Rowing Scholarships. College rowing Recruiting.
Facts About the Crew Recruiting Process
If you’re a high school rower, or just a good overall athlete, there are plenty of opportunities to find a college rowing scholarship. There are 138 rowing programs across all NCAA divisions, with each school offering roughly 20 rowing scholarships to athletes. Rowing is what is known as an equivalency sport, which means that these scholarships can be split up between athletes. There are also ample opportunities for athletes to get scholarship money from walk on spots. Division III schools do not offer rowing scholarships, but they can put together academic aid packages for rowers.
The biggest statistic that coaches use to determine your ability as a rower during the rowing recruitment process is your 2k ERG score. Although your ERG time does not demonstrate balance or technique, it is the best measure a coach has to determine your skill level. To compete at the Division I or II levels, experienced rowers should have a 2k ERG score between 7:15 and 7:45. If you are a novice or inexperienced rower, you should have an ERG of less than 7:30 for Division I and 8:00 for Division II. Keep in mind that the bigger and stronger you are, the lower your ERG score should be to demonstrate that you can “pull your weight.”
Just because college rowing is competitive, it doesn’t mean that you must have rowing experience to be recruited, whether for a walk-on spot or to receive rowing scholarship money. Since rowing is not offered in most high schools in the United States, coaches are constantly looking to recruit good athletes from other sports. If you’re an athlete that possesses great endurance and athleticism, and you’re willing to dedicate the time to learning the skills necessary to be a rower, then you have a great chance at earning a rowing scholarship.
Coxswains are the most important people in the boat because they coordinate strategy and technique for all rowers; however, it is difficult to find a full scholarship as a coxswain. Coxswains are most often offered partial scholarships, unless they can show coaches that they have led boats in high-level races and competitions. Getting a rowing scholarship as a coxswain is also dependent on the athletes that a coach currently has. If you are a coxswain and want to be recruited, it is important that you look at programs’ rosters and graduating athletes. Provide coaches with audio recordings of your practices or races to illustrate your skills as a coxswain and team leader.
Not all schools have programs devoted specifically to lightweight rowers. But you can still find opportunities at schools that offer only open-weight teams, even if you were primarily a lightweight rower. Schools that do offer lightweight rowing programs are extremely competitive, so it is important that you start researching programs and contacting coaches to get on their recruiting lists.
Club teams give athletes a chance to continue (or start) rowing if you cannot find a Division I or II rowing scholarship. While club teams don’t offer athletic scholarships, they are a great way to continue your rowing career at the college level.
Important. NCAA Eligibility Center rule change. What is the IBL? Institutional Request List.
Author: David Frank
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