If you named all American women with disabilities, you’d have about 27 million names. If you named all the rowing programs for young women with disabilities, you’d have only a handful. That’s why we’re so excited about our winter rowing program that started recently in Manhattan. It’s one of a small number of similar programs around the country, a supply far outstripped by demand. Nonetheless, for the women coaches Stephanie Frank and Adam Berger are serving, it’s making a huge difference.
The program is run in conjunction with our partners at NYU Langone Medical Center’s Initiative for Women with Disabilities (IWD). Located at the Elly and Steve Hammerman Health and Wellness Center, the initiative enables women to stay fit, socialize, share feelings, set wellness goals, and learn new skills. They do all of these things within the scope of our winter rowing program.
The program begins on land at the wellness center, using erg machines specially equipped for people with disabilities. Coaches Stephanie and Adam help their rowers improve erging technique, posture, and breathing while leading them in warm-ups and erging pieces. Several are slated to compete on our team at Boston’s C.R.A.S.H.-B. World Indoor Rowing Championship in February. The program ends later that month, at which point many winter rowers will continue rowing with us at our Queens boathouse in spring and summer. In Queens we have barges for rowers with special needs and mobility challenges. These un-tippable barges keep the rowers safe while giving them the thrill of being out on the water.
Specialized equipment alone won’t make a program like this succeed, however. You need dedicated participants and dedicated coaches. We have those, too. You also need good results. We think we have those. The comments and feedback Row New York has received from participants in past years has been heartening. They’ve experienced the empowering feeling that flows from mastering a new sport, raising self-expectations, competing on a level playing field, and moving your body with freedom and power.
Here is a sample of feedback:
“I enjoy rowing because it is a sport that everyone can do.”
“It is a very cool sport and it’s great that it’s adjustable to everyone’s physical needs.”
“Being on the water is freeing.”
Thank you to everyone at NYU Langone’s IWD for this partnership in a meaningful and needed program.
