Interested in rowing at Evergreen? Great!

No Experience? No Problem!

Rowing is one of the very few sports that you can come to with no previous experience and excel at the college level. So few people have rowing experience when they come to college that the playing field is very level. You will not be the only person who doesn't know what they are doing.

Many of our athletes are non-traditional (older) students, many had not worked out in a few years, and for many this was their first experience with an organized competitive sport. Don't be intimidated by the prospect of college athletics. We will take it slow in the beginning and get everyone in shape before we increase the intensity.

If you are interested enough in crew to be looking at this page you should come give it a try. Many of our athletes were out of shape when they showed up, but all of them were interested in rowing. You come with the interest and we'll take care of the rest.

Here are some frequent questions we get from people interested in rowing.

Do I need to be a current Evergreen student?
Yes. Even though Crew is still a club sport at Evergreen, we use the same rules and expectations for athlete eligibility that our competition uses. 

When is the season?
Collegiate rowing has two race seasons, Fall and Spring. Our team practices from September through mid-May with occasional breaks.

When do we practice?
Practice times are determined at the beginning of each quarter to allow the most compatibility with class and work schedules. Typically, we work out in the morning before class. We will typically practice 3-4 days per week in the Fall and end the season with 5-6 practices per week.

Where do we practice?
We row out of the Olympia Area Rowing facility in Swantown Marina (East Bay). It's a short drive from campus, located near the bus transfer station, and centrally located for those who live off-campus. We row on the Puget Sound in some of the most protected stretches of salt water in the US. Directions

Who do we race?
Our local competition includes Western Washington University, Seattle Pacific University, Seattle University, University of Puget Sound, Pacific Lutheran University, Portland State, University of Portland, Willamette University, Lewis and Clark, University of Oregon, and Humboldt State University.

When we travel to California, we will be racing all of the California schools too.

Where do we race?
Most of our races are in the greater Seattle-Tacoma and Portland area. We also travel to Central Oregon and Southern California for a few races in the Spring.

When are the races?
Typically, we race Saturdays. Most races are in the morning and we make it back to Olympia by early afternoon. There may be an occasional Sunday race. We may also need to leave on Friday for a couple of races. Last year we managed to not miss any classes and get people back in town in time to work.

Do you have scholarships?
No.

How much does it cost to row?
As a club sport, the modest funding we receive from the school goes to cover the expenses of our facility. Travel, equipment maintenance, uniforms, race entry fees, gasoline for the coach's motor boat, and various other expenses are covered by athletes dues. though I'm not sure what the expenses will be this year, in the past, rowers will typically pay $250 in the Fall and again in the Spring. No one has ever been kicked off the team for being poor, and it shouldn't be a deterrent to your participation. There are ways to work around the dues.

What conference(s) are we in?
The Evergreen State College is a member of the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (WIRA). Most colleges and universities in Washington, Oregon, and California are WIRA members. As part of this conference Evergreen athletes compete with some of the fastest teams in the country. 

Do you make cuts?
We haven't yet, and don't anticipate needing to make cuts this year. In my experience, with the eight month training season, many of our top athletes at the end of the year were not our top athletes when they first show up. I prefer to give people the chance to develop as athletes before making any decisions. That said, people with bad flexibility, little strength, poor attendance, a negative attitude, and who show little progress should not expect to be sitting in the boat on race day.

I'm interested in rowing a single, is that possible?
College rowing emphasizes the team boats. We row eights and fours almost exclusively.

If you have gotten this far, and still have a question, e-mail me. If you want to row, click here.