Happy New Year and Welcome to the 1st edition of the Caspersen Rowing Center Happenings for 2022.
As we begin another year under the shadow of the COVID19 pandemic we want to say thank you for being a part of our rowing community!
Despite the pandemic, we were able to achieve some amazing things in 2021.
We were able to return to near full programming by the end of 2021 with over 400 Juniors, Masters, and National Team Athletes using the Caspersen Rowing Center on a regular basis;
We got to witness athletes who took their first rowing strokes at the Caspersen Rowing Center win medals at the Paralympics, World Rowing Junior Championships, and National Youth Regattas.
Junior rowers left the Caspersen Programs to attend and row at some of the finest universities and colleges in the country.
One of the most exciting things for me is seeing the impact our Swim to Row and the STEM to Stern outreach programs are having on the participants. This was emphasized in an email we received this week from Trenton’s Center for Child and Family Achievement, one of the partners in the Swim to Row program:
One parent stated, “my granddaughter, loves the water, my greatest fear was her drowning. She knows how to swim now and I can relax “!
All of the girls improved in areas of personal development and leadership,” my daughter has blossomed into a more confident and responsible person from being apart of SWIM to ROW”
Parents shared that SWIM to ROW also motivated their girls regarding academic performance with all girls improving their grades and 4 of the girls making Honor Roll. A 4th grader at Monument School excitedly said, “one day you will see me on a Rowing Team at the Olympics, the rowing machine is hard but kinda fun.“
We are looking forward to seeing this young lady on the Olympic Team and to see the future achievements of all of our rowers!
As we begin 2022, we will continue to work to be a place where rowers of all ages, talent levels, and backgrounds have the opportunity to develop their rowing abilities to their highest potential. We are grateful to have you as a part of our community on this journey.
Happy New Year!
Kris Grudt
Executive Director
