Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not too late. Kids at our public get into HYP for rowing, and started in 8th/9th. Being tall helps!

So this doesn't happen.

Most rowers are from top privates with few from public schools. There are a few public school exceptions for kids from some wealthy NY/CT (or CA) suburbs who rowed at elite clubs. Rowing is the ultimate white DEI sport.
Most recruited rowers at HYP are European and competitive at the national level.
Being tall doesn't just help, it is a prerequisite. 6'2" for men and 5'10" for women except for coxswains (who typically do not receive recruiting support).

Overall rowing is not by any means a easier path to admittance to a top school.

At the Stotesbury Cup for HS students last year, all the competitive public HS boats were blown out of the water by elite private school boats.

We found out some of these private schools have their own lakes / rivers right on the private grounds of their schools. Also found out they start rowing in middle school and practice all school-year long. Some of them recruit for high school. They had privately-catered chefs prepare lunch for their athletes, while all we had was an EZ-up, a few folding chairs, and some homemade sandwiches.

It was eye-opening.

Very interesting. Multiple family friends recruited for rowing were from TJ.

Really? Where are they? There is not a single TJ rower that I know of at an elite school.

Anonymous wrote:I thought there used to be lightweight rowing. Is that not a thing anymore? Then you can “only” be 6’0, no?

There is still lightweight rowing, although I don't know that scholarships are given to lightweight rowers. Mens lightweight is also different than womens, but I can't remember the exact rules.

If you're petite you could be a coxswain, especially if you're close to the minimum weights (if you're below minimum weight you carry weight for races).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not too late. Kids at our public get into HYP for rowing, and started in 8th/9th. Being tall helps!

So this doesn't happen.

Most rowers are from top privates with few from public schools. There are a few public school exceptions for kids from some wealthy NY/CT (or CA) suburbs who rowed at elite clubs. Rowing is the ultimate white DEI sport.
Most recruited rowers at HYP are European and competitive at the national level.
Being tall doesn't just help, it is a prerequisite. 6'2" for men and 5'10" for women except for coxswains (who typically do not receive recruiting support).

Overall rowing is not by any means a easier path to admittance to a top school.

At the Stotesbury Cup for HS students last year, all the competitive public HS boats were blown out of the water by elite private school boats.

We found out some of these private schools have their own lakes / rivers right on the private grounds of their schools. Also found out they start rowing in middle school and practice all school-year long. Some of them recruit for high school. They had privately-catered chefs prepare lunch for their athletes, while all we had was an EZ-up, a few folding chairs, and some homemade sandwiches.

It was eye-opening.

Whitman finished 3rd, Mclean was 10th and Yorktown 12th for the boys Varsity 8 race. I think two years ago (maybe 3), Jackson-Reed won the whole thing.

For girls, Whitman finished 3rd, Wakefield 4th, BCC 5th, Alexandria City 8th, Jackson-Reed 9th.

I find it actually crazy that any public schools are able to finish in the top 20 considering the mismatch in resources.

Nothing about rowing is easy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The HYP recruits are 5'8" up as girls (many close to 6'), 6'3" up as guys.

Wait - this 5’8”+ (girls) / 6’3”+ (boys) is really unfair!

How are colleges getting away with this?

Are you serious? Of course ability matters with athletic recruiting.

It's extremely rare to find someone who's 5'5" who's competitive with a great 6'0" athlete. Even with great erg splits, you need the height and wingspan to make the boat go faster.

Anonymous wrote:As a former collegiate rower, if you aren’t a morning person, don’t bother. I was up at 5:30 every morning as long as the water wasn’t frozen solid. It’s dark & cold & grueling. We did that 6 days a week, year round bc you’ve got sprint season & longer distance season. Plus erg work outs, lifting & independent running. It’s worth it if you find beauty in the movement.

Before you start the sport with the intention of being a recruited athlete, make sure you kid can thrive with early mornings (in college no less!), year round commitment & a lot of work. It’s not the easy way in

+1 And make sure you love rowing for itself. It's easily 20+ hours/week. There are much easier paths to ivies if that's your goal.

As a former collegiate rower, if you aren’t a morning person, don’t bother. I was up at 5:30 every morning as long as the water wasn’t frozen solid. It’s dark & cold & grueling. We did that 6 days a week, year round bc you’ve got sprint season & longer distance season. Plus erg work outs, lifting & independent running. It’s worth it if you find beauty in the movement.

Before you start the sport with the intention of being a recruited athlete, make sure you kid can thrive with early mornings (in college no less!), year round commitment & a lot of work. It’s not the easy way in

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not too late. Kids at our public get into HYP for rowing, and started in 8th/9th. Being tall helps!

So this doesn't happen.

Most rowers are from top privates with few from public schools. There are a few public school exceptions for kids from some wealthy NY/CT (or CA) suburbs who rowed at elite clubs. Rowing is the ultimate white DEI sport.
Most recruited rowers at HYP are European and competitive at the national level.
Being tall doesn't just help, it is a prerequisite. 6'2" for men and 5'10" for women except for coxswains (who typically do not receive recruiting support).

