Mission
Northern Virginia Rowing Club (NVRC) is a not for profit organization dedicated to teaching the sport of rowing to masters rowers, as defined by US Rowing.
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Master: A Master is a competitor who has attained or will attain the age of 21 during the current calendar year. A competitor’s age is determined as of December 31 of the current calendar year, rounded down to the highest contained integer. A competitor thus becomes a Master on January 1 of the year of his or her 21st birthday. A Masters crew shall be comprised exclusively of Masters rowers, but the coxswain need not be a Master.
NVRC History
NVRC began as a fall junior program in the early 1990's, under coaches Cathy Coffman and Eric Rothstein. The adult program started in 1999 when Eric Rothstein and 10 adults met at the Sandy Run boathouse. Over that summer and fall, coach Eric taught those 10 rowers about rowing. They learned how to get into the boat properly, the mechanics of rowing, balance and boat safety as they prepared for their first 5000 meter head race in November of 1999. They completed the race and not only learned a lot about rowing but a lot about themselves. They can forever say, "I am a rower."
The club has grown since then, both in membership, its impact on the community, and its racing success. More than 60 people currently row for the club. Each spring, we introduce 15 to 25 new people to the sport of rowing. We have also expanded our racing success beyond the Occoquan. We have rowed in places as far away as Boston and London (in the UK), and regularly compete in the USRowing Masters' National Sprint Regatta (finishing 8th in the nation among all clubs).
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We love this sport and want to teach everyone to love it too.
