“Because of Your Machine, I Won First Place in My Event!”

Row New York volunteer Ara Hodge and coach Adam Berger joined thousands of kids ages 5-16 on Randall’s Island on Thursday, August 9 for the City Parks Foundation Track and Field Championship Meet. This event, the eleventh annual, was the culmination of a summer-long youth sports program based in New York’s parks. Ara and Adam represented Row New York at this track and field event, demonstrating the training and fitness potential of rowing’s erg machines.

At first, Ara reported, there was some hesitation among the young participants about the mostly unfamiliar erg machines. She noticed the pair’s first rower, Prince, “eyeing the erg.” “Finally we invited him down to have a try,” she said. Hesitation quickly gave way to enthusiasm. “He brought his friends over afterward and before we knew it everyone wanted to try it out. Prince came back about six times.”

“My favorite was Ariana,” Ara added. “She won first place in her event, the 400 meter dash, and came over to show us her shiny medal and whispered to me, ‘Because of your machine, I won first place in my event!’”

Row New York was very pleased to be able to spread our message of empowerment through rowing to the kids of the City Parks Foundation’s track and field championship. We thank the Foundation for inviting us.

 

Pictured above: Adam Berger and the track and field kids.