News

April showers bring . . .

As much as we would love to be on the water and not on the ergs, Spring entered West Michigan bringing hundreds of gallons of water with it. Currently, (see what I did there?) our stretch of the river is fast and high. Our boathouse is snug and dry, but there is no way to safely get boats, equipment and rowers to/from the dock. Our Juniors have been conducting land practices in anticipation of their first regatta in Lansing. We are hoping that the waters will recede enough to get on the water by Saturday, April 15. Members, you will also get Slack notifications on river conditions.

2024 – Bring it on!

The Grand Rapids Rowing Club has been working tirelessly throughout the winter to provide the best rowing experience for its club members, new rowers, and the wider rowing community. On March 23, despite frigid temperatures here in Michigan, we will have our docks in. Our Junior Rowing team has a busy spring season and we want to give them every water advantage possible. We are SO proud and impressed by our amazing Junior coaches and their enthusiastic crew. Our club rowers have already contributed many hours prepping the boathouse, getting equipment ready, clearing the grounds (we have an interesting beaver situation near our lagoon), and updating information on all social media platforms. Whew! It is always “all hands on deck” but we wouldn’t want it any other way. Our club is the best because we have such dedicated members who are also a ton of fun! We are looking forward to hosting the 2024 Grand Regatta on June 29 as well as a Coxswain Clinic on April 27 and three 1-day community Learn-To-Row Days throughout the summer. Check out the updated information on our website pages and join us on the river.

Club members: join us for the December planning meeting

The 2022 December Planning Meeting takes place this Saturday, December 10, from 8am -12noon at the Phoenix Society Office at 525 Ottawa NW.

This is a chance to take part in shaping our 2023 rowing season. All member voices are important in this process so we can represent your needs, ideas and suggestions.

Quick Peek at the Agenda: 

1. Current State of the Club (Where are we now?)
2. Set specific goals (Where do we want to be?) and 
3. Identify steps for meeting the goals (How do we get there?).  

   A. Membership 
   B. Programs 
   C. Facilities and Equipment  

There will be a club “toast” to a successful and fun 2022 season. Please plan on attending; either in-person (best) or virtually (better). Bring snacks and beverages to share. 

Parking: Free parking is on side of building enter by alley off Trowbridge or Hastings. Entrance to office is off Ottawa in front of the building.

Bye bye, dock!

We say this every year, but it really does take a village on Dock Out Day! ? This past Saturday there was plenty of heavy lifting, problem solving, drilling, muddy boots and pants, as well as cleaning and organizing.

This year we also had people stoking the campfire, disassembling an old dock, cutting up a damaged shell and trying to get the muck off the dock pieces as they came in.

As much as we groan when the date approaches, there really is a lot of camaraderie and joking around. And donuts! ?

THANK YOU to the club members, junior team members and coaches who pitched in! To keep in shape for spring (and Dock In Day), winter conditioning for adults starts December 5. Juniors will begin in March and we’ll share those date as we get closer.

“The reunion row was awesome!”

That’s a direct quote from one of our members about last night’s row.

It was chilly but the rain held off so we were able to get an 8 and a 4 on the water. Coach Chris worked his culinary magic and grilled some amazing burgers and sausage. it was great to see some rowing friends who haven’t been on the water in months or years!

Thank you to everyone who joined us!

Reunion Row 2022

Whether you have rowed with us in the past, participated in our LTR classes this summer, or you’re currently a full member . . . we would LOVE for all to join us for our Reunion Row 2022. This will be a fun night of reconnecting with each other, enjoying the sport of rowing (3 fun 500m races), and sharing food and beverages afterward. We’re hoping to get 8s and 4s out on the water! We know that not everyone can make it by  5:30, so those who show up early can get oars, boats, and a launch ready.