by Alessandra Simeone
Gyms filled with eager students, the whirring of rowing machines at full speed, and interviews abounding – Row New York tryouts are a hectic but exciting time for our program staff. In just two days (one day each for our Manhattan and Queens locations!), hundreds of students try out for Row New York’s competitive high school and middle school teams. An all-hands-on-deck affair, the tryouts involve Row New York staff across the organization assisting in the exciting frenzy that will determine our middle school and high school ranks for up to six years of intensive RNY programming.
But tryouts are only the half of it. For students to experience Row New York, they must first know about us. But how exactly do thousands of pre-teens learn about what RNY has to offer? Though not as exciting as witnessing first-time rowers test their skills, a few initial steps are necessary to get students in the door in the first place.
Enter the recruitment process. Recruiting is not only crucial to the longevity of our teams; by meeting with dozens of schools and many principals, teachers, and students, our program staff also reaches a broader audience in their respective communities. Our Program Directors share some tips for how they get hundreds of students excited about rowing.
Location and communication are key:
Coaches begin with their boathouses. Most athletic programming takes place at the World’s Fair Boathouse in on Meadow Lake in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens, and the Peter Jay Sharp Boathouse on the Harlem River in Upper Manhattan. Many recruitment target schools are “based on the proximity to the boathouse; this will open up the opportunity for more students to travel to and from practice after school with relative convenience,” says Manhattan Novice Program Director Sasha Bailey. In a city as big as New York, we all know that travel time factors in more often than not – and the earlier students arrive at the boathouse, the more efficient (and safe) the practice.
Current RNY athletes are excellent indicators of where to recruit as well, since their presence is often the product of an established RNY connection with administrators. “As each year goes on, we’re able to establish better rapport with the schools where we usually recruit, which helps us in the following fall. From there, it’s coordinating the best time for these schools to have us present to their students.” And being organized helps: “the previous Program Directors have kept detailed and organized records of which staff at the schools have been most responsive, supportive, and helpful when coordinating a recruiting session,” says first time recruiter Manhattan Middle School Coach Denise Aquino. Detailed records, connections, and a great rapport will lead to a successful relationship between schools and RNY. But how do coaches connect to their main audience: students who might never have heard of rowing?
The Pitch:
Our coaches have no time for jitters as they stand in front of hundreds of pre-teens. Though we all know how amazing Row New York is, how do we convey this obvious truth to students who don’t? As with coaching styles, recruiting styles vary. Queens Novice Program Director Breanne Fitzsimmons focuses on RNY’s benefits. “We teach you how to row (no experience necessary), we teach you how to swim if you can’t, we travel across the Northeast, we help you in school, we get you into college, and rowing can help pay for college.” Coach Denise found that travel becomes a particular plus: “When speaking to 12-14 year olds, I find that most of their ears perk up when I talk about the opportunity to travel when we compete at regattas.” Students have the opportunity to travel to 10-12 regattas per year, visiting different towns and cities across the Northeast.
In addition to race travel, high schoolers will also tour colleges, making each regatta trip even more engaging. Coaches project beyond college too: “I like to tell the kids, ‘Raise your hand if you want to be a doctor, lawyer, nurse, engineer, teacher…’ At this point most of the kids in the room have raised their hands, and then I talk to them about needing to attend college in order to enter those professions, and how Row New York had just had 25 seniors not only graduate high school, but also attend college – some of them on rowing scholarships! Kids like that.” Regardless of method, each student in attendance learns about Row New York’s opportunities for excellence, both on and off the water.
The Search:
Though the rowing world is known for a particular type of athlete, Row New York prides itself on breaking that mold. Since tryouts require no experience, we focus on potential and enthusiasm. “If the candidate is enthusiastic and open to being a part of the programming that Row New York has to offer, then he or she has caught my eye!” Room for athletic and academic growth is especially important, as we look for students who might not otherwise get the opportunity to participate in a program like ours.
“I look for students that can most benefit from a program like this. And students who are willing to try something new and are willing to commit to our program. Also, students that have a lot of potential as a student-athlete.” By finding eager and engaged students, coaches can fill their ranks with dedicated rowers willing to work hard and commit to themselves, their teammates, and the RNY and larger community.
With all of this, we couldn’t face any additional challenges, right? Well…
Time Crunch:
The beginning of the school year is always a hectic time, and meeting with many students in an already packed school schedule adds an extra challenge for the RNY coaches, “There is a very short window in which we can recruit before the tryout. It is always a busy time, to communicate prior to the tryout and get into every school within that two week period. If schools have us come in for a short presentation, it is difficult to get all of the great aspects of RNY into that short timeframe!” But, much like their adaptability on the unpredictable waterways of NYC, our coaches have the ability to adjust to chaotic fall schedules. “We understand that we have to be flexible not only with our schedule to come to a school on short notice, but also have to be able to adapt in situations where a projector may not work or when students from a different grade are present in a recruiting session. These challenges are normal and the recruitment process keeps us young!”
Could there be anything else you need to know about RNY recruiting?
Pro Tips:
For Sasha, supportive schools are just one more reminder of why recruiting is so important, “Many of the administrators and teachers are huge supporters of our program. They love to have someone unique come in and present to their students. They also love what we offer them, and that it’s far more than just rowing. It’s great to have the support of these schools when we go in and recruit! They are very appreciative of what we do for their students, which is very rewarding!”
Breanne knows exactly how to engage the audience at hand, “The goofier you are, the more approachable you’ll be to freshmen.” Truer words never spoken.
It’s never an easy process, but the students that we bring into the program and into the RNY family make it more than worth it – as do all of the teachers, parents, administrators and community members who help us through recruiting season and beyond! We couldn’t do this without you.
And we hope to see a huge turnout at our Manhattan tryouts on September 23, and Queens on September 24!
