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Philadelphia City Rowing: Local Club Brings Sport of Rowing to North Philly Teens


  The sport of rowing (also known as crew) is not usually associated with inner-city schools. Rowing is not the most accessible sport when compared to, say, basketball or football. While other sports requires the same amount of practice and devotion as rowing, there aren’t as many prerequisites. You get a ball, a few friends, and head over to the park. It’s much harder to obtain a boat, eight people, and a river on which to row. As a result, rowing has become a sport associated with privilege. Philadelphia City Rowing (PCR), a rowing program for students in the School District of Philadelphia, seeks to change these perceptions.citygrl

  PCR was founded in 2010 by Libby Peters, a former captain of Columbia University’s crew team. The program aims to empower public high school students through the sport of rowing. PCR is open to any middle or high school student in the School District of Philadelphia (this includes charter schools) and is completely free. Students are trained from the ground up through swim lessons, gym sessions on erg (rowing) machines and, of course, practices and meets on the Schuylkill River.

  But PCR isn’t just about mastering a new sport. The program also places a direct emphasis on the importance of academic success, an emphasis that is sometimes lacking in other athletic programs.

  “100 percent of the kids in our program graduate on time,” said Terry Dougherty, PCR’s executive director. “And 100 percent are accepted to four year schools.”

  The on-time graduation rate for the rest of school district is at 65 percent as of 2016.novice

  “It’s not just the rowing, it’s the education,” said John Hogan, a board member and volunteer coach at PCR.

  Every Monday is an academic day at PCR. Services provided include SAT prep offered by JEVS Human Services, tutoring from first-year Drexel medical students and workshops on how to write a college essay. In February, students can participate in college visits to local universities.

  “Last year, our kids on average increased about 200 points between practice and actual SATs,” said Dougherty. “We monitor academic performance and help younger students with organizational skills and time management.  They have to maintain at least a C average to row.”

  As is befitting to any athletic program, the importance of good nutrition is emphasized at PCR. Workshops on nutrition are held once a month. Students learn about healthy snacks and which foods to eat before and after exercis.myi

  The program has expanded significantly since 2010, according to Dougherty. The first season had 40 kids from 11 high schools.  Six years later the program is up to 85 kids from 25 high schools as well as a middle school program with 40 kids from 17 schools.

  Because the program serves so many schools, many students must rely on public transit to get to and from practice. However, if a student does not have a trans-pass, PCR provides tokens.

  The next session for high schoolers begins January 10th at PCR’s winter facility at 2700 W. Girard Ave. There is no application process for high school students— just show up at the facility. The next session for middle schoolers begins March 20th. Middle school students must fill out an application. These applications become available January 30th.

  More information can be found online at philadelphiacityrowing.org

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