Overall rowing is not by any means a easier path to admittance to a top school.

At the Stotesbury Cup for HS students last year, all the competitive public HS boats were blown out of the water by elite private school boats.

We found out some of these private schools have their own lakes / rivers right on the private grounds of their schools. Also found out they start rowing in middle school and practice all school-year long. Some of them recruit for high school. They had privately-catered chefs prepare lunch for their athletes, while all we had was an EZ-up, a few folding chairs, and some homemade sandwiches.

It was eye-opening.

Very interesting. Multiple family friends recruited for rowing were from TJ.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The HYP recruits are 5'8" up as girls (many close to 6'), 6'3" up as guys.

Wait - this 5’8”+ (girls) / 6’3”+ (boys) is really unfair!

How are colleges getting away with this?

There’s always the coxswain. If your kid is short and thin, and has the right loud personality…

Do they recruit for coxswain?

I see so many squash recruits this year. How hard is it to be fencing? I know some families who are very very dedicated to fencing, but I just feel bad when I see them driving and flying everywhere for tournaments, in case their kids aren't recruited in a few years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not too late. Kids at our public get into HYP for rowing, and started in 8th/9th. Being tall helps!

So this doesn't happen.

Most rowers are from top privates with few from public schools. There are a few public school exceptions for kids from some wealthy NY/CT (or CA) suburbs who rowed at elite clubs. Rowing is the ultimate white DEI sport.
Most recruited rowers at HYP are European and competitive at the national level.
Being tall doesn't just help, it is a prerequisite. 6'2" for men and 5'10" for women except for coxswains (who typically do not receive recruiting support).

Overall rowing is not by any means a easier path to admittance to a top school.

At the Stotesbury Cup for HS students last year, all the competitive public HS boats were blown out of the water by elite private school boats.

We found out some of these private schools have their own lakes / rivers right on the private grounds of their schools. Also found out they start rowing in middle school and practice all school-year long. Some of them recruit for high school. They had privately-catered chefs prepare lunch for their athletes, while all we had was an EZ-up, a few folding chairs, and some homemade sandwiches.

It was eye-opening.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The HYP recruits are 5'8" up as girls (many close to 6'), 6'3" up as guys.

Wait - this 5’8”+ (girls) / 6’3”+ (boys) is really unfair!

How are colleges getting away with this?

There’s always the coxswain. If your kid is short and thin, and has the right loud personality…

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not too late. Kids at our public get into HYP for rowing, and started in 8th/9th. Being tall helps!

So this doesn't happen.

Most rowers are from top privates with few from public schools. There are a few public school exceptions for kids from some wealthy NY/CT (or CA) suburbs who rowed at elite clubs. Rowing is the ultimate white DEI sport.
Most recruited rowers at HYP are European and competitive at the national level.
Being tall doesn't just help, it is a prerequisite. 6'2" for men and 5'10" for women except for coxswains (who typically do not receive recruiting support).

Overall rowing is not by any means a easier path to admittance to a top school.

There is a place on a college team for just about any female rower with experience. I have a kid who honestly isn't that fast, rowing at a DIII school. She would not have made the cut for HYP or Williams, but you can row in college if you want to. She likely would have been admitted to this school on her academic record but we had a decision in August and knew what the merit aid offer was. It made for an easy fall. Also, we are from a DMV public. Jackson Reed is extremely good, BCC girls are very good, as is TBC (private club) and DC National. There are a whole bunch of public school clubs in NOVA as well.

You are absolutely correct. I was commenting from the perspective of rowing as a path to being recruited to an elite school. If someone is doing it because they love it there absolutely is a path to rowing in college even at top schools as a walk on in a lower boats.

Anonymous wrote:I see so many posts of kids rowing for colleges. Is rowing easier to get recruited for? Is it too late to start rowing (in 8th grade) for an athletic child who is currently in a different sport?

It is not too late. Its is a good EC. It is a reasonably common EC in metro DC.

Anonymous wrote:The HYP recruits are 5'8" up as girls (many close to 6'), 6'3" up as guys.

Our DC's rowing club has dues of $500/month, plus there is a fee of about $500 for every regatta to cover transportation and lodging. There are 6-10 regattas per year, so if you do the math, rowing can run almost $10k per year.

My advice to current HS Junior parents is to be realistic about your child's ability and have them commit by the end of March. There's a lot of shuffling in March and by the end of April the pool of spots is much smaller. Unless your kid is a superstar, then they'll bump someone else for your kid.

Coaches will cast a wide net, but move on if your kid isn't offered an official visit and an offer by the end of the visit. Ivies especially will keep talking to kids all the way until the end, without moving it forward to a visit and an offer.

Figure out whether your kid needs an athletic scholarship or just admission into the best school they can get and you can pay. Then narrow the scope of schools based on that.

Good luck everyone!