Row New York has been running seasonal Indoor Rowing Programs for youth in locked detention since fall 2011. This program helps mitigate the stress of the detention center setting and empowers young people to be not only fit and healthy but also focused, calm, cooperative, engaged, and positively connected to staff and peers. In the latest chapter of this unique program, on Friday, September 6, three Row New York coaches paid a visit to the Crossroads Juvenile Detention Center in Brooklyn. The following account comes to us courtesy of Row New York Coaching Corps Member Denise Aquino.
Our new Director of Community Rowing, Matt Logue, and Coaching Corps members, Catherine Hicks and myself, Denise Aquino, brought 10 ergs and a wealth of rowing knowledge to the courtyard in the Crossroads facility on this summer afternoon. With the help of Ms. Springer, we had the ergs set up in no time and we were ready to introduce the sport of rowing to four unsuspecting teenagers. At first most of the girls were reluctant – fooling us with names like “Potato” and “Diamond.” No stranger to pushing people through workouts (Catherine and I are both coxswains), we had three of the four girls at the catch and ready to row.
Not long after, we had to move the ergs to the shade because the competition on the ergs began to heat up. By the final 1000m piece, Ms. Springer and the Crossroads counselor had joined in the competition. We were even happy to see that the fourth and most reluctant girl eventually joined in the fun and was pulling the best splits out of everyone.
By the end of the visit we had smiles all around and look forward to our next visit.
We’d like to thank Crossroads Juvenile Detention Center for giving Row New York the opportunity to work with young adults in the detention center for many visits to come!
