Rowing for Middle School Youth
Join Great Bay Rowing for a safe, fun-filled summer on the river. We have programs for all skill levels, from beginners to those who already have several seasons under their belt. Check out everything we offer below, and contact the Rowing Director with any questions.
Summer Rowing Season
Welcome to the Fall 2023 Season! As many of your know, we are undergoing large scale construction at our boathouse location at 31 River Street in Dover. While this is exciting, as it means our dreams of a real boathouse on the Cocheco are getting closer, it does mean this fall season will look a little different than in the past. We will be rowing out of an alternative site in Dover this year – further details to come. We ask that everyone approaches this season with patience and a flexible mindset. Our goal is to continue rowing at the highest standard, no matter where we are launching from, and we are confident we will be able to make that happen.
Youth Learn to Row Camp
Week Long Sessions – Practices Monday thru Friday
9:00am to 11:00am
2024 Camp Dates
Camp 1 – June 24 to June 28
Camp 2 – July 8 to July 12
Camp 3 – July 15 to July 19
Camp 4 – July 22 to July 26
Camp 5 – August 5 to August 9
Camp 6 – August 12 to August 16
Open to athletes entering 6th to 12th grade, and designed for the someone who has no prior experience with rowing, our Youth Learn to Row camps run for one week, with practices Monday thru Friday. This is a great way to try rowing, especially for anyone considering doing a longer season during the school year. Athletes will learn how to row on land using ergometers, and take those skills to the water in a variety of different boats. Athletes will train for technical skill, overall rowing knowledge, and fitness in a fun, supportive team environment.
Athletes are welcome to participate in more than one camp, keeping in mind that the curriculum will be similar for each session.
Middle School Intermediate Rowing
June 24 to July 26
Tuesdays and Thursdays
4:00pm to 5:30pm
Open to athletes 6th to 8th grade who have successfully completed at least one on the water sesssion. During this program, athletes will build on their basic knowledge of rowing, further develop technical skills and fitness, build racing oriented skills in team boats, and be introduced to racing singles for continued independent development.
Fall Rowing Season
Our middle school programs will look a little different for this season, due to the Dover boathouse construction forcing us to change locations for the fall. Jackson’s Landing is an amazing place to row, but we are beholden to the tides, and can only row on high tide weeks. With this in mind, we will offer two Middle School Rowing Camps this fall, open to athletes in grades 6 to 8. These will be mixed experience programs. Athletes with no experience are welcome, and those with prior experience will be boated according to their skill level.
Athletes who are entering 8th grade and who are looking for a longer, more intensive program, are eligible for the High School Novice Team.
Middle School Rowing Camp
Camp 1 – Sept 18th to Sept 22nd
Monday thru Friday
4pm to 6pm
Camp 2 – Oct 2nd to Oct 6th
Monday thru Friday
4pm to 6pm
High School Novice Team
September 5th to November 3rd
Monday thru Friday
5:00pm to 7:00pm
$745
A novice athlete is anyone in their first year of competition against other teams. If you have participated in the GBR Middle School programs and are moving up to High School, you will be joining the Novice team. If you participated in any Summer High School Learn to Row or High School Intermediate programs, you will be joining the novice team.
If you are not sure if you qualify for this team, please contact the Rowing Director prior to registering.
Winter Training Season
As the temperatures drop and the waterways freeze, middle school rowers focus on winter training. During this off-season, they dedicate themselves to building a strong foundation for the upcoming competitive season. Through a combination of indoor workouts and dry-land exercises, these young athletes develop their cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength, and technical skills. On the ergometer, they hone their rowing technique, building endurance for long races. Weightlifting, core workouts, and plyometric exercises help them build the power and explosiveness to propel a boat through the water.
The rowers strengthen their mental toughness and camaraderie through team-building activities and goal-setting sessions. This intensive winter training lays the groundwork for the rowers to reach new heights when they return to the water in the spring, ready to put their hard work into practice.
Middle School Winter Training
January 8th to February 23rd
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
4:00pm to 5:00pm
$400
March 4th to March 29th
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
4:00pm to 5:00pm
$200
Open to any athlete in grades 6 to 8 there is NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY TO JOIN THIS PROGRAM. This will be an fun fitness based program using ergs (rowing machines), circuits, yoga and other activities to develop strength and endurance, as well as knowledge about the sport.
Athletes in 8th grade with prior rowing experience who are interested in more intensive rowing through the winter should check out the High School Winter Training programs.
Spring Rowing Season
Our middle school programs will look a little different for this season, due to the Dover boathouse construction forcing us to change locations for the fall. Jackson’s Landing is an amazing place to row, but we are beholden to the tides, and can only row on high tide weeks. With this in mind, we will offer two Middle School Rowing Camps this fall, open to athletes in grades 6 to 8. These will be mixed experience programs. Athletes with no experience are welcome, and those with prior experience will be boated according to their skill level.
Athletes who are entering 8th grade and who are looking for a longer, more intensive program, are eligible for the High School Novice Team.
Middle School Rowing Camp
Camp 1 – Sept 18th to Sept 22nd
Monday thru Friday
4pm to 6pm
Camp 2 – Oct 2nd to Oct 6th
Monday thru Friday
4pm to 6pm
High School Novice Team
(NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY)
April 1st to May 26th
Monday thru Friday
5:00pm to 7:00pm
A novice athlete is anyone in their first year of competition against other teams. If you joined the Novice team in the Fall of 2023, you are still a Novice in the Spring of 2023. This team is open to any athlete in grades 8-12, who had no prior competitive racing experience or prior rowing experience.
If you are not sure if you qualify for this team, please contact the Rowing Director prior to registering.
REGISTER HERE
