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by Alessandra Simeone

In the summer of 2008, Row New York hosted a day of barge rowing on Meadow Lake with a group of 15 young women from the NYU Initiative for Women with Disabilities (IWD). The success of that day, and the joy that the women brought to the experience of getting on the water, spurred us to work with IWD to develop programming for those with disabilities.  It was an initiative we approached with equal parts excitement and humility; rowing is a sport that is adaptable for people at all levels of ability, but each para-rower has unique abilities and challenges. We had a lot of learning to do.

Since that day six years ago, RNY para-rowing has grown to a robust program serving over 300 individuals a year in seasonal and year-round offerings, and we have been recognized as an official Paralympic Sports Club. Our new Competitive Para-Rowing Team has adults with physical disabilities rowing on Meadow Lake (and recently medaling at the Bayada Regatta!), and our Recreational Para-Rowing each Saturday morning draws groups of all ages from all across the region.

Para-rowing practice 5

And with the fall comes another season of recreational and competitive para-rowing. After spring and summer sessions, our para-rowing coaches Carol Quijada and Vero Castillo are eager to move into teaching proper technique: “Vero and I are really looking forward to teaching our rowers about the connection this fall. It was a great summer and spring season, teaching them exactly how the order of the stroke goes, and most of our returning members have retained that information.” With this in mind, Carol and Vero look forward to transitioning into full strokes with their athletes.

Para-rowing Practice 2

In addition, for the first time this fall, RNY will now be featuring a Recreational Evening for parents and family members of recreational para-rowers to meet and learn more about the opportunities available through our para-rowing programs. We expect the inaugural October gathering to be the first of many Recreational Evenings!

On another front, our competitive para-rowing team has recently gained the expertise of our Alumni Coordinator/Novice Coach Charlotte Rendon. Charlotte, along with Carol, will lead the team through their fall season. Like Carol, Charlotte is a RNY alumna and has a wide range of coaching experience spanning all RNY programs. We’re happy to bring her aboard!

Para-rowing Practice 3

The competitive team is eager to get the season started. “The rowers were so glad to be back in the boathouse and ready to row!” says Carol. At their first practice, they joined together for a fall meeting and discussed goals for the season, in addition to recounting progress made from the summer and spring. Perhaps most exciting, though, they ended the week by going out on the water: “we had a good, solid practice just getting connected with our boat.” The competitive para-rowers are poised to compete at the Head of the Anacostia (this Saturday!), the Head of Schuykill and the Head of the Charles – the first time that a para-rowing team from the New York area will be represented at the Boston event. With their skills and confidence growing, and their technique constantly improving, our para-rowers are expecting high quality performances in these races.

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At our annual Fall Benefit next Thursday, October 2, we will highlight our para-rowing community, and their dedication and drive for excellence.  Victor Calise, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, and Maria Bournias, RNY Competitive Para-rower and member of our Para-Advisory Board, will be the evening’s honorees, and will speak to their experiences with RNY. We can’t wait to hear what they have to say – and we’re eager to explain, in return, just how much they and all of our para-rowers mean to Row New York.

Para-rowing practice 4

We wish all of our para-rowers the best of luck this season!

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