Amherst Residents catch the "Rowing" Fever!

‘Hands on’ for Baboosic Lake Rowing

By: Chandler Wallisch

On July 15th, members of the local community gathered by the tranquil waters of Baboosic Lake in Amherst, NH in the early hours of the morning to learn about the challenging, yet rewarding, sport of rowing. The club, which welcomes community members aged 14 and above, is comprised of the Masters and Youth ‘Learn to Row’ programs.

Initially, both the Masters and Youth groups practiced handling a boat and learned rowing terminology before experiencing the water. Unique phrases such as ‘hands on’ (get hands on the boat), ‘up to heads’ (lifting the boat over your head) and ‘way enough’ (stop walking/rowing) were rapidly absorbed by the eager participants. 

Rowing has its own language which athletes learn with the aid of analogies, providing additional enthusiasm that is conducive to the sport. Both the Masters and Youth participants found the analogies fun and useful to understanding rowing techniques. Among other phrases, Coach Jim Kaveney compared sitting relaxed in the boat to “chilling on the couch and watching TV,” which helped the athletes feel more comfortable on the water.

The athletes were divided into groups where they were introduced to the basics of the rowing stroke on the ergometers. Within minutes the athletes demonstrated the different parts of the stroke-catch, drive, finish and recovery. Look out Amherst, the Baboosic Lake Rowing Club has some natural talent on the horizon!

While in the boat, the athletes were able to quickly apply the skills they learned in their land sessions to their water training in addition to enjoying the serenity of the lake. Robin Graham, a member of our master’s program, commented ‘suffering from severe asthma, it is one of the few sports I can actually participate in. It is low impact and it feels great to row.’

With bright spirits (even at 5:30am) and enthusiasm to learn, the Baboosic Lake Rowing Club, as a non-profit organization, is fully equipped to enhance sport, physical education and community participation in the future! Some of our adult participants, Sandy Comstock, Lisa Lyon and Robin Graham all agreed that they are ‘looking forward to continuing to the next step.’

In order to move forward as a sustainable program the rowing club requires some essential equipment. The necessary items include an outboard motor (9.9+ HP), boat slings (new or built), oars (4-12 more), safety bags with lifejackets, cox boxes, and rack/blocks. The following items would also contribute to the development of the club: aluminum launch, boat trailer, and rowing machines. The club will greatly appreciate any donated items, financial contributions, or any information about the above equipment.

Equally, the club will greatly benefit from the aid of parents or other community members that are interested in organizing fundraisers or becoming a club volunteer.

Both the Master’s and Youth programs will occur during the fall and spring seasons with a cost of $350 per person/season. This cost includes race fees, uniform, coaching, and equipment related fees such as repair, maintenance and the purchase of start-up supplies.

Both of the programs will commence the week following Labor Day weekend where they will train on the water a few times a week with recommended land training for the days in between. This training regime will provide both physical and mental fitness contributing towards a stronger and healthier lifestyle. Joining rowing will also establish life-long friendships as each participant develops his/her collaborative skills while encouraging each other to push their mental and physical limits.

If you are interested or have any questions about the Baboosic Lake Rowing Club please contact baboosiclakerowing@yahoo.com and follow the club on Facebook for frequent updates.