Row, row, row your boat— now completely free!
Students at Cabrillo, Poly and Jordan High Schools will soon be able to participate in a free rowing summer camp thanks to a $10,000 allocation from the Long Beach City Council on Tuesday.
The item was authored by Councilmember Suzie Price, who first learned about rowing when her sons got involved in the sport. She learned that collegiate rowing can lead to scholarships and boost college admission. Price noted a “huge boost” in scholarships since 1997 when women’s rowing became an official NCAA sport.
“In the city of Long Beach, we don’t have rowing as a high school team,” Price said. “So the only way students in the city of Long Beach, throughout the city, could participate is through participation as a club sport, which is incredibly expensive.”
Once created, the six-week summer program will target students from underserved communities. The group will meet Saturdays and Sundays for two hours with peer-to-peer training from experienced rowers and Long Beach Junior Crew (LBJC) members. Around 16 total students will be able to join the program.
“I have to tell you, the ultimate goal of this group is to row the stadium,” Kristina Duggan, regatta director for the Long Beach Rowing Association, said. “Every youth should have this opportunity.”
Those who want to continue rowing after the summer program will be able to apply for a scholarship to pay for the $8,000 year-long membership to the LBJC program, fundraised by Price.
“I would love it if we had a few students from Long Beach get a full college scholarship for rowing,” Price said. “And wouldn’t it be great if they someday came back and became Olympic athletes and hopefully we host the sport of rowing in Long Beach in 2028.”
Price also offered a transportation voucher to participants—via Uber, Lyft or a bus pass—thanks to private dollars.
Councilmember Al Austin emphasized the value of creating opportunities in collegiate sports, calling them “life-changing” for parents and students.
“These opportunities are very rare,” Austin said. “But when a kid has that opportunity, when a family has an opportunity, it is one that is amazing. This is a small investment that could pay big dividends in the long term.”
The next Long Beach City Council meeting will take place on Tuesday, June 8 at 5 p.m. via teleconference.
