission

Building on a legacy of inclusion as the Nation’s oldest LGBTQ+ rowing club, DC Strokes Rowing Club (DSCRC) offers access to the competitive sport of rowing to people of all backgrounds and athletic abilities in the greater Washington, DC area at their home in the Anacostia River by:

• Providing an opportunity for people to learn, develop, compete, and succeed in a supportive environment,
• Developing outreach programs that promote general fitness, rowing, and environmental stewardship to individuals who might otherwise not have such opportunities,
• Empowering and raising the visibility of LGBTQ+ athletes.