Prince William Rowing Club and the Rowing Fitness Center collaborated to hold one of two Learn to Row Days of the 2003 season on April 27. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon on the Occoquan River at Lake Ridge, Virginia.

About 30-40 guests came for an introduction to sweep rowing and were enthusiastically greeted by the PWRC board, staff, and other club members.

* Men's VP Mike Lee gave our guests a quick tour of the boathouse.

* Head Coach Alex Torres and rowers Steve Bull and Rich Adams next showed them the basics of the stroke on ergometers on the dock (erging is so much more appealing on a dock than in a basement!)

* Assistant Coaches Sue Olesak and Jim Pickens brought our guests out on Woodbridge High School's "barge." This is a pontoon-type heavy wooden boat with sliding seats and foot-stretchers. We use it to give people the feel of pulling an oar through water without the risk of tipping.

* Coxswain Kaitlyn Duncan and some members of the Forest Park High School Crew Team took some of the prospective rowers out in an eight. They did some rowing in our cove, and looked pretty good for only having had an hour or so of instruction!

We hope to repeat this success on our “second” NLTRD on May 31